16,384KB file, xmpeg crashes

[horseshoe7]

Hello,

I've made mention to this earlier, but it seems to be a problem that there is no solution yet. So I give it it's own thread

The symptom is as above. I try to encode a movie with XMpeg 4.2a divX 4.11 (with the 3.11 audio codec) [BTW, not all movies give me this problem], and sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I find that XMpeg has exited completely from the program, and the file I specified to encode it as, exists, but it is only 16,384KB and cannot be played.

Now, normally for me XMpeg stays open after it has successfully encoded a movie. So I don't know why it exits, but is just a symptom.

What is this problem? Is there a fix? Why is it only certain movies but not others?

Please, we need to call in the experts on this one.

[chipzoller]

no need to call in experts.

just trial and error.

Here is my diagnosis on your problem:

first, don't use anything but the newest divx codec and an mp3 codec of your choice (i haven't had any quams with Radium, but there are better ones).

I believe I also had this problem. check for erroneous settings in your divx config screen. make sure that you delted the old txt file as they might not get written over.

hmmm.

your file is app. 16MB?

are you using 2 pass?

what are more of your settings so I can get a better idea of how to help and suggest things to you.



chip

[horseshoe7]

Hey chip,

thanks for the speedy reply.

I am using 2pass (isn't that the whole point behind the use of divX?)

and I follow Doom9's XMpeg/divX guide in terms of the settings (i.e other than specfiying the bitrate and the location of the logfile, everything should be at the default setting for the divX settings screen)

I don't think the problem is with the codecs, since they work great on other movies. I tried the 4.12 codec, but I can't remember why I kept using the 4.11, but there was some reason that possibly affected stability?

Let me get this right- I don't know when the program crashes, since I'm usually asleep when I set the program encoding. Do I have the 16,384K file because it completed the first pass and had problems starting the second pass? Have there been reports of this problem happening, but not with the newest codec? I don't see why you suggest using the latest codecs other than to mimic your own set-up, which doesn't mean that will work for me. (see the thread discussing "...could not generate the log file, please ensure the program is setup properly..." if you want proof of how different systems react differently to XMpeg ;)

[chipzoller]

Hi,

Yes, you are right, the point to using DivX, for some, is the 2-pass ability. However, it isn't necessary, but it does produce the best quality.

I just thought of this, let me ask you. Are you checking the option "Compile whole file"? If so, DO NOT check this. This could cause this problem.

I suggested using the latest software, because obviously the newer versions have bug fixes and optimization fixes which will fix problems and allow for maximum quality.

See, this is how the encoding works:

If you select 2-pass then this is the layout.

The first pass only records the highs and lows of the video and frame information as to how the codec should be configured. THERE IS NO FILE PRODUCED FROM THIS (AVI). Then, after this .txt file has been written with this information, the second pass uses this information to tailor the codec to the optimal specifications according to the information specific to that video. See?

I suggested using my settings, because if you only use those, then they will work, because thats all I am using as well as other people. That doesn't mean that the way I do it is mandatory or that its the only possible combination of software, just a proven method. If you would like to see the videos I have produced, I would be more than glad to share those with you.

What are your system specs?





chip

[AlainDelon]

I had this problem to with EXACTLY 16,384KB written before crash.I solved it by NOT messing with the sound preview.Set parameters then exit program then restart & go directly to encoding.

[moobier]

I've been following this thread, and have the exact same problem. It has happened to me with the Terminator, and National Lampoon's Vacation:

options set:
AUDIO: Decode Audio, 48000 Hz

POST Processing:
YV12, Bressenham, Keep Aspect, 16/9*, Pixel aspect VGA, Crop is on

GENERAL:
Complie time - Seconds, Search size 10000, overlay, 2ond pass, 2ond pass enabled
Plugin settings: Mpeg3 - 160K with HQcompression and Compensate checked... Video -
Divx 4.11:
2ond-pass second pass, slowest, 800Kbs

The second output plugin is identical with the following 1-pass encoding parameters (except for it's 2ond pass, first pass)/ Quantizer numbers:
18
2
3000
25
10


This crashes every time I try to encode it, and leaves a file 16,384KBs. I have encoded 16 other movies, so I know my settings are "mostly correct". Last night I left the Audio alone... no normalization... and it still crashed.

