Hybrid(Windows/Linux/Mac): Input -> x264/x265/Xvid/VP8/VP9

[omelette]

Hi. I have just installed Hybrid 2014.03.12.1 on XP. With an Input video selected, if I alter the 'Video handling' selection, Hybrid immediately crashes ("The memory could not be read"). With no Input file selected, changing 'Video handling' doesn't cause it to crash. In fact, with an Input file selected (I've tried a couple of different formats) there are multiple ways of causing it to crash immediately - just clicking the 'DVD' check-box for instance.

I also tried installing Hybrid under Wine with Linux - does more or less the same thing! Is it something I'm doing wrong?

[Gravitator]

Hi omelette,
rename or delete the folder "avisynthplugins" - will help? The same thing happens, but only with the GUI crash.

[Selur]

Thanks for the info, will look at it once I'm a bit better (flu: fever, coughing,...).

[omelette]

Gravitator, many thanks, that did the trick, no more crashing!

[Selur]

will try to reproduce it with the new info, once I'm a bit more healthy

[Leo99]

Hello, if I 'Disable' Reencode for AC3 audio, it will not pass through to the original preset, the appl turned into 2 ch of its original 6 ch.
Also I tried to 'Enable' Reencode by Aften AC3 chosen, and tick the Filtering to select Downmix 'to5.1', but cannot help as well. The result was still 2 ch stereo conversion.
Could anyone help with this? Any idea what I can do...

[Selur]

If reencoding is not active and you add the current settings to the audio queue, Hybrid will not reencode anything.

Could anyone help with this? Any idea what I can do...

read up on how to create a debug output and create a debug output which includes:
a. the analysis of your source
b. all the setting changes
c. the job creation

[Leo99]

Selur, I have no idea, I have tried many ways but the result was still 2 ch stereo.
That's right this appl will not reencode anything as you said, it works good as I tried already. But I think this only applies to standalone videos that have been fixed 6 ch of AC3, and does not apply to AC3 from a DVD-Video, because I see all DVD featuring have two options for AC3 audio (see sample MediaInfo I've tried).

General
Complete name: F:\Life shows...\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.VOB
Format: MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 24mn 11s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 5 920 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Custom
Format settings, GOP : Variable
Duration : 24mn 10s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 5 162 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 7 200 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.498
Time code of first frame : 00:23:20:21
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 893 MiB (87%)

Audio #1
ID : 189 (0xBD)-128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : DVD-Video
Duration : 24mn 11s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels <================= option 1
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -291ms
Stream size : 33.2 MiB (3%)

Audio #2
ID : 189 (0xBD)-129 (0x81)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : DVD-Video
Duration : 24mn 11s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels <================= option 2
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -323ms
Stream size : 77.5 MiB (8%)

Menu

[Selur]

Hybrid is capable to automatically:
a. passthrough a single audio stream
b. passthrough all audio stream
If you manually add an audio stream to the audio queue you have to select the audio stream you want.

Sounds to me atm. like you wanted the second audio stream, went to the Audio-tab, added the settings to the audio queue, but forgot to select the 2nd audio stream instead of the first.
-> doesn't sound like a bug in Hybrid
If you think it is a bug in Hybrid and not a usage problem, create a debugoutput and send it to me, otherwise I can't help.

Cu Selur

[Leo99]

I know, it's OK Selur.. just right, must be manually added. Unfortunately I have to demux first and converted with other appl, afterwards adding back to the Hybrid. Thanks a lot, Selur

[Selur]

Unfortunately I have to demux first and converted with other appl, afterwards adding back to the Hybrid.

why?

[Leo99]

Because I need to convert this 6ch into MKV container. This is due to always get 2ch in Hybrid, so I had to demux the audio only by ignore video, then converted to 6ch using other converter. Afterwards manually add into Hybrid + Audio queue. This is the way that I take, and successful !

[Selur]

Either you do something wrong or Hybrid has a bug sadly you did not post a debug output and a detailed description on what you do, to know if it's an error due to user handling or a bug, but if that's the way you are happy that is fine with me.

[Gravitator]

Hi,
Replaced by an updated encoder DivX, and when encoding through Hybrid / DivX Converter, I get a different bitrate; Hybrid not accurate / higher than the set.
Check your samples?

