Getiing the VirtualDubMod Frame Server to work

[yetanotherid]

Could someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong or if I'm just expecting too much of the VirtualDubMod frameserver (or VirtualDub, I've tried both and get the same results) or whether it's not working as it should? Sorry if the explanation is a bit long winded....

I'm pretty sure I've got everything set up correctly (been over it a dozen times) but basically when frameserving to a .vdr file it works in a very limited way. Using the VFAPI Converter I can't get any audio when it tries to frameserve the .vdr file to an AVI, nor can I get video unless I tell it to save the video in an uncompressed format. Seems even though the VFAPICodec is installed (the VFAPI Converter won't even open a vdr file until it is) the VFAPICodec isn't working properly.
When using VirtualDubMod -> vdr -> VFAPICodec -> AVI.... if I try to open the AVI with MPC-HC I get a black screen with no audio, but it appears to be playing it. The only way to get MPC-HC to open it in some way is via a simple AVISynth, AVISource script. That way I get video but still no audio. Would that be because the VFAPICodec is a vfw codec MPC-HC can't use? (does MPC-HC use vfw codecs?)

Moving on from there I tried using VirtualDubMod to frameserve to an avi (same result with or without the AVI proxy on). If I try opening the frameserved AVI directly, MPC-HC says it can't render the file. However if I open it via an AVISynth script (AVISource) using MPC-HC then finally I've got both audio and video.

Is someone able to tell me if all of the above is normal or if not, what I may have missed?
My only reason for doing all this is because occasionally I have some video I want to edit a little before converting, but I'd prefer to convert with AutoGK. So far the only way I can make it happen is....
VirtualDub -> *.vdr.avi -> AVISource script -> MakeAVIS -> AVI -> AutoGK.
It'd much nicer if I could work out how to get AutoGK to directly open the AVI being served by VirtualDubMod. And there'd probably be more chance of everything displaying properly by the time it gets there.

Thanks.

[Wilbert]

I'm pretty sure I've got everything set up correctly (been over it a dozen times) but basically when frameserving to a .vdr file it works in a very limited way. Using the VFAPI Converter I can't get any audio when it tries to frameserve the .vdr file to an AVI, nor can I get video unless I tell it to save the video in an uncompressed format. Seems even though the VFAPICodec is installed (the VFAPI Converter won't even open a vdr file until it is) the VFAPICodec isn't working properly.
I vaguely remember that audio is not supported when frameserving (i'm too lazy to look it up in the documentation) and for VFAPI the video needs to be RGB24.

[Gavino]

Try setting VirtualDub to AVIFile proxy mode (see Help file under Frameserver), and rename .vdr to .avi.
I vaguely remember that audio is not supported when frameserving (i'm too lazy to look it up in the documentation) and for VFAPI the video needs to be RGB24.
Audio filters are not supported but audio is still served.
Video is always served as RGB24.

[yetanotherid]

I vaguely remember that audio is not supported when frameserving (i'm too lazy to look it up in the documentation) and for VFAPI the video needs to be RGB24.

Cheers.
I've tried setting the compression setting to full or fast etc. I don't know if that effects the frame server output. Or are you saying I've got to convert it to RGB using a filter?

Try setting VirtualDub to AVIFile proxy mode (see Help file under Frameserver), and rename .vdr to .avi.

Audio filters are not supported but audio is still served.
Video is always served as RGB24.

I've tried the AVI frameserving. That's what's seriously frustrating. I expected to be able to open the frameserved AVI with pretty much any program, but MPC plays a blank video with no audio.
What I don't understand is if I create a basic DirectShowSource (maybe AVISource too, I can't remember) script and open the frameserved AVI it works perfectly that way (audio and video), so then I wrap the script into another avi to open with programs which can't open AVISynth scripts.....

I did try a couple of utilities for checking installed codecs and messing with merits etc. The only thing I found odd was one program told me the VFAPI codec was installed with it's merit set to normal, but it failed to change the merit, the second program told me it was set to "do not use" but when I enabled it the VFAPIConverter refused to open a vdr file, when I set it back to "do not use" it'd open the file but the AVI it produced wouldn't work.... unless I open it via an AVISynth and then I do get video but no audio. The VFAPIConverter will however decompress the audio to a wave file and store it in the AVI it produces if I tell it to.

For AVISynth to be able to open the VD framserved AVI and frameserve it properly while other programs can't open the AVI directly, wouldn't it have to be some sort of codec issue? One which is over my head, obviously.
To make it even more frustrating I've tried setting it all up on a second PC with exactly the same results (although the two PCs run the same OS with identical software installed).

Thanks for your help.

[mgh]

have you at all tried loading your .vdr in another instance of virtualdub or virtualdubmod?

[yetanotherid]

have you at all tried loading your .vdr in another instance of virtualdub or virtualdubmod?

I can't remember to be honest as it's been a while and I've restored the PC to an earlier time via a Ghost image since then, and haven't installed any of the relevant stuff again. I guess I pretty much just gave up.

[Nexin]

VirtualDub FrameClient (read help file or following)

Begin:
Folder: \VirtualDub\Auxsetup.exe > Install Handler > Load video do your settings (using only virtualdub internal filters)

> File > Start Frameserver > Start > Save SignPost File (using extension .vdr or .avi one that works best for destination software) > Save > Load SignPost file (into your destination software, if support correctly it can be framserved).


I'm sure you will find it casn be played with mpc and mpc-hc and many other players.

Afterwards:
Folder: \VirtualDub\Auxsetup.exe > Uninstall Handler



Other:
VFAPI for me has never worked, and once installed cannot easily ever be uninstalled without messing up the system. I think it could be only some motherboards can use it. Should have been updated years ago fo able to uninstall cleanly and support all motherboards and 32 bit os. Even now could be updated for that also include 64bit support if hadn't had that previously. I will never try it again until this happens.

DGIndex with avs (avisynth script) can also work using. Look through my posts here to find the thread where people here gave details how to do this. Using avs is better than virtualdub own frameserver, which very few encoders type software have working correctly if at all.