HC Encoder v0.19 released

[Mug Funky]

i wonder if the source could be split and merged, rather than the encode being split and merged?

i've not experienced any problems with long movies, but i don't come across them often.

maybe someone into Peter Jackson or Bollywood could do some tests :)

[Asmodeus]

I did re-encode LOTR III (directors cut) and it was without problems, but I don't remember what version of HcEnc it was.
You can try to encode two parts separately (not cut that and add that) and join m2v binary
copy /b 1.m2v+2.m2v 12.m2v
cat 1.m2v 2.m2v > 12.m2v
I wouldn't trust mpeg2schnitt so much :)

PS: Ok, I've read so more and it looks like your m2v is ok, so I have no help for you now :|

PS2: Maybe try to mux it with muxman, but remaster IFOs with IfoEdit. AFAIR there is some option to make IFOS for VOBs.

[barbapapa5800]

is there any possibility that HC wil use both the core's (or multicores) of a CPU in the future?
i am planning to buy a quad core cpu next year and therefore i am looking for a good encoder that supports this.
fot now i use HC for every rip i make with diko on my dual core system, and i am verry pleased with the results.
that's why i ask this question here ...

[Adub]

You could just use DVD Rebuilder which supports multiple incidences of an encoder, or talk to the Diko people to see if they could set it up the same way. Otherwise it could mean alot of work for hank, that he doesn't necessarily want to do.

[johnnyquid]

Hank,

If problem is only occuring only on long movies then perhaps some program counters are overflowing or precision is being lost due to small values being added to large values.

[hank315]

If problem is only occuring only on long movies then perhaps some program counters are overflowing or precision is being lost due to small values being added to large values.
Yep, this is one of the first things I checked but every counter/value which could overflow is already 8 bytes long.

There are some hardcoded maximum values ATM:
- max frames: 640000
- max GOPs: 128000
For PAL this means more than 7 hours video.

I did a lot of tests, source is PAL 3h, 41 min:
- tested different bitrates
- tested different GOP structures
- rewrite the time codes with DGPulldown
- muxing with/without chapterfile using Muxman and IfoEdit

Muxing always ended without errors/warnings.
But all started stuttering at 2:56 when played with PowerDVD.
The individual VOBs or m2v file play fine.
Also encoded it with CCE basic 2.70.01.11, this also showed the same kind of stuttering, starting at 2:56.
Tested it on 3 different PC's with PowerDVD, stuttering always started at 2:56 using HC or CCE encodes...

The final test was an encode so the result would fit on a normal DVD, again stuttering using PowerDVD but it played OK till the end on my HW player, no stuttering at all.
So at first I thought I found a bug in HC, think I found one in PowerDVD...

[dream-lx]

I did re-encode LOTR III (directors cut) and it was without problems, but I don't remember what version of HcEnc it was.
You can try to encode two parts separately (not cut that and add that) and join m2v binary
copy /b 1.m2v+2.m2v 12.m2v
cat 1.m2v 2.m2v > 12.m2v
I wouldn't trust mpeg2schnitt so much :)

PS: Ok, I've read so more and it looks like your m2v is ok, so I have no help for you now :|

PS2: Maybe try to mux it with muxman, but remaster IFOs with IfoEdit. AFAIR there is some option to make IFOS for VOBs.

The copy or cat method of joining the files leads to problems on certain software or hardware dvd players (notably some pioneers). In every m2v files you have a stream end header (4bytes). So if you copy or cat the files in order to concat them, there is always a stream end header befor the next stream which some mpeg decoders don't like so much.
So you should not copy or cat the last 4 bytes of your files excecpt for the last one. I have written a little C application to accomplish this.

I have attached the sourcecode to this mail. You are free to do whatever you want with it. I have renamed the .c file to .txt as .c files seem to not be accepted.

One second problem is that some dvd player don't love timecode jumping again to 0 on next part. So I would suggest to enter the start timecode for the next part manually in hcenc prior to encoding the part.

Bye,
David Arendt

[Asmodeus]

You might be right, cause after second thought I think I used cat for join of ac3 tracks and the ac3fix'ed them.

