x264 problem: 2pass curve failed to converge

[jhd]

I have a file that I am trying to transcode with two-pass x264. When I do, I get this error:

Error: 2pass curve failed to converge

What can this error mean? I'm reasonably certain that the first- and second-pass commands are identical.

I'll try to post more info soon - I'm away from the computer that has the actual command I tried and the result.

thanks!

[akupenguin]

That error message is always followed by another 2 lines explaining what went wrong and how you can fix it.

[jhd]

OK, here is the full command and result. The input is piped from movtoy4m.

Why does it says "target 202kbps, expecting 6kbps"? I certainly want a higher bitrate than 6 kbps. :)


Command: script/../config/../bin/movtoy4m -w 320 -h 180 -F 30000/1001 -f -o raw -s script/../config/../content/127/127.mov | script/../config/../bin/x264 --progress --no-cabac -A i4x4 --trellis 1 --crf 26 --subme 6 --no-psnr --qpmin 12 --qpmax 51 -B 202 --stats script/../config/../tmp/x264.stats.log --me hex --threads 2 --level 13 --fps 30000/1001 --pass 2 -o script/../config/../tmp/127.ipod.ff.video.mp4 - 320x180 2>&1
Step: encode video pass 2
Started At: Tue Dec 12 20:06:32 -0600 2006
Ended At: Tue Dec 12 20:06:34 -0600 2006
Success: true
Output: x264 [warning]: width or height not divisible by 16 (320x180), compression will suffer.
x264 [error]: Error: 2pass curve failed to converge
x264 [error]: target: 202.00 kbit/s, expected: 6.98 kbit/s, avg QP: 12.0002
x264 [error]: try reducing target bitrate or reducing qp_min (currently 12)

[Sharktooth]

x264 [error]: try reducing target bitrate or reducing qp_min (currently 12)

Probably there were problems at input and the frames were screwed so they were so compressible (all black?) the codec throws that message.

[jhd]

x264 [error]: try reducing target bitrate or reducing qp_min (currently 12)

Easy...

Yep, I'm planning on trying to reduce the qp_min. Hopefully that will work - I'll post the results in a little while.

I'd still like to understand the problem, why it happened, why it expects a bitrate of 6.98kbit/s, etc. I'm using this for a programmatic tool that needs to handle every input file possible - will reducing qpmin to 6 always take care of the problem? What's to prevent it from complaining about that and asking for a bitrate of 5, or 1, or 0.01?

[Sharktooth]

i edited my previous post.