Sony Vegas / MP4 / Windows 7 a bad idea ?Can't use ffdshow to preview H.264/AAC file?

[St Devious]

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 2.30 GiB
Duration : 32mn 42s
Overall bit rate : 10.1 Mbps
Encoded date : UTC 2010-04-13 04:19:57
Tagged date : UTC 2010-04-13 04:19:57

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 5 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 32mn 41s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 10 000 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 14.4 Mbps
Width : 1 440 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.215
Stream size : 2.28 GiB (99%)
Title : Imported with GPAC 0.4.6-DEV (build 1)
Writing library : x264 core 68 r1183M f21daff
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=7 / psy_rd=1.0:0.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / wpredb=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / rc=2pass / bitrate=10000 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=50000 / vbv_bufsize=50000 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date : UTC 2010-04-13 04:19:57
Tagged date : UTC 2010-04-13 04:21:29

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : Yes
Format settings, PS : No
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 32mn 42s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 56.8 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 63.4 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 13.3 MiB (1%)
Title : Imported with GPAC 0.4.6-DEV (build 1)
Encoded date : UTC 2010-04-13 04:21:26
Tagged date : UTC 2010-04-13 04:21:29

Trying to view the above file in Sony Vegas 64-bit 9.0d, it's a mess. Can't preview it smoothly, takes 10-15s to just get the preview image after clicking anywhere on the file.

Have ffdshow 32-bit, halli splitter installed on a Q9450 quad core @ 3.2 GHz with 4 GB RAM machine.

The vegas does not seem to be using ffdshow to preview this file. How can I make it ?

I used the Directshow change preferred filter tool by a member here on doom9, to change filters used by win7 to ffdshow. WMP12 uses ffdshow to play the above file, and it plays back smoothly.

[Warperus]

Vegas opens this file with its internal Mainconcept AVC decoder.
Roll back to 9.0c - it's new bug in 9d that produces such delays. Alternatively You can replace aviplug.dll with version of 9c.
Also smart rendering is flawed in 9d (again, roll back or replace compoundplug.dll for the one from 9c)

P.S. Vegas does not use Directshow at all so don't try to tweak DS filters - it won't help.

[St Devious]

Vegas opens this file with its internal Mainconcept AVC decoder.
Roll back to 9.0c - it's new bug in 9d that produces such delays. Alternatively You can replace aviplug.dll with version of 9c.
Also smart rendering is flawed in 9d (again, roll back or replace compoundplug.dll for the one from 9c)

P.S. Vegas does not use Directshow at all so don't try to tweak DS filters - it won't help.

i had the same problem with 9.0c

[Warperus]

It just gets worse in 9.0d, small delays (not 10 sec) are natural for AVCHD with your settings. You have extensive b-frames usage in your file - it's the reason for delays.

There's --tune zerolatency (or something like that) option in x264 that should help. Even though I won't recommend usage of x264 in a first place.
Better use the source for x264 coding or convert it to some sort of editing format.
Vegas works smoothly with editing formats like CanopusHQ, HDV, MPEG-2 and uncompressed formats like SonyYUV. Generally you are not restricted in bandwidth here, so you can use intermediate 100Mbps bitrates freely.

You can also use proxy files technique (refer to Vegas documentation) to make smooth editing and then replace files with original ones for rendering.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Or adjust your x264 encodes to be more editing friendly. Disable b-frames (which is PART of zerolatency, though I wouldn't suggest zerolatency for this application), and / or just reduce the GOP size significantly. Heck, you could just do intra-only at 50-100mbps. I'd suggest disabling CABAC also.

~MiSfit

[St Devious]

Or adjust your x264 encodes to be more editing friendly. Disable b-frames (which is PART of zerolatency, though I wouldn't suggest zerolatency for this application), and / or just reduce the GOP size significantly. Heck, you could just do intra-only at 50-100mbps. I'd suggest disabling CABAC also.

~MiSfit

How would that affect quality if I encode at 10Mbps?

[poisondeathray]

How would that affect quality if I encode at 10Mbps?


That would depend on the source complexity; it might be ok for some sources, but too low for others

The higher the bitrate, the less lossy (not as much quality lost). But higher bitrates are harder to decode as well/ less edit friendly