[Amnon82]

So at first I thought I found a bug in HC, think I found one in PowerDVD...

... thats why I don't PowerDVD ;) Always test it with different players :cool:

- keep up the good work ...

[Heini011]

i doubt, that this is so simple..

i wrote, that vlc has problems too:

"VLC stopped playing at 3h 20m 20s, time in display runs further, but image is frozen."

and hank himself:

"IfoEdit playback was more smooth but it's still not good"


i will further testing with other encoders and players.

greetings.

[AlanHK]

When HCenc is running it displays all its settings; except whether pulldown is in effect.

I started a longish encode but then wasn't sure if I had actually done "pulldown". No way to be sure so rather than wait 2 hours I killed it and started again. (I could have used an external pulldown I suppose; but it would be nice to see this added to the display.)

[warrenc@greatsoft.co.za]

Hi, Hank. Thanks for a superb encoder.

Back in version .15 you had a restart second pass mode. Whatever happened to that ? Are their plans for it's great return. Also it wasn't available in .15 BATCH Mode, Only GUI mode back then.

Thanks Hank, much appreciation

[d62ks821]

I've got a odd problem. HCEnc crashes my Pentium-D winxp machine with in minutes of starting an encode. winxp just reboot and comes back up without any indication of what error caused the restart. I have disabled auto restart on error in winxp and it doesn't even blue screen, but simply resets, ...just as if i'd push the reset button. ...ugh.

I've sucessfully used QuEnc and CCE, both with and without DVD-RB. Also have been able to DualDVDRB with QuEnc.

No clue where to start on this one. Have tried both the HCEnc included in DVDRB v0.98.1 install package, as well as HCEnc v0.19.1.

Any thoughts?

[Boulder]

Your problem sounds like system instability, that's when you get sudden reboots under heavy load. You could try running Prime95's different torture test modes for 30-60mins and see if you get any errors. Also running MemTest86 for a longer period might provide a clue.

[d62ks821]

Your problem sounds like system instability,...

At first glance I'd completely agree with you. However, system has run memtest overnight, no issue. And system has run peg'd at 100% CPU utilization for hours on end running various other encoders. HCEnc is actually only running at 50% CPU utlization (i.e., approx 25% on each core), ...and yet it crashes my system.

UPDATE: I loaded prime95 and ran default torture test for 4 hours. Then set affinity to each core and reran 30 minutes each. No problems with any.... Dont think this issue is the hw.

UPDATE: I got HCEnc to run without machine checks by dropping my DDR2 memory speed to 400MHz. The DIMMs are rated at 667MHz but had been running at 533MHz as that is all the ECS P4M800PRO-M will support. Grrrrrrrrrrr! Sorry about cluttering this forum with this issue. Thanks for your help.

[video_magic]

Could it be that a lot of software does not like running on a 'dual cpu' - i.e. essentially what a dual-core processor can be seen as?

[johnnyquid]

I too have had HC lock up my PC even at it's standard specs (i.e. not overclocked). My CPU is an Anthlon 2500. HC seems to be the only program for which I must underclock my memory clock speed from 166 to 133 for stability. This is not a complaint merely just a comment that it is something that I just need to know to do if I am going to do an encoding (which I usually do overnight anyways).

[Boulder]

You might not need to underclock it that much, if there is a possibility to lower the memory clock speed by a smaller amount, try finding the value that keeps the computer stable while encoding.

[AlanHK]

I did a batch encode last night and on checking found the last m2v file truncated. Eventually I noticed that hard disk was completely full (due to not emptying the Recycle Bin before starting). So that was understandable, but in HC's log file there was no indication of an error. The stats were exactly as if the encode had been successful, number of frames, etc. Apparently it just keeps writing (or sending writes) ignoring any errors.

[Boulder]

For some reason I can't get DGIndex 1.4.9b9 and the GUI of HC v0.19 to work together. The GUI tells me every time that there is an Avisynth error and that the d2v file is obsolete or file cannot be found. When I create the ini file manually, HC has no problems opening my script.

