FFDshow VFW encoder bug with some software.

[BlackSharkfr]

Hello
I am trying to record a video from a frame-by-frame renderer integrated into a video game replay editor, and i would like to use FFDShow's Mjpeg codec to store the frames.

Unfortunately, FFDShow's encoder seems to have some trouble with this game and no matter what settings i try, it never works.
It records about a dozen frames with lots of artefacts and then stops recording. This phenomenon only happens with FFDshow's encoder (all formats encoded with it).
I've used this encoder many times in other software and it always worked so it only happens with the game.

So, i would like to try and find some way to circumvent this bug with an intermediate codec and do this "on the fly" (if possible).
When the game asks for the codec it only displays the usual VFW codec list so i suppose the game uses a vfw interface which is, for some reason, incompatible with FFDshow.

Are you aware of any VFW codec capable of calling an other VFW codec to try and circumvent this bug ?

edit : the game is Trackmania United (same bug with other versions of the game)

[foxyshadis]

How big is the capture window? If it's small, or if it's 2d, you could use MSU screen capture codec. Otherwise, WMV9 or Xvid are good choices with the right configurations.

What ffdshow version was it? The tryouts builds had an encoding update this month causing big errors that was fixed last week.

[BlackSharkfr]

Actually i've got a solution currently but it isn't direct at all, which is why i'd like to improve it...

It's not a live capture, the game renders the frame and encodes it before going to the next frame (frame by frame rendering). I usually capture HD 720p footage but i'm working on a 1080p test right now and the footage will be edited later (which is why i would rather use mjpeg)

Until now i've been using xvid at quantiser1, made a scaled down mjpeg version for editing and then switch sequences before rendering, xvid makes it also extremely slow to switch between sequences (logic since it uses temporal compression), and i don't even dare imagine what happens for sequences played backwards.
Lagarith also works but the file is too big since it's lossless, which is why i prefer Mjpeg (lossy but acceptable and controllable)

But Xvid causes some problems, i edit with vegas and for some reason vegas can't read mpeg4 anymore once i install xvid.
So, i install xvid to render from game, uninstall xvid for editing, reinstall because i need an other sequence, uninstall again ... etc...


I've been using multiple versions of ffdshow it's not a recent problem but right now i'm using : "tryouts revision 1050 (Mar 18 2007)" and it's working perfect in almost every software i've used (virtualdub (capture mode), vegas, K!tv) except that game (Trackmania, any version)
I'll try the latest FFDShow build this evening but i doubt it will change anything.

[foxyshadis]

Xvid's defaults are bad for capturing, which is why I have a faster intermediate profile (http://foxyshadis.slightlydark.com/random/xvid-lossless.reg). You could replace the custom matrix with EQM UHR or 6of9 to lower the size a bit, and lower the I-frame interval (normally 250, here 120, as low as 20-30 might be good for reverse) to speed up random seeking/editing. (And don't use q1 with it.)

The equivalent for WMV9 (the v11 one) would be just setting it on quality mode, setting quality to 95 or 98 or whatever, and the slider to fastest. You trade size for speed with the slider. That defaults to 8s keyframes, but that can be lowered too.

Weird that ffdshow crashes, if I get ahold of the game I'll try to find out why.

[BlackSharkfr]

Thanks

If you are motivated you can download the free "TrackMania Nations ESWC" edition here : http://download.nvidia.com/downloads_emea/Trackmania_Nations/TmNationsESWC_Setup.exe . It has all the necessary features, just run any race, save the replay and go to the replay editor and shoot (don't even need to edit the replay).

Just an important thing you'll need to know : it uses Starforce (the old version, the one which installs a driver) even though it doesn't need any cd to run. (just in case i know some people are allergic to any kind of DRM)

When you configure the replay shooter, don't activate any of the "HQ" options, they won't work (anti aliasing boost, motion blur).

[BlackSharkfr]

bump.

I've tested again with FFDshow rev1187 (may 19th 2007) same bug.
I've also had the same bug when compressing live footage with Dscaler (Dscaler 4.1.15). But mysteriously virtualdub works (but i can't capture the same things with VD).
Maybe should i rename the topic ?