Vista x64 as Encoding Platform!?

[Scurra]

Hey there,

I've been searching around a litte bit and it seems that everything in your encoding chain must be 64 Bit if you have a x64 Operating System (as in my case Vista x64). Since I've not found a solution yet, I'm asking here for advice. My current decoding chain includes Haali Splitter (32 bit) and ffdshow (32 bit). I want to reencode a h264 Video using x264 and preferrably MeGUI. But I think the Problem begins with AviSynth being 32 bit, too. I've downloaded a 64 Bit .dll from here (http://okejl.dk/dunstan/) but there's no change. I think at least some of you allready have a working encoding environment within a x64 system and I'd love to gather some links and information to what I need and where to get (compiled!) programms to get my system running, too.

Thanks in advance,
Scurra

[Tagert]

I have windows xp x64 myself.
But hardly none of the programs I use for encoding are 64bit based though.
I just have that version so I can fully use my 4GB ram and processor and to get less virus :p

[Scurra]

How do you encode then? My programms just don't work. I would be happy to use 32 bit tools, but I thought it wouldn't work...

[Yoshiyuki Blade]

All the tools I used to do encoding works fine on 64-bit, but then again the entire chain is still 32-bit. I haven't attempted to mix it up yet though. I'm curious on this subject as well.

[Scurra]

Interesting ... seems that only AviSynth doesn't work here ... I've tried to use the latest final 2.5 and the latest alpha ... neither worked on my Vista x64 Setup... Virtual Dub always crashes.
Any ideas?

[Adub]

I am pretty sure that the default avisynth install is not 64bit compatible. I am pretty sure squid_80 made a 64 bit compatible version of the dll, so if you just run a search you should be able to find it.

[burfadel]

Works fine here, but then again I only got vista x64 a few weeks ago, and streamlines all the patches (official released and non released - of which there are many times more). Have you updated Vista with automatic updates/manually update?

The only 64 bit requirement on xp x64 or Vista x64 is the drivers, the rest can be 32 or 64 bit. The whole chain has to be one of the other though, so you can't use 64 bit x264 with 32 bit avisynth etc etc. For practicality, 32 bit is the way to go still, although 64 bit is faster almost all filters are still 32 bit!

The 32 bit programmes work by the WOW engine (Windows on Windows). Unlike win95/98/me/XP running 16 bit programmes, which had to switch between 16 and 32 bit, on x64 32 and 64 bit programmes can run natively and concurrently.

Your virtualdub crash could be caused by several things:
- Codec packs, which should be avoided!
- A buggy version of ffdshow, update with the latest build! Don't use a 5 yr old copy. Download from ffdshow.info
- If the process chain decodes the audio for example to a wav file, it cannon exceed around 3 hours. You'll have to use a splitter/cutter tool and split the encode into two sections, then re-concatenate with YAMB (for example).
- You selected all the options on ffdshow install in terms of what to install (such as the vfw interface and virtualdub plugin). Just select vfw, it works with avisynth still. That bug frustrated me for a while because I didn't know where it was.
-

[burfadel]

I am pretty sure that the default avisynth install is not 64bit compatible. I am pretty sure squid_80 made a 64 bit compatible version of the dll, so if you just run a search you should be able to find it.

You don't need a 64 bit compatible version in the sense to which you are referring - programmes don't need to be 64 bit aware at all! The normal avisynth and tools, plugins etc should work flawlessly on Vista x64, or XP x64, most compatibility problems are caused by bugs and not by design.

[Scurra]

Strange, Strange ...
I installed Vista x64 3 Days ago and the first thing I did before installing any drivers was downloading and installing all updates (via windows update).
Then I only installed freshly downloaded software.
In terms of de/encoding it was:

ffdshow (from ffdshow.info (latest stable release))
AC3 Filter (latest)
Haali Media Splitter (from http://haali.cs.msu.ru/mkv/) (latest)

and now AviSynth (latest 2.5 Version and also tried latest 2.5 alpha Version)
and MeGUI (autoupdating to the latest version) as well as Virtual Dub Mod (latest stable).

lately I also installed PowerDVD 7.3 but I don't think that does anything + I still decode h264 with ffdshow (since purevideo doesn't seem to work outside PowerDVD or I'm too stupid but thats something else...)

Well, that's all - no bad Codec Packs ... No mixed 64 and 32 bit Software (all 32 bit I think). So what's the problem?
If I open a avs file in Virtual Dub Mod (with only DirectShowSource ... in it) Virtual Dub instantly crashes and says "VirtualDub does not work any more". In MeGUI it's absolutly the same error message when I go try creating a AVS Script with the included builder and select a Videofile (tried mkv (containing h264) and avi (containing xvid)) it also crashes.
Can't be me? I also tried installing the x64 Avisynth dll File from the forums here but I get the complete same error msg again.

So what am I doing wrong?

[burfadel]

Thats a very strange error indeed! it could be a video driver problem (strange as it may sound), because of the way virtualdub works. What video card are you using, and what is the driver version?

