Hi all, I have quite a curious problem that I as hoping to get some help with. I’m in the process of trying to convert .avi files to mpeg2, PAL, for DVD output with little success and it is driving me crazy! Here are the details: Using Canopus Procoder 2.0 to transcode. Adobe Encore 1.5 to burn the final DVD Nero 6.6.0.8 is installed. The source of my problem would appear to be the decoder. Initially, Procoder was using the Nero (XVID) decoder to open the files and this worked fine (strange because I’ve heard to avoid anything to do with Nero and encoding). But after upgrading Quicktime the default encoder was replaced and the final mpeg’s are now either: badly pixilated with horizontal lines running through the picture or jerky and constantly skipping. I’ve been experimenting with a variety of different codecs to fix the problem (DVIX, DIVX, the BoliGego Codec Manager, and so on) and nothing seems to work. The problem changes depending on what Procoder chooses as the default decoder at the time. So…in the end I got rid of all of these codecs. I uninstalled Neo and Capopus. Re-installed both. I can now transcode my .avi’s to mpeg (with Procoder using the Nero codec) and the video looks fine…but the latest problem is that my audio is going out of sync! I just can’t figure it out! Arrghghargh! So with that big chunk of background, I guess here are my quandaries: Does it sound strange to anyone that the Nero decoder would work better than others such as divx? Why would the decoder have such an effect on the final transcoded mpeg? I thought the encoder would be more influential on the final result. Could it be some kind of conflict? As far as jerky or pixilated playback goes, I can rule out things like system performance, interlacing/field order or format conversion (NTSC to PAL) issues as the problem (since I know I’ve been able to get it to work in the past.) What else could it be? I’ve read countless posts trying to fix this so I sure hope someone can shed some light! Cheers. Seal.
Already done. Although some of the extention files remain...Procoder needs quicktime installed to launch. I'm pretty sure that Quicktime is no longer the problem now, but thankyou for your input.
I just realiesed that the Nero is a DirectShow codec (it would seem.) Perhaps this is the reason it works in Procoder and the others don't? Although I couldn't even begin to explain why.
Procoder should be using it's mpeg-2 codec, not Nero's. Quicktime...hm...if Procoder needs it to launch, something else is very wrong. XviD is NOT a Nero codec. Get Gspot, open your source avi, and post a screen shot.
This is Probably all to do with the Settings you are or aren"t useing....I use Canopus Procoder quite regularily and i allways get Good results but I also Know what all of the Settings are supposed to do and how they affect the Video Based on it"s Properties.... So why don"t you tell me everything about your Source File and I will tell you what you should set the settings to... I will need to Know the Resolution and Framerate of your AVI file ,also the Audio format (If it is VBR Mp3 or some other Format) and if your file uses progressive Frames or Interlaced Frames.... If you Give me this Information then I can tell you the Correct settings in procoder to Preperly encode this File to Mpeg-2 for DVD without any Artifacts or Sync problems..... Cheers
OKay. Here are some screenshots of both Gspot and the Procoder "Source" page. Note I've highlighted the "Nero Video Decoder" which has been confusing me. You are quite right Jim, Xvid is not a Nero codec. This much I know. I've only been reporting what it says, but there is clearly more to it than I'm aware of and I'm probably mis-reading some of this info. Also, after previously uninstalling Quicktime, Procoder would freeze upon launching; giving me a message eluding to the fact that it needed some Quicktime components to start (sorry, I can't remember the exact message.) As you say, something could be seriously wrong. Again, just reporting what I saw. Perhaps I'll give it a second shot. (I also know that Gspot says the appropriate codecs aren't installed. The problem has been that once I install them, things get worse!) Well, I hope this provides the info you both need. These are also the same setting’s I’ve used in the past when it worked (again, adding to my frustration as you could imagine!) I hope you can point out what I’m missing. I look forward to hear anything you have to say. Cheers guys
You have 2 problems with this video. First, you don't have the XviD codec, which you MUST have for Canopus to work. This should have nothing to do with Quicktime. Canopus just thinks that QT or Nero will sort out the XviD issue. Download and install XviD, and Canopus should work normally. Second, and this is only a possibility, not definite, the video is using your LAME MP3 audio codec. There are tons of problems that could arise here. Get the xvid codec installed and see if everything works (it should). If not, then uninstall the LAME MP3 codec, and let the system mp3 codec take over, which it should do automatically. Gspot should then report some Microsoft mp3 audio codec in the audio section (bottom left in Gspot).