[Hyper_Thread]

Hope you can fix it soon.

[Boulder]

Good news that it doesn't work? :confused:

[hank315]

When HC019 was released, DGIndex fileversion 13 was the latest version.
For compatibility reasons HCgui checks the fileversion of the D2V file, between versions there were some major changes.
Fileversion for 1.4.9 Beta 9 is now 15, I will update the GUI for HC020 so it will use the proper version of DGDecode.

Using HCenc (without GUI) and the right DGIndex/DGDecode setup it should work OK.

[dream-lx]

hank315: Thanks for the wonderfull Hcenc encoder. I am looking forward to HD resolution support, and if I can remember you told some time ago it would be in hcenc 0.20. Is this still right ? Also any idea when you will probably release hcenc 0.20 ?

Thanks in advance
Bye,
David Arendt

[hank315]

I am looking forward to HD resolution support, and if I can remember you told some time ago it would be in hcenc 0.20. Is this still right ?
Yes, the next release will do all HD MPEG2 resolutions, max. 1920x1152, so the 720 and 1080 vertical resolutions are supported.
I've done some tests with HD already, just re-encoded some HD trailers from the Apple site, no problem.

The thing I like most it takes only 25% CPU load on my P4 to watch 1920x1080 :)

[AlanHK]

I'm writing batch files to run HCenc.
I prefer to put everything in the batch, so no reference needs to be made to an ini file.

However, I can't see a way to tell it to do all frames.
The doc says the syntax is

-frames startframe endframe

but no mention of how to just do "all". (And "all" doesn't work.) Otherwise it picks up a random number of frames in the ini file in the HC program directory.
Workaround is obviously to delete that from the above ini file. But it's easy to save a new version of that without taking care.

Also, "pulldown" is not mentioned, but I guessed "-pulldown" which sems to work.

[Sagittaire]

Yes, the next release will do all HD MPEG2 resolutions, max. 1920x1152, so the 720 and 1080 vertical resolutions are supported.
I've done some tests with HD already, just re-encoded some HD trailers from the Apple site, no problem.

The thing I like most it takes only 25% CPU load on my P4 to watch 1920x1080 :)

Really good news ... ;-)

I have some (humble) suggestions:
- RDO for bframe detection: comparison between PPPP, PBPP, PPBP and PBBP at constant quantizer for each Pframe.
- Crop selection for real image: if the real image is 720*432 then the algo make search only for this real image and choose the best way (high speed in this case) to encode black borders.
- Credit selection: credit can spend bits and particulary white characters on black background. Choose particular matrix or particular encoding way (higher quantisation level for example) for this part is perhaps a good idea.

[video_magic]

Really good new ... ;-)

I have some (humble) suggestions:
.....
- Crop selection for real image: if the real image is 720*432 then the algo make search only for this real image and choose the best way (high speed in this case) to encode black borders.
........

I also would love this feature!!! Could be determined from the 'addborders' in avs script as one way?

Thank You so very much for the HC releases so far; 0191 has been great :)
:cool:

[Mr_Odwin]

I have a feature request. I attempted to run two simultaneous instances of HC in 2 pass mode. One instance worked fine but the other complained of not being able to open the dbs file. It would be great if I was able to run two (or more) instances without this problem. Perhaps passing the location/name of the dbs in the ini file?
Thanks in advance.

[zambelli]

I'm encoding 23.976fps 720x480 input with 3:2 pulldown enabled and autoGOP enabled. When I import the .m2v into TMPGEnc DVD Author, it says the GOP length is incompliant with DVD specs - but doesn't tell me what length. Is this an HC bug or is TDA just blowing smoke?

[Tropican]

I'm encoding 23.976fps 720x480 input with 3:2 pulldown enabled and autoGOP enabled. When I import the .m2v into TMPGEnc DVD Author, it says the GOP length is incompliant with DVD specs - but doesn't tell me what length. Is this an HC bug or is TDA just blowing smoke?

