Problems encoding MBAFF H.264 stream

[Killer3737]

I have an HDTV recording (from Arte HD if that helps) which is H.264 with MBAFF interlacing. I'm trying to encode it for a standard DVD but not having much luck, thanks to the MBAFF I assume. I remember having BBC HD streams before which were MBAFF and having the same trouble.

Having found a few topics whilst searching someone suggested yadif in mode 1 should work, so my script looked like this:

Load_Stdcall_Plugin("D:\Video & Audio Editing Programs\MeGUI\tools\yadif\yadif.dll")
LoadPlugin("D:\Video & Audio Editing Programs\MeGUI\tools\dgavcindex\DGAVCDecode.dll")
AVCSource("F:\European DVD Project\Hurricane Festival 2011_fixed.dga")
Yadif(mode=1, order=0)
Spline36Resize(720,576)
ColorMatrix(mode="Rec.709->Rec.601")
AssumeTFF()
SeparateFields()
SelectEvery(4,0,3)
Weave()

But the resulting file (using a few encoders, CCE and HCEnc for two) was a mess, weird blocks that looked like interlacing errors:



Where am I going wrong?

Upon more googling I saw somewhere, might have been a thread here, that DGAVCIndex was the problem since it was outdated and couldn't decode the stream properly. My question then would be what is the alternative, if I want to frameserve this H.264 file via AVISynth into my encoder and get a proper output?

Thanks

[_Al_]

I don't know about AVCSource, never used it, but Yadif is set for bottom field first, but source is perhaps upper field first

also put your script into VirtualDub or MPC HC before encoding for a quick check of your script before you encode your video, this way you know where is the problem (script or encoding)

[Killer3737]

Hmm, not sure why that was wrong but I changed it to order=1 and it was the same.

Just tried loading the script it into VirtualDub though, including just an empty script with the AVCSource line and nothing else and the errors shown above are present, which means the problem is with the DGAVCIndex index file, surely? But how else can I load this H.264 through AVISynth? Just directly load the raw .264 file with DirectShowSource?

[jagabo]

Last I heard AVCSource didn't support MBAFF. If that's still true you'll need another AVC decoder. ffdshow or x264 will work.

[Killer3737]

Ok, thanks. It seems DirectShowSource won't work either though, I get 'can't load video'. My ffdshow and haali media splitter are set up correctly as far as I know, it loads other H.264 files fine, but not this one with MBAFF.

[El Heggunte]

Ok, thanks. It seems DirectShowSource won't work either though, I get 'can't load video'. My ffdshow and haali media splitter are set up correctly as far as I know, it loads other H.264 files fine, but not this one with MBAFF.

Your version of Haali = ?????

Your version of ffdshow = ????

What about other AVC decoders (MPCVideoDec.ax, LAV Video, DivX H264 Decoder, etc) ???

Also, have you tried DirectShowSource() on a functional .GRF file

[aedipuss]

are you sure it's mbaff encoded?

[Killer3737]

Ok, thanks. It seems DirectShowSource won't work either though, I get 'can't load video'. My ffdshow and haali media splitter are set up correctly as far as I know, it loads other H.264 files fine, but not this one with MBAFF.

Your version of Haali = ?????

Your version of ffdshow = ????

What about other AVC decoders (MPCVideoDec.ax, LAV Video, DivX H264 Decoder, etc) ???

Also, have you tried DirectShowSource() on a functional .GRF file

Haali is 1.9.63.13, I can't find ffdshow but it was the latest version as of about a month ago. I don't believe I have any other decoders installed.

As for your last question, I don't know what you mean by that, sorry.

are you sure it's mbaff encoded?

Yes.

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=64
Codec ID : 27
Duration : 13mn 23s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 7 323 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 40.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : MBAFF
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.141
Stream size : 702 MiB (92%)
Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177

[poisondeathray]

leave it in the original transport stream container (don't use dgavcindex, don't demux)

if you render the original file in graphstudio what does it show ?

you need to use preferred filter tweaker on win7 to enable ffdshow

[Killer3737]

leave it in the original transport stream container (don't use dgavcindex, don't demux)

Yes I tried that, still 'can't load video' according to HCEnc.

if you render the original file in graphstudio what does it show ?

I'll do that shortly and get back to you, just encoding another file right now.

EDIT: Just done that, it just details the audio decoding. I can't select the video stream.

you need to use preferred filter tweaker on win7 to enable ffdshow

Pretty sure I already did that when I was installing AVCHDCoder a month or so ago. I also installed the x64 version.

[poisondeathray]

Does video play ok in WMP or MPC ?

EDIT: Just done that, it just details the audio decoding. I can't select the video stream.

You probably have directshow issues, you need to configure your filters in order for DirectShowSource() to work properly

You can construct a graph .grf in graphstudio as suggested above as well, if you don't want to mix with your current configuration

Can you cut a small sample with tsmuxer and post it ?