[Selur]

a. Hybrid only uses DivX265 which is not the same encoder as DivXEngine which is used in the DivXConverter.
-> no surprise that they deliver different output.
Can't include support for DivXEngine, since it doesn't support input via pipe/stdIn. (Made a feature request inside the DivX support forum and got the feedback so far that it is a planned feature, but there is no eta. for it at the moment.
b. DivX doesn't support 2pass encoding atm. so it is kind of normal that you always end up with a different bit rate. (even if you encode the same content due to the randomness of multithreading)

[omelette]

@Selur: Thanks for PM'ing me about Hybrid crashing. Unfortunately, the same thing happens with the replacement 'hybrid.exe'.

I'm delighted to find that Hybrid seems to work perfectly with Linux Wine 1.6.2 (with 'avisynthplugins' deleted). However, if I minimise Hybrid, it vanishes from the menu-bar and its icon appears in the notification-area at the top of the screen. Clicking on this icon will NOT make it reappear - a Wine-bug obviously, so you must do a forced-close & restart. Is there any way to stop Hybrid from removing its icon from the menu bar (at the bottom of screen) when minimised?

[Selur]

Is there any way to stop Hybrid from removing its icon from the menu bar (at the bottom of screen) when minimised?

Yes. Disabling->View->Design->Minimize to system tray.

Also: Why not use native Hybrid instead of using wine to run Hybrid?

Thanks for PM'ing me about Hybrid crashing. Unfortunately, the same thing happens with the replacement 'hybrid.exe'.

That's strange, thought I fixed it, since the problem does not happen in my Windows XP VM.
Loading a source and then switching the "Video handling" value didn't cause a crash anymore with the version I send you.
-> I'll create a new version which will include some additional debug info, so when I send a new link to you please create a debug output using that version recreating the problem.

[Selur]

while waiting for feedback from omelette (and coughing a lot) I was wondering:

What to do regarding x265 no longer supporting Windows XP (until someone finds a patch)?
I got a few options:

1. Take it as a sign and drop Windows XP support in general; meaning:
   a. I do not check if tools still work on it and ignore users who run Hybrid on Windows XP
   b. the windows installer would no longer work on Windows XP (atm. Windows XP is the minimum Windows OS, then it would be VISTA)
2. try to figure out what the latest on Windows XP working x265 release was and additionally bundle that with Hybrid (so that they will be installed only if Windows XP is detected by the installer).
   Pro: Windows XP is still fully supported
   Con: Windows installer size might increase another 5MB. x265 on Windows will be outdated
3. try to figure out what the latest on Windows XP working x265 release was and disable x265 support on Windows XP machines, if a newer version is detected
4. disable x265 support on Windows XP machines in future releases

Since I personally have no real favorite, I was wondering what you folks think about it.

Cu Selur

[deadrats]

i don't understand what it means that x265 will no longer support XP; are you saying that it will purposely include code that prevents the encoder from running on XP? i was under the impression that encoders like x265, x264, xvid don't rely on any OS' api or run time frame work, that the code is written in such a way that you can basically just target any OS with the compiler and it will run.

on a different target, will you be including support for the latest Divx265 cli build released a few days ago any time soon?

as for what to do with regards to x265, i say F them regardless of whether or not they drop support for any OS, they suck, their encoder sucks, they are losers destined to be also rans and they can pound salt.

[omelette]

Is there any way to stop Hybrid from removing its icon from the menu bar (at the bottom of screen) when minimised?

Yes. Disabling->View->Design->Minimize to system tray.

Also: Why not use native Hybrid instead of using wine to run Hybrid?

Thanks for PM'ing me about Hybrid crashing. Unfortunately, the same thing happens with the replacement 'hybrid.exe'.

That's strange, thought I fixed it, since the problem does not happen in my Windows XP VM.
Loading a source and then switching the "Video handling" value didn't cause a crash anymore with the version I send you.
-> I'll create a new version which will include some additional debug info, so when I send a new link to you please create a debug output using that version recreating the problem.

Damn, I thought I had looked everywhere - thanks!

I don't use the native-Linux Hybrid 'cos I can't! - I am still working with the long-ago EOL'ed Ubuntu Lucid whose 'current' QT is version 4.4. When they pull the repositories, then I'll make the switch. Wine-Hybrid runs impressively fast though, much faster than my Virtualbox'ed XP (don't have a native M$ partition).

I'm happy to report that the second file you sent me works fine! Just to make sure, I tried the first 'hybrid.exe' you sent again - definitely causes a crash, so whatever changes you made in the second file fixed it! Many thanks.

[DarrellS]

Multicoreware x265.exe stopped working for XP a couple of builds ago.

I'm in the boat also that I could care less because the new version of DivX265.exe Command Line Encoder blows x265.exe out of the water in encoding speed with their new fastest preset compared to x265.exe ultrafast preset.

