Cant encode this scene in x264 without blocking

[premiumcapture]

Right at the top center, no matter my settings or bitrate, whenever I try to encode to mp4 using x264, this scene blocks up.

Is there any way to prevent these blocks? Size is not an issue, but I do need to convert it as it is VC-1 and the player requires H.264.

The attachment is cut from the original Blu-Ray unconverted.

Thank you

[newpball]

You mean this rendition of "Blocky Night" right?



Those are definitely compression artifacts as the nearby i-frames are as clean as a whistle.

[premiumcapture]

Yes, is this present in the original or did you convert? It seems to at least be worse once I convert it.

[newpball]

Yes, is this present in the original or did you convert? It seems to at least be worse once I convert it.

It's the original.

[poisondeathray]

It's just a decoding error. The decoder you are using isn't decoding correctly

[newpball]

It's just a decoding error. The decoder you are using isn't decoding correctly

So, you do not see those blocks?

Which encoder are you using?

[poisondeathray]

If you decode with errors, the the errors will propogate into any encode. Bad decode => bad encode (regardless of what ENcoder you use)

Any ffmpeg derivative will show those errors. So handbrake etc... ffms2 , lsmash for avisynth. One way to decode it correctly is to use windows' own DMO decoder. eg. through directshow

[premiumcapture]

poisondeathray, is there a way to use the DMO decoder in a GUI based encoder like Handbrake?

[poisondeathray]

poisondeathray, is there a way to use the DMO decoder in a GUI based encoder like Handbrake?

Not possible for handbrake.

The "easiest" way to access it IMO would be through avisynth and DirectShowSource() . But it can be tricky. You sometimes have to configure your system filters and merits (priority of system filters) ; or contruct a directshow graph with graphstudio / graphedit and you can be sure which filters you are using . One of the big faults of directshow is the inconsistencies (it can be configured completely differently across different computers)

Some GUI's like megui, xvid4psp have the ability to create a script using directshowsource (although it's an easy 1 liner you can do it yourself easily)

[jagabo]

the DMO decoder... The "easiest" way to access it IMO would be through avisynth and DirectShowSource() . But it can be tricky. You sometimes have to configure your system filters and merits

If you use ffdshow as your video decoder you can configure it to use Microsofts WMV9 decoder, libavcodec, or Intel Quick Sync (requires a recent Intel CPU). libavcodec delivered the same block errors. The others didn't.

[premiumcapture]

Thanks, I will try those and report back.

Currently, the video plays without blocks, but the issue is encoding. While I would expect -blocks in, blocks out,- the tough part here is understanding why the video is decoding blockless in everything for playback while during encoding it is giving issues.

I will play around with Avisynth but I have a bunch of VC-1 encodes I need to do. Looking for an easy fix but it looks like it may not be there.

The attached photo is after Handbrake, will try MeGui with directshowsource and write back.

[poisondeathray]

Currently, the video plays without blocks, but the issue is encoding. While I would expect -blocks in, blocks out,- the tough part here is understanding why the video is decoding blockless in everything for playback while during encoding it is giving issues.

The video player you are using is decoding it properly, probably through MS decoder. What software player are you using ?

The conversion software you are using is using a different decoder, probably libavcodec based (ffmpeg)

will try MeGui with directshowsource and write back.

That sounds like like gambling at the slots and seeing if you will win. It would be better to force a decoder so you are certain it will work

[newpball]

After demuxing Premiere Pro decodes it correctly.

[LigH.de]

Are you possibly going to contact ffmpeg developers with this sample, so that they might be able to improve their decoder?

[jagabo]

They must be aware of it. I've seen it many times.

[premiumcapture]

I found a funny work-around. I actually got Flip4Mac to play Windows video in Mac applications and use Compressor to encode with no issues.