[Killer3737]

Yes it plays in WMP. It also plays in my preferred player, Power DVD, but has momentary stutters every few seconds.

Sample (in sync): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3QREG0KS

[aedipuss]

mediacoder can make dvd spec mpeg-2 720x576 25p out of it with ac-3 audio.

[jagabo]

I was able to open the sample with DirectShowSource() in AviSynth and with VirtualDub's DirectShow source filter. No problems. Haali and ffdshow were in use.

[Killer3737]

mediacoder can make dvd spec mpeg-2 720x576 25p out of it with ac-3 audio.

Indeed it does, but why? FFMpeg? I'd like to get it to work with AVISynth ideally so I can have better control of the encode and it's settings and use my preffered encoder. Also it may just be me not getting the settings right but ffmpeg never seems to output what I ask. In this case 7Mbps VBR, it outputted nearer 5Mbps VBR.

I was able to open the sample with DirectShowSource() in AviSynth and with VirtualDub's DirectShow source filter. No problems. Haali and ffdshow were in use.

Hmm, what could be the issue with my setup then? Like I said above I installed and configured ffdshow when I installed and setup AVCHDCoder for x264 usage, beyond that I've not touched it or installed any other codec packs or anything.

When I try loading the avisynth script of just 'DirectShowSource("F:\European DVD Project\sampleb.ts")' VirtualDub says the file doesn't have a video stream.

[jagabo]

Hmm, what could be the issue with my setup then? Like I said above I installed and configured ffdshow when I installed and setup AVCHDCoder for x264 usage, beyond that I've not touched it or installed any other codec packs or anything.

Make sure ffdshow is being used to decode the video. Figuring out which decoder is being used can be hard. For ffdshow I usually set one of the obvious filters like Vertical Flip (Offset&Flip section). If the video is displayed upside down I know ffdshow is in use.

When I try loading the avisynth script of just 'DirectShowSource("F:\European DVD Project\sampleb.ts")' VirtualDub says the file doesn't have a video stream.

Normally I'd suspect a missing file reader/splitter but you said you installed Haali. Are you running 64 bit Windows? Be aware that 32 bit and 64 bit software run in separate environments. You need 64 bit components for 64 bit software, 32 bit components for 32 bit software. Ie, Haali, ffdshow, and VirtualDub need to all be 64 bit, or all 32 bit.

[Killer3737]

Yes I have Win 7 64-Bit, that is why I installed that on top of the 32-bit version. I don't suppose it means much but when I run the 32-bit and 64-bit decoding tests in AVCHDCoder they both pass for H.264.

Obviously I can't do it on this file but I turned that vertical flip on and loaded a different h.264 file with the same method and it did indeed load flipped in VDub. So it's being used, no? It just won't load this video for some reason.

[jagabo]

Obviously I can't do it on this file but I turned that vertical flip on and loaded a different h.264 file with the same method and it did indeed load flipped in VDub. So it's being used, no?

Yes, that indicates ffdshow is being used.

It just won't load this video for some reason.

Maybe you could remux into a different container? MKV or MP4?

[poisondeathray]

Your directshow filters are messed up .

In the graphstudio analysis, right click the 1st box, is it haali splliter or something else (maybe lavf? or other splitter?) . You said there is no video pin? only audio pin connects?

But other transport streams show both audio & video pins connecting in graphstudio?




If you can't sort it out, you can force a filter chain by constructing a .grf in graphstudio, then use avisynth as suggested above

[Killer3737]

Maybe you could remux into a different container? MKV or MP4?

I'll try, I can't see it making much difference though.

Your directshow filters are messed up .

In the graphstudio analysis, right click the 1st box, is it haali splliter or something else (maybe lavf? or other splitter?)

When I right click and choose properties Haali comes up.

You said there is no video pin? only audio pin connects?

Correct.

But other transport streams show both audio & video pins connecting in graphstudio?

Also correct.

If you can't sort it out, you can force a filter chain by constructing a .grf in graphstudio, then use avisynth as suggested above

Could you explain this process a bit clearer please? Besides that, what else could I try to fix my obviously borked ffdshow? Just uninstall, registry clean and reinstall?

[jagabo]

If Haali isn't showing a video output pin (in GraphStudio) the problem is in Haali, not ffdshow.

To build your own graph, use Graph -> Insert Filters. Add all the filters you need, connect the pins (drag and drop), then press play.

[Killer3737]

If Haali isn't showing a video output pin (in GraphStudio) the problem is in Haali, not ffdshow.

Thanks for that, uninstalled and reinstalled Haali and now it's working.

Now i just need to get the encode to work properly. Everything looks correct in VDub so it should be ok.

[aedipuss]

ffcoder made a decent dvd mpeg-2 pal version. make sure to use mpeg-2 audio if you try it, as ac3 and aac don't seem to be working in that program.