You could leave the last build that worked in if you want. I don't think anyone would expect you to try and create builds that work. I switched to Windows 7 a couple of nights ago. Not because it's any faster than XP was on the same files but because I have to face the facts that most programmers are going to drop support. I hated dropping W2000 for XP Pro SP3 but my MB and CPU didn't support W2000. I learned a lot of tweaks to make XP act like 98SE and W2000 and I've already found a few tweaks to make Windows 7 act close to the same way.

I've still got a ways to go before I get everything installed that works. I've had to drop a few programs that I really liked because Windows 7 refuses to let me install them saying that they're not compatible. I'd rather hear that from the developers than Micro$oft though.

[Selur]

i don't understand what it means that x265 will no longer support XP; are you saying that it will purposely include code that prevents the encoder from running on XP?

They already did. There new threading code requires some stuff that is not supported on Windows XP. And for them it's not worth the time to support a dying OS any longer. Since x265 is open source there's still potential that someone will offer a patch for it, but for the time being current x265 version won't run on Windows XP. (see the x265 MinGW thread for some further details)

so whatever changes you made in the second file fixed it! Many thanks.

Nice, so the only thing stopping the next public release is to figure out what the latest x265 version is, that is supported by Windows XP

[Selur]

on a different target, will you be including support for the latest Divx265 cli build released a few days ago any time soon?

from what I see there's no cli changes, so nothing special to do to support the new version other than copying it into the Hybrid folder
-> next release (probably later today; struggling with updating some tools atm.) will include the new binary

just released: Hybrid rev 2014.03.21.1

[Gravitator]

Thanks for the update
Will there be support encoding images (jpeg, png, ..)?

[omelette]

Hi Selur. I've been playing with Hybrid and have noticed a few things, all with my virtualised XP.

1. When only an audio-file is selected ('test.wav' for instance) hitting 'Preview' causes Hybrid to crash in the same way I've already described.
2. When re-encoding audio, the Opus format is always encoded at 128kb/s, regardless of the bit-rate setting. It works correctly with the other available formats.
3. If I select the 'dts' encoding-format, then change to a high bit-rate, if I then change back to Opus, a variable number of the lower bit-rates are missing, dependent on what bit-rate I selected after changing to 'dts' - I must first switch to one of the more well-known encoding formats (aac, mp3, ogg etc.) then back to Opus, in order to restore the missing lower bit-rate ranges.

Apart from that, everything seems great!

[Selur]

@omelette:
create a debug output, otherwise checking whatever you do is simply to much of a hassle

Will there be support encoding images (jpeg, png, ..)?

Other than the existing "Thumbnail generation" (Config->Output->Thumbnail settings): No, since I see no reason for it

[deadrats]

on a different target, will you be including support for the latest Divx265 cli build released a few days ago any time soon?

from what I see there's no cli changes, so nothing special to do to support the new version other than copying it into the Hybrid folder
-> next release (probably later today; struggling with updating some tools atm.) will include the new binary

just released: Hybrid rev 2014.03.21.1

straight from the website:

Improved encoding speed and efficiency
New options:
-qp <qp>: Constant Quantizer, creates potential non-compliant DivX HEVC Profile streams
-extra (faster) speed setting: -aqo 1-5 (1:fastest speed, 2:fast, 3:balanced(*), 4:higher quality, 5:highest quality)

as you can see they added constant quantizer and changed the number of speed settings, Hybrid needs to be updated to support these options.

http://labs.divx.com/divx265

[Gravitator]

Other than the existing "Thumbnail generation" (Config->Output->Thumbnail settings): No, since I see no reason for it

Does not add photo files
I want to encode, and look at the possibility of compressing photographs through HEVC

[Selur]

as you can see they added constant quantizer and changed the number of speed settings, Hybrid needs to be updated to support these options.

will look into it later today (will be easy to add)

I want to encode, and look at the possibility of compressing photographs through HEVC

without some tuning, HEVC will suck iirc there is a thread about it over at doom9

Does not add photo files

Ah, okay. Sorry, I don't plan to support image(s) as input.

[omelette]

@omelette:
create a debug output, otherwise checking whatever you do is simply to much of a hassle

1. Debug-file (level 5) for the crash-problem - attachment 'HybridDebugOutput(crash with audio-only input file)'. The crash occurs when 'Preview' is pressed.
2. Debug-file (level 4) for Opus encode-audio at 128kb/s despite setting for 32kb/s & applying via 'Reset To Video Input' button. In the audio tab, the settings window displays 128kb/s (rather than 32kb/s) after applying - attachment 'HybridDebugOutput(Opus 32kbs selected, click ResetToVideoInput)'.