[Scurra]

I've installed a BFG 8800 GT 512 MB with latest ForceWare Driver (WHQL I guess). As I said its a fresh install with only the stuff I've written.
And MeGUI has the same error...

Rest of the System:

E6750
4 GB RAM
250 GB Maindrive
500 GB 2nd Drive
P35-DS3 (latest driver)

Strange thing - normally I would just reinstall but as I said its absolutely clean.

[burfadel]

I use the drivers from here:
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/

The reason why I didn't link directly to the latest page there is because the 170 series may appear shortly.

Anyway, for the moment, download the Vista x64 driver from here:
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showforum=72
for the latest verison, currently 169.09. Ever since I have had Vista installed only been using the 169 series drivers, I haven't used the 163.xx drivers directly from Nvidia. These drivers are considered beta, but for me it works perfectly whereas the official driver doesn't!

The reason why it may affect virtualdub is that virtualdub uses particular rendereres to display the video on the screen. Overlay has always been a problem with Vista and apps that try using it (at least for Nvidia drivers).

All I can say is, MEGUI, staxrip, avisynth, and all programmes/filters thereof work perfectly for me under Vista x64.

[Scurra]

I'm gonna try that. Thank you for now. Will report back this afternoon.

[Bigmango]

Does anyone know of a complete 64bit tools chain including a gui ? (i.ex something like : megui/automkv + x264 + avisynth...). Or if a complette chain is not available, then a wrapper to use the 64bit x264 with a 32bit gui ?

The 64bit x264 has been reported several times to be about 10+% faster; it would make sense to start using it.

[Dark Shikari]

Does anyone know of a complete 64bit tools chain including a gui ? (i.ex something like : megui/automkv + x264 + avisynth...). Or if a complette chain is not available, then a wrapper to use the 64bit x264 with a 32bit gui ?

The 64bit x264 has been reported several times to be about 10+% faster; it would make sense to start using it.The best way to do this is probably to use some sort of FIFO; run the toolchain in 32-bit and pipe the data to x264, to avoid the whole chain having to be 64-bit.

[celtic_druid]

avs2yuv? Should work to pipe 32bit AVISynth to 64bit x264.

[Scurra]

Anyway, for the moment, download the Vista x64 driver from here:
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showforum=72


I just installed 169.09 but there is no change ... same problem. I just noticed that the haali icon appears in the taskbar when I open up a avs file. But then ... the error again.
Any further ideas?

[Scurra]

I just don't get it ...
I now tried the latest unstable version of ffdshow and it doesn't work ... I reinstalled haali and it doesn't work. WTF am I doing wrong? Please help me.

[TFM_TheMask]

Do you have Office 2007 Enterprise installed on your pc?

I have the same problem on x64 with the Avisynth DirectshowSource variable. When I uninstall Office 2007 Enterprise it works great but else not. Very strange. If I use the Avisource variable it works.

[Scurra]

Yes I indeed have. What do you mean by "AviSourceVariable" ?

[TFM_TheMask]

I mean instead of using DirectShowSource() in your avisynth script use AviSource().

The problem is point of discussion here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=125121&highlight=directshowsource+problem).

And the solution can be read here (http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1062833&postcount=63).

The Problem is Vista's OpenFileDialog and Office Groove.

[burfadel]

.Net framework 3.5 has been officially released. Suggest downloading that because it updates Net framework 2.0 and 3.0. Megui and Staxrip (as well as other programmes) use Net Framework and there will be many more in the future using this platform.

[Scurra]

I mean instead of using DirectShowSource() in your avisynth script use AviSource().

The problem is point of discussion here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=125121&highlight=directshowsource+problem).

And the solution can be read here (http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1062833&postcount=63).

The Problem is Vista's OpenFileDialog and Office Groove.

God, I would kiss you if I could... I just uninstalled Office Groove and now the Script Creator as well as Virtual Dub work flawlessly. THANK YOU!

I think it's kinda off-Topic but if I know want to open a Script I created using the Script creator MeGUI says "File ... cannot be opened" and that I should check if its a valid avs File. It works great in MPC and Virtual Dub AND if I don't care about the preview and hit Enqueue x264 starts rendering without a problem. I haven't had a look at the output but why does MeGUI give this error msg?!
And why do I have to convert the Videocolorspace to YUV (or whatever it wants me to...) ?!

[TFM_TheMask]

God, I would kiss you if I could... I just uninstalled Office Groove and now the Script Creator as well as Virtual Dub work flawlessly. THANK YOU!

I think it's kinda off-Topic but if I know want to open a Script I created using the Script creator MeGUI says "File ... cannot be opened" and that I should check if its a valid avs File. It works great in MPC and Virtual Dub AND if I don't care about the preview and hit Enqueue x264 starts rendering without a problem. I haven't had a look at the output but why does MeGUI give this error msg?!
And why do I have to convert the Videocolorspace to YUV (or whatever it wants me to...) ?!

You are welcome.

I can't help you with Mequi. I don't use it. Just came across your post when I was searching for a solution for my own program.