The length is 38 fields probably.

autoGOP uses a GOP length of 15 on NTSC streams:

15 x 1.25 (the pulldown) = 18.75 = 38 fields. (2 over the 36 NTSC standard)

For now the fix is just setting manual GOP to 12.

[zambelli]

The length is 38 fields probably.
autoGOP uses a GOP length of 15 on NTSC streams:
15 x 1.25 (the pulldown) = 18.75 = 38 fields. (2 over the 36 NTSC standard)
For now the fix is just setting manual GOP to 12.
That makes sense, thank you for the explanation. One thing puzzles me: when encoding 23.976fps sources before (with older versions that didn't have 3:2 pulldown) and applying 3:2 pulldown with DGPulldown afterwards, I didn't used to get these GOP length errors. Does that make any sense?

[zambelli]

For now the fix is just setting manual GOP to 12.
Here's hoping that this gets fixed in the next release of HC. It should be fairly simple to have GOP length set to 12 when input framerate is 23.976 fps and "auto GOP" is enabled.

[katjarella]

chapter points and I-Frames not working :(

chapter File:0
21
48
76
102
126
155
177
206
234
254
277
304
326
355
386
ini file: *MAXBITRATE 900
*PROFILE best
*ASPECT 4:3
*GOP 15 2
*CQ_MAXBITRATE 1.000
*DC_PREC 10
*NOSCD
*CLOSEDGOPS
*CUSTOMMATRIX
8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
*WAIT 10

commandLine HCenc: HCenc_019.exe -i random004.avs -ini hc.ini -chapter chapter.txt -log random004.log -o random004.m2v

random004.log: ==================================================

-----------------------------------------
| HCenc - MPEG2 encoder - rel. 0.19.0.0 |
-----------------------------------------

input: D:\Doom9\Random\random004.avs
output: D:\Doom9\Random\random004.m2v

--------------------
| encoder settings |
--------------------

profile: BEST
frames: 0 433
framerate: 25.00
aspect ratio: 4:3
bitrate: NA
max. bitrate Kb/s: 900
pass: 1 (Constant Quant)
constant Q: 1.000
pulldown: no
closed gops: yes
VBV check: yes
scene change det.: no
interlaced: no
goplen,B-pic: 15 2
dc_precision: 10
scan method: ZIGZAG
bias: 0
chapter frames: 16
time code: 0 0 0 0
CPU: SSE2
matrix: CUSTOM

--------------------
| source stats |
--------------------

nr. of frames in source: 434
width*height: 720*576
fps: 25.00
nr. of frames to encode: 434
frames to encode: 0 - 433

---------------------
| encoding - pass 1 |
---------------------

pass 1 encoding time: 0:01:59 (119 s)
average fps: 3.6

------------------
| encoding stats |
------------------

total encoding time: 0:02:02 (122 s)

intra matrix used
8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

non-intra matrix used
8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

nr. of gops: 34
nr. of frames: 434
nr. of I-frames: 34
nr. of P-frames: 144
nr. of B-frames: 256
average quant (non linear): 5.877
VBV underflows detected: 0
VBV underflows fixed: 0
minimum bitrate: 654
maximum bitrate: 899
average bitrate: 824

Real I-Frames: Frame 0 (0:00:00.000) [I]
Frame 15 (0:00:00.600) [I]
Frame 30 (0:00:01.200) [I]
Frame 42 (0:00:01.680) [I]
Frame 52 (0:00:02.080) [I]
Frame 67 (0:00:02.680) [I]
Frame 79 (0:00:03.160) [I]
Frame 94 (0:00:03.760) [I]
Frame 106 (0:00:04.240) [I]
Frame 121 (0:00:04.840) [I]
Frame 136 (0:00:05.440) [I]
Frame 151 (0:00:06.040) [I]
Frame 166 (0:00:06.640) [I]
Frame 181 (0:00:07.240) [I]
****** usw ******

[Appu]

I have used this encoder ( version 19.0.1 ) to encode my camcoder footage. I used HCgui_019.exe for encoding purpose. Input was a simple avs file. After encoding when I played back the .m2v file, observed a message at the bottom of the video which says that Elecard Trial version expired or some thing like that. This encoder is based on Elecard? How do I get rid od this message?.