[chipzoller]

What OS are you guys using?

Cause this doesn't happen to me in Windows 2000 Professional.





chip

[moobier]

I'm using Win 2K pro (service pack 2) (the only cabs I had laying around :)

256Megs ram

This is a little crazy, but I watched it happen once... Dr. Watson comes up and says it's logging an error (but does not)... seems to terminate about 2/3rds of the way thru the first pass. Annoyingly enough, I can take the exact same settings and encode another movie.
I thought it had something to do with the number of VOBs or some sort of memory leak, but I used perfmon and it shows nothing diffrent than a regular encode would, and the two movies I mentioned before are 6.8 Gig and 4.7 Gig movies
I'd love to see if you had the same problems with the same content I am trying to encode.
-M

[sys49152]

I've had exactly the same experience with xmpeg 4.2a. It worked perfectly for a couple of dvds and then failed miserably for one.

Interesting observation -- I tried encoding the same problematic files with Virtualdub (I used the doom9 guides for both) and it also fails. Although I'm not 100% sure, I think it fails at the same point during the first pass of the two pass process. Have you had any luck encoding with another package?

sys49152

[moobier]

I haven't tried (too damn lazy) :)

Anybody have any success circumventing this? At least I'm not the only one.

-M

[horseshoe7]

I use win2k Pro and the settings as above. I have read all solutions so far and it doesn't seem to be the problem. ANYONE? There are movies i really want to rip, but can't get cuz of this!

PLEASE HELP

[goslac]

Hello guys

I've had the same problems two nights in a row w/ snow falling on cedars. I used Xmpeg before and it was great. Using my usual settings with this movie doesn't work. One of my friend has had the same problem. It may be due to the ratio of the movie. In both cases it was 2.35:1, or the rip is bad and the vobs are messed up.
I tried the same movie with Flask and it crashed as well. So I would say delete the vob and try to rip again


Goslac :)

[gregor7777]

I think I may have some information here.

Now, here is what I did before, with great results, and here is what I did to get xmpeg to crash. I will also post specs on hardware and softare and such.

First movies I encoded I used two-pass, I resized, I cropped, I used bresenham(sp?), I deleted the info in the divx.log file and everything ran great.

Now here is exactly what I changed to produce the 16kb error:

I did not resize, just crop. I used bicubic filtering, and I did not delete the info in the divx.log. It took twice as long (projected) to encode as before, and came up with an error around 60% through the first pass. I look and my output shows a 16,384 kb file.

I will try the exact same movie with my original settings aagain, then once again with my new settings to see if this is reproducable.

Rig :
T-Bird 1.1, 256mb DDR, GF3, Sony DVD, Win XP Pro, Smartripper, Xmpeg4.2a, Divx 4.12, Radium MP3 codec.

[moobier]

ok, the only thing I dont do, that you do in the one that encodes correctly, is resize. What size do you set it to?

I feel like horseshoe, here... there are a bunch of DVDs I'd love to rip, but cant, due to this dopey problem.

I got a feelin, it aint goin away any time soon. <sigh>
-M

[moobier]

Gonna try Gknot this weekend... will post results.
-M

[horseshoe7]

OK,

I'm with moobier's opinion. XMpeg seems like the most simple solution to rip DVD's. But, the bugs get to the point where the program is so frustrating because it won't allow you to rip movies you really want a copy of.

I urge people to try GKnot. It seems like it's complicated, but in the same way you learned a sequence of steps to take in order to rip with XMpeg, it's the same with GKnot. It's just learning a different set of motions. It takes about the same time to rip a DVD, but the quality always ends up being better. Plus, you can have a job queue. You can set a movie to rip as you sleep, and set another movie ripping after you've gone to work. When you get home, you've got 2 movies all done, and it took less than 20 minutes to set-up.

As long as you follow the Doom9 guides, you will have no problems.

There seems to be no major hassle with GKnot, and it WILL rip more titles than XMpeg can.

Peace

[moobier]

The titles I had difficulties with, are now encoded.

GKnot works well.. I'll still use XMPEG now and then, but I think I am a convert. :)