Skipping video

[Herb Jones]

I now noticed a problem with occasional stuttering video.

I tried a trial MF4 version that I had, and the stuttering went away, using duplicate MPEG setting sfor both MF4 and MF5.

- The video is fine, worked with MF4.
- I had the custom settings set to exactly what the video was recorded as.
- I was using 2-pass MPEG encoding.
- I was not allowing to use compliant MPEG files, so it did re-encode.

I would use MF4, but man, that software has more bugs than a baitshop!

The stutter in the video is about 1/4 second every five minutes. Not major, but an irritant if you know that it is not supposed to be there.

Any ideas?

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Could be the DVD disc. what burn speed did you use?
Try burning to a Hard Drive folder then play from the hard drive with a DVD player such as PowerDVD, Ulead DVD Player 2.0 etc.

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I am only burning at 2x - the file worked with MF4, so I know the files are ok. Only leaves MF5.

I was incorrect previously. I recorded the file at a constant 7902 kbps.

When I burned it, I did variable 7040 with 2-pass on.

I am not doing anything funky, simply recording composite video from a VCR.

I am going to try turning off 2-pass. Another option would be to try and burn at a variable rate. I don't know if it is harder for the softare to encode constant -> variable.

Do you know?

I will try turning off 2-pass tonight.

I am desperately trying to use MF5. I like the features over Roxio, Nero 7, Sonic, and Intervideo - and have mastered most of the bugs. I like Nero 7, but it was missing some minor features, and ABSOLUTELY does not run as fast as MF5. I believe this 'stutter' to be the last issue before I choose.

Thanks again for the help!

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The only real advantage that variable has over constant is when you are struggling to get it to fit onto the DVD. By using a variable bit rate you can reduce the file size a bit more because less bits are used where there is little movement, more bits are used where there is lots of movement.

Constant bit rate is - as the name implies - the same throughout.
Therefore constant is easier on the encoder.

Variable requires more work by the encoder. Using variable you can either do it in one pass in which case the encoder is trying to do it on the fly (and so has to guess), or in 2 passes where it examines the file beforehand to get an idea where the parts are that need a lower / higher bit rate.

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Herb,

You need to use CBR with MF5.
VBR is currently severely broken in MF5.
Use a bitrate viewer on the output and you'll see.

(You really should read some of the other posts here.)
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Steve,

Gotcha on the VBR. I believe you are referring to recording with Ulead. I'm using WinTV2000 to record. My recorded files with VBR seem to be working fine (well, minus the glitch we are discussing here).

The video 'skip' problem, I am seeing with VBR and CBR. Burning with MF5 set to VBR and CBR. Doesn't seem to matter what I do.

I looked closer, and the first skip starts at 45 seconds with two completely different files and settings. It then seems to skip every 60 seconds. I timed it with a stopwatch through about 6 minutes. So, it's 00:45:00 01:45:00 02:45:00 03:45:00...

I then fast forwarded to 55:00:00 and found that it lagged to about 55:57:00 before it skipped. It lost a few seconds over the course of an hour - but was definitely still there.

I have two DVD players, and it does it on both with two separate attempts (one with 2-pass on and one with 2-pass off - no difference).

So, having tried 2-pass, no 2-pass, CBR in, VBR in, CBR out, VBR out - I don't know what else to do. Wait for a patch and try it again later I guess. In the meantime, I may just have to make due with something else.

The video skip is very subtle, but bothersome if you know it is there.

What to do... what to do...

-hj
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If you're using WinTV2000 perhaps you may find the following link useful.
Create DVD from Hauppauge TV Card

Could you also complete your system specifications on your profile page please. This may hold a clue to the skipping you've mentioned.

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The link you have included is very basic. I don't need help recording, I've done it for the past three years with this card, and MF3. t's fairly simply getting an MPEG2 file from a Hauppauge card (any card for that matter), and burning it to a disc, doesn't really apply here.

I have eliminated a lot of possibilities by working with MF4. My files did not jitter with MF4 (or MF3 for that matter) - only MF5. This tells me that there is probably nothing wrong with the original files. I will include my spec's JIC it shows anything.

Steve - have you seen this problem in anything that you have burned? I almost didn't notice it on my first couple of burns. Now that I know it's there, it bugs the heck out of me!

-hj

[snoops]

You need to use CBR with MF5.
VBR is currently severely broken in MF5.
Use a bitrate viewer on the output and you'll see.

I was referring to encoding, not capture. The encoder settings that are chosen are not being used, or are not used correctly. If you activate the advanced settings (Advance=1 added to the [VIODRIVER] section in the "All Users\Application Data\..." DVDMF.ini file), then it is easy to see that several items are not working as expected:
VBR rates are partly reset (the minimum is too low for some DVD players), and the output VBR gets nowhere near the selected max rate.
Field settings are ignored and progressive (frame) is rendered.
DCT precision is ignored.

It looks like MF5 "looses" the settings or looks in the wrong place once they've been set. Maybe more.

The only real solution is a fix from Ulead. If your material is compliant, then avoid re-encoding anyway. But your menus will have to be rendered... which brings us back to the settings issues.

[snoops]

Instead of editing my previous post, I'll just add the corrections. Thanks to someone here that informed me about trouble with the Advance=1 setting!

If you do not manually add the Advance=1 entry mentioned above to the DVDMF.ini file, the VBR encoding behaves more sanely and noticably higher bit rates are encoded.

But the output I get is progressive (non-interlaced).

And without the Advance=1, the fielding and other options (DCT) cannot be set... but they were not yet working in MF5 anyway.

[Herb Jones]

BUMP.

Waaay more info than I really have time to deal with. WinTV2000 has a bug also that does not allow to record CBR, which is fine, as VBR is a norm for recording anyways. And you are telling me that Ulead cannot handle anything but CBR. Wow - we are batting 1000 here!

If I can't record and burn without having to hodgepodge, I'll find new software. If I am correct, you are saying that MF5 cannot handle VBR. Yikes! That's a bit of a bug! I would expect them to be all over that... how long has MF5 been out without a single patch? Are there people actually buying MF5? Man, I would be pissed! Fortunately I trial'ed it.

I can no longer hold my breath for a patch.

My 30 day trial is up anyway. Ulead may want to consider a 300 day trial if bug acknowledgement is an issue.

It's a shame, caus' I like their features. But if it can't simply burn a consistant output, what's the point? I feel that they owe me something for wasting my time.

Over and out.

Thanks for everyone's input.

-hj