[dragongodz]

observed a message at the bottom of the video which says that Elecard Trial version expired or some thing like that.
that means the elecard mpeg2 decoder is being used to decode the file. try using Medi Player Classic with its internal mpeg2 decoder enabled or install a different mpeg2 decoder, FFDshow is 1 free solution for that.

[Appu]

Thanks. It helps..

I observed that when I simply double clicked HCenc_019.exe, it started encoding again overwriting my previously encoded file. I prefer some thing like a start or encode button for doing this. Need to start my encoding all over again :-(

[AlanHK]

*MAXBITRATE 900

Should that be 9000?

[AlanHK]

I have used this encoder ( version 19.0.1 ) to encode my camcoder footage. I used HCgui_019.exe for encoding purpose. Input was a simple avs file. After encoding when I played back the .m2v file, observed a message at the bottom of the video which says that Elecard Trial version expired or some thing like that. This encoder is based on Elecard? How do I get rid od this message?.

The message is not in the m2v file, it's displayed by your player. Try VLC or another player.

[hank315]

@zambelli
The autogop behaviour for the next release:

- default GOP length = 15
- if framerate = 23.976 --> GOP length = 12
- or manual setting: *AUTOGOP n, value for n: 12 - 18


@Katjarella
I tried your settings but I couldn't repeat the error you reported.
My m2v file has I-frames at the chapterpoints set in the chapter file.
Are you still using W2K?

[Revgen]

@Hank315

I believe you said that HC Encoder would be updated with HD resolution encoding in the future. Is this going to be in the next version?

[dragongodz]

HD resolution encoding in the future. Is this going to be in the next version?
probably yes. however people will have to be very patient as hank315 has/is doing a lot of work that you wont see. by that i mean HC will still pretty much look the same but under the hood the engine is having major work done. :)

[halsboss]

Wow ! Thankyou Hank315. I deleted other encoders like FreeEnc and QuEnc months ago, because HC is really terrific. Runs like a dream and great results !
under the hood the engine is having major work done does this imply speed enhancements, or some other goodie, I wonder ?

Minor request... would it be possible to implement a command line option (and corresponding INI option) to set it's priority to one of the windows XP settings eg normal, belownormal, low, etc ? (Been having all sorts of bother with XP's batch START command with confused command line options.)

[katjarella]

@Katjarella
I tried your settings but I couldn't repeat the error you reported. My m2v file has I-frames at the chapterpoints set in the chapter file. Are you still using W2K?
No XP, but Avisynth inc. Random :)

Working:
AvisnythScript:BlankClipX(25,$FF00FF)
BlankClipX(32,$0000FF)
BlankClipX(26,$999999)
BlankClipX(29,$D2D2D2)
BlankClipX(30,$A9A9F9)
BlankClipX(28,$0BAD0F)


function BlankClipX(clip "clip",int "cliplength", int "clipcolor"){
vCLP=BlankClip(length=cliplength,width=788,height=576,pixel_type="YV12",fps=25,color=clipcolor)
vPOS=(IsClip(clip)==false) ? 0 : Framecount(clip)
vTXT="Clip: "+String(vPOS)+"-"+String(vPOS+cliplength-1)
vCLP=Subtitle(vCLP,vTXT,font="Verdana",size=48,align=5)
vCLP=BicubicResize(vCLP,720,576).Blur(0.4)
vCLP=(IsClip(clip)==false) ? vCLP : clip++vCLP
return vCLP
}

Chapter file:0
25
57
83
112
142
HC Log: --------------------
| encoder settings |
--------------------

profile: BEST
frames: 0 169
framerate: 25.00
aspect ratio: 4:3
bitrate: NA
max. bitrate Kb/s: 900
pass: 1 (Constant Quant)
constant Q: 1.000
pulldown: no
closed gops: yes
VBV check: yes
scene change det.: no
interlaced: no
goplen,B-pic: AUTO
dc_precision: 10
scan method: ZIGZAG
bias: 0
chapter frames: 6
time code: 0 0 0 0
CPU: SSE2
matrix: CUSTOM