Thanks for the post jim. But here is my problem. I've already installed Xvid in the past. And a fist of other codecs. These have actually made the transcoded video worse (as described in my original post.) I guess you are right in that Canopus is probably confused and thinks that Nero will sort out the problem, and in the past this has worked. Oddly. I went ahead and installed Koepi's codec anyway, because this is different than the ones I have used previously. But alas, it produced the same results. The resulting video is quite blocky now. I know installing xvid should make it better. But it doesn’t and I can't for the life of me figure out why. So to recap: • Using the settings posted above, the transcoded video was fine, on par with the source .avi (contrary to science and everything under god.) But the audio went out of sync. Usually going out of sync suddenly during skipped frames or when the video cut to black, as opposed to a gradual slip. • So I can install the Xvid codec. Then the audio problem is usually fixed. But the video becomes very badly pixilated (only after encoding, playing the source file is fine.) • So I'll uninstall xvid and use a different mpeg4 codec for kicks. Then the video clarity and picture will be fine, but any motion will be jerky or strobed. And the sound will go out of sync too. Or it will be pixelated. So on and so forth. • So I'll wipe it all and start again. But it keeps coming back to that pesky Nero thing giving the best results (bar the audio.) I've done this over and over again. It's bizarre. It's entirely possible this is a result of the settings that I am or aren’t using, as minion suggested. So I’m keen to hear his suggestions on the settings. But as with the codecs, I’ve tried just about every combination I can with them. I have some idea of what I am doing, which is why this perplexes me so…I know that with the xvid codec and settings I am using, it should work. But it ain’t. With the Nero codec, it shouldn’t work. But it does. Kind of. I’ve done my best to find answers in other posts and forums with no luck, so forgive me if I persist with this. What else could cause the xvid, dvix, mpeg4, whatever decoder, to degrade the picture quality so much or cause jerky playback? Could I also get a tip on how to uninstall the lame mp3 codec? I’d love to give that a shot, but not really sure how to find it (it doesn’t seem to be in the device manager.)
I would start by uninstalling that "fistfull" of codecs. I'll bet you have multiple XviD, DivX, and probably FFDShow, as well as a mixer, all in the loop. They're all fighting to control the way Canopus "reads" the avi. The Xvid codec is used to decode the file, but it could be DivX or ffdshow doing preprocessing that's messing it up. This is totally common when multiple XviD versions are installed. Things like the K-Lite codec pack will royally screw things up.
Yep, done. Like the Xvid codec, they were things I experimented with in the past (DivX, and FFDShow included.) But I uninstalled the lot some time ago. Using AVIcodec, I mainly see a list of Intel and Microsoft codecs (with canopus and cinepack) in the “video” section at the moment. I can’t see anything that would cause a conflict. But I have lots more listed in the “DirectShow” section, so I don’t know if there could be a problem in there. Also, by constantly installing and uninstalling so many codecs, does anything get left behind? GSpot lists codecs witch have been wiped (however it does state they are no longer there.) Is there a way to clean the computer of unneeded codecs? Would this even be worth it? I also tried using the TV out on my Nvidia FX 5700 LE, just to bypass the whole DVD thing altogether. But with the Xvid decoder installed, I had the same video problems with the source AVI playback. The sound is fine, but the video playback was jerky, like watching a bad web vid. So I uninstalled it (Xvid). Reverting to the Nero decoder, the video now plays fine through the TV out. But the sync problems are back. Strange. It sounds like there must be a codec conflict with Xvid, but since I’ve uninstalled pretty much all of them, I don’t know where else to look (I've allready tried uninstalling nero too. No change.)
well, I understand if this has to go in the too hard basket. I'll keep plugging away and let you know how I go.
Try this: http://www.iamnotageek.com/a/79-p1.php and this: http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=Codec_Sniper and this: http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=DXMan
Well, I fixed the problem. For now. Using codec sniper and DX man i went through and deleted all past xvid ( and similar) entries. I also uninstalled Nero again, and did the same. I don't know how effective this was in the end, but... I reinstalled xvid and tried again with procoder. The sync problem was fixed, but I had the same 'blocky' video as in past attempts. So I tried transcoding with a copy of main concept mpeg encoder just for kicks...and everything turned out fine. I'll compare the settings in mainconcept with those that I have been using in procoder too see if the problem has in fact been in there, just to satisfy my own curiosity. But it would seem that everything is just hunky-dory for the time being. Thanks jim, for you patience and help. I appreciate it.
