Need help with HEVC and MPG external encoders in VirtualDub

[Bruce Wayne]

Could somebody please tell me what are the correct settings for these? I tried creating a HEVC mkv a few minutes ago but got the following error log

[*] Beginning dub operation.

[i] Dub: Input (decompression) format is: YUV420.

[i] Dub: Output (compression) format is: YUV420.

[i] VideoEnc: mkvmerge v8.8.0 ('Wind at my back') 64bit

[i] VideoEnc: Error: The file '--crf' could not be opened for reading: open
file error.

[i] AudioEnc: ************************************************** ***********

[i] AudioEnc: * *

[i] AudioEnc: * Nero AAC Encoder *

[i] AudioEnc: * Copyright 2009 Nero AG *

[i] AudioEnc: * All Rights Reserved Worldwide *

[i] AudioEnc: * *

[i] AudioEnc: * Package build date: Feb 18 2010 *

[i] AudioEnc: * Package version: 1.5.4.0 *

[i] AudioEnc: * *

[i] AudioEnc: * See -help for a complete list of available parameters. *

[i] AudioEnc: * *

[i] AudioEnc: ************************************************** ***********

[i] AudioEnc: Processed 0 seconds...

[E] Error: The video encoding process has prematurely exited with an error
code of 2 (00000002). Check the log for possible error messages.
[*] Ending operation.

And I don't know what program to put in for the MPG profile.

[sneaker]

You need to put e.g. x265 as video encoder. The command needs to include a "-" to signal stdin coming from VirtualDub.
Read through the following:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/367446-Virtualdub-External-Encoder-feature

[Bruce Wayne]

You need to put e.g. x265 as video encoder. The command needs to include a "-" to signal stdin coming from VirtualDub.
Read through the following:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/367446-Virtualdub-External-Encoder-feature

Sorry but I can't understand any of that. It's all Dutch to me. I don't actually know or understand anything about video conversion. I just need to know, very simply, what steps I need to follow.

I've got 3 HEVC x265 set as the video encoder for HEVC (mkv), and here's the command argument.

--crf 24 --preset medium --input-res %(width)x%(height) --fps %(fps) -o "%(tempvideofile)" -

What do I need to change?

[sneaker]

The command-line looks correct. I think you may have actually pointed the video encoder setting to mkvmerge.exe instead of x265.exe.

[Bruce Wayne]

The command-line looks correct. I think you may have actually pointed the video encoder setting to mkvmerge.exe instead of x265.exe.

Sorry for taking so long to get back about this. Have a lot on my plate. Yes, as it turns out, you're right. I did have the video encoder pointed to mkvmerge. Corrected now. Thanks.

Having other problems though too. Can you tell me what to point to and what command-lines to use for animated gifs and mpgs?

[Bruce Wayne]

Can you tell me what to point to and what command-lines to use for animated gifs and mpgs?

Anyone know the answers?

[racer-x]

Can you tell me what to point to and what command-lines to use for animated gifs and mpgs?

Anyone know the answers?

Point it to ffmpeg.exe

[sneaker]

Either that. Or for animated gifs you can also use the integrated feature of VirtualDub: File>Export>Animated GIF.

[Bruce Wayne]

Can you tell me what to point to and what command-lines to use for animated gifs and mpgs?

Anyone know the answers?

Point it to ffmpeg.exe

Done. I need help with the command arguments for animated gifs though. How do I write these in such a way that vdub will understand?

ffmpeg -i input.ext -vf palettegen palette.png

ffmpeg -i input.ext -i palette.png -lavfi paletteuse output.gif

[Bruce Wayne]

Either that. Or for animated gifs you can also use the integrated feature of VirtualDub: File>Export>Animated GIF.

Thanks but vdub's integrated animated gif maker can't produce the quality I'm looking for.

[sneaker]

ffmpeg -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -f rawvideo -i - -vf palettegen palette.png
ffmpeg -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -f rawvideo -i - -i palette.png -lavfi paletteuse "%(tempvideofile)"

The 2pass encoding isn't automated so you have to create both as separate "encoders" and also export twice. Make sure palette.png is writable, if in doubt try with a complete path like c:\writable_folder\palette.png.

[Bruce Wayne]

ffmpeg -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -f rawvideo -i - -vf palettegen palette.png
ffmpeg -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -f rawvideo -i - -i palette.png -lavfi paletteuse output.gif

The 2pass encoding isn't automated so you have to create both as separate "encoders" and also export twice. Make sure palette.png is writable, if in doubt try with a complete path like c:\writable_folder\palette.png.

Sorry, I don't understand what any of that means. you're talking to someone who knows nothing. I just need step-by-steps. You have to spoonfeed me. I don't know anything about any of this. I just need a single line that I can copy and paste into the command arguments section of the Edit External Encoder Profile box. You gave me two lines. I don't know how to put those in.

[Bruce Wayne]

Can anyone help out? I tried those lines in the command arguments field but all I got was an anonymous pipe error.

This is what I have under Edit External Encoder Profile.

Type: Video Encoder

Program: C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe

Command arguments: -f rawvideo -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -i - -vf scale=640:-1: sws_dither=a_dither -r 10 -pix_fmt rgb8 -loop 0 "%(tempvideofile)" (total gibberish to me)

Output filename: %(outputname).gif

Launch parameters: Interpret non-zero return code as error Checked
Redirect standard output to log Checked
Redirect standard error to log Checked
Delete output file before starting Unchecked

EDIT: There's no space between the -1: and the sws but if I put : and s together here, I get

[Bruce Wayne]

Anyone?

[Bruce Wayne]

No one?

[Bruce Wayne]

Can anyone help me with this?

[racer-x]

It should be something like this:

-f rawvideo -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -i - -vf scale=700:-1:sws_dither=a_dither -pix_fmt rgb8 -loop 0 "%(tempvideofile)"

Make sure to change the framerate in Virtualdub prior to encoding. I changed framerate to 12 fps for this test example. And don't add a .gif extension on your save file box, just enter the name and the extension will be added when saved.

[Bruce Wayne]

It should be something like this:

-f rawvideo -s %(width)x%(height) -r %(fpsnum)/%(fpsden) -i - -vf scale=700:-1:sws_dither=a_dither -pix_fmt rgb8 -loop 0 "%(tempvideofile)"

Make sure to change the framerate in Virtualdub prior to encoding. I changed framerate to 12 fps for this test example. And don't add a .gif extension on your save file box, just enter the name and the extension will be added when saved.

Sorry, you don't seem to have read what I've said. It's ALREADY something like that.

I want to use THESE commands INSTEAD.

ffmpeg -i input.ext -vf palettegen palette.png
ffmpeg -i input.ext -i palette.png -lavfi paletteuse output.gif

Is there a way I can paste THOSE commands into the command arguments field so vdub will understand them because if I just paste the first command, then a space, then the second command, all I get is an "anonymous pipe" error.

[racer-x]

That will require making a two pass processing scripts. I'm not even remotely interested in this, so won't waste my time figuring it out for you. You'll have to figure it out for yourself.

[Bruce Wayne]

That will require making a two pass processing scripts. I'm not even remotely interested in this, so won't waste my time figuring it out for you. You'll have to figure it out for yourself.

OK. Thanks anyway.

[Bruce Wayne]

On the positive side, I did figure out the problem I was having creating mpgs with vdub. Under Edit External Encoder Set, I had Multiplexer set to MPG. I changed it to MKVmerge and now it works fine.