----------------------------------


Not Working:
AvisnythScript: global gCHP="random_hc_only.chp"
global gCNR=0
global gPOS=0

BlankClipRNDX(8,26,36)

function Rand_Min_Max(int min, int max){
vRND=Rand(max)
return (vRND >= min) ? vRND : Rand_Min_Max(min,max)
}


function BlankClipRNDX(int clipcount, int min, int max){
vRND=Rand_Min_Max(min,max)
vCOL=Rand(255)*65536+Rand(255)*256+Rand(255)
vCLP=BlankClip(length=vRND,width=788,height=576,pixel_type="YV12",fps=25,color=vCOL)
vAPP = (gCNR==0) ? false : true
global gCNR=gCNR+1
vTXT="Clip: "+String(gCNR)+" ("+String(gPOS)+"-"
WriteFileStart(vCLP,gCHP,string(gPOS),append=vAPP)
global gPOS=gPOS+vRND
vTXT=vTXT+String(gPOS-1)+")"
vCLP=Subtitle(vCLP,vTXT,font="Verdana",size=48,align=5)
vCLP=BicubicResize(vCLP,720,576).Blur(0.4)
return (clipcount==gCNR) ? vCLP : vCLP++BlankClipRNDX(clipcount,min,max)
}


HC Log: --------------------
| encoder settings |
--------------------

profile: BEST
frames: 0 247
framerate: 25.00
aspect ratio: 4:3
bitrate: NA
max. bitrate Kb/s: 900
pass: 1 (Constant Quant)
constant Q: 1.000
pulldown: no
closed gops: yes
VBV check: yes
scene change det.: no
interlaced: no
goplen,B-pic: AUTO
dc_precision: 10
scan method: ZIGZAG
bias: 0
chapter frames: 8
time code: 0 0 0 0
CPU: SSE2
matrix: CUSTOM

Attachments all Files.

[video_magic]

.......

Minor request... would it be possible to implement a command line option (and corresponding INI option) to set it's priority to one of the windows XP settings eg normal, belownormal, low, etc ?
....



The setting of the task priority is something I would appreciate very much. On almost all encoding-type work I will set the priority to Low or Idle - time taken is not so important but co-usage of the PC is more so.
Thankyou if You would add a task priority setting option.

[Mug Funky]

you can work around it with "start hc.exe -priority 5" or however you do that.

it would be a handy option to set it in CLI though.

but yeah, DGZ is right - i'm sure hank is working on other stuff at the moment. there's a place for cosmetics, but priorities probably lie elsewhere.

[hank315]

@katjarella
Still waiting for the attachment approval, can you mail it to me?

@Revgen
Yes, the next release will support all MPEG2 HD resolutions.

About priority settings, the actual encoding threads in HC currently run at priority THREAD_PRIORITY_LOWEST.
The main HCenc program which shows up in taskmanager (the Windows message loop) runs at normal priority.


The new release is almost finished but there are still some unpredictable errors :(
Don't know how long it will take to fix it...

[dragongodz]

does this imply speed enhancements, or some other goodie, I wonder ?
people should have noticed by now that i do not give away to much information about what will and what wont be in releases of HC. it is simply not my place to. if hank315 wants to say something will or wont be in for sure then he will say it. the most i will do is mention how it is in general being worked on, such as internal work being done.

since hank315 has said here it will have HD resolutions i feel safe to say, yes it does. :)
seems ok from short tests aswell. 1 thing i did find was using the right decoder is important. that is MPC internal mpeg2 and ffdshow(old version, not latest tryouts) both produced artifacts while powerdvd filter played fine. just a warning for when its released and people do start testing it. :)

[Revgen]

@Revgen
Yes, the next release will support all MPEG2 HD resolutions.


Thanks. I appreciate your work.

[linx05]

dragongodz, is it safe to say the level of quality HCenc brings has been improved? I did a DVD yesterday and was amazed at how good it looks.