x264 lets other programs freeze

[kadajawi]

Ok, I have a really weird problem now that I am trying to debug, but perhaps someone can help, or someone has a similar problem. I am using x264 to encode a few hundred videos, so I am using a batch file creating the AVS script and 2 computers running Windows 7 to do that. Both run the same (current) version of x264 (from x264.nl), CoreAVC 3 to decode. The files used to encode the video are afaik all sitting on the computer that does the rendering job.

What happens is that suddently during encoding the some program would freeze up, waiting for network resources to be freed up again. It could be Firefox, Internet Explorer, Trillian, Windows Explorer, basically anything that needs a network connection. Killing the process and starting the program again helps, alternatively I can kill x264.exe and the program that hangs continues to work like nothing has happened. Setting x264.exe or cmd.exe to idle does not help, neither does setting x264 to use only one CPU (either) help (with the other one idling away).

It used to work when I did things by hand, so I am trying to figure out if it still does when I do things by hand again... the other change that occurred was switching to the latest CoreAVC.

[kadajawi]

Ok, that was quick... I am fairly certain now that CoreAVC is the culprit. I wonder why CoreAVC needs to access the network... but since decoding speed for encoding is not that important (when I get around 0.4-1 fps) I'll just stay with ffmpeg for decoding the videos for encoding... or perhaps just let x264 do the decoding itself (I'm only using undot() to filter the videos (coming straight out of a camera which isn't very efficient when encoding the videos, despite using h264).

[LoRd_MuldeR]

(1) Why do you need to use CoreAVC with x264? Can't the "built-in" decoders (FFMS/LAVF) open your source?

(2) Even if you have to go the Avisynth route for some reason, you may try a different source filter. DirectShowSource() often is problematic. Try FFVideoSource() or DGSource().

(3) If a CPU intensive process, such as x264.exe, makes other applications "freeze", you probably should lower its priority. I would run encoder processes at "below normal" priority.

(4) For problems with CoreAVC you should contact the CoreAVC support. (But even if CoreAVC really does access the network, that's nothing that should "freeze" the system.)

(5) Do you have some "Firewall" (other than Windows Firewall) or "Anti-Virus" software installed? If so, try to temporarily(!) uninstall it and see what happens...

[kadajawi]

(1) Why do you need to use CoreAVC with x264? Can't the "built-in" decoders (FFMS/LAVF) open your source?

(2) Even if you have to go the Avisynth route for some reason, you may try a different source filter. DirectShowSource() often is problematic. Try FFVideoSource() or DGSource().

(3) If a CPU intensive process, such as x264.exe, makes other applications "freeze", you probably should lower its priority. I would run encoder processes at "below normal" priority.

(4) For problems with CoreAVC you should contact the CoreAVC support. (But even if CoreAVC really does access the network, that's nothing that should "freeze" the system.)

(5) Do you have some "Firewall" (other than Windows Firewall) or "Anti-Virus" software installed? If so, try to temporarily(!) uninstall it and see what happens...

(1): I have used CoreAVC because my computers are a bit slow for playing back h264 files with ffdshow. That it was also used for encoding was an "unwanted" side effect. I used Avisynth since that's how I usually handled things (using less common sources that x264 wouldn't be able to decode, also I usually filter the source a bit).

(2): Thanks, I'll try those. I find that undot works "wonders", it does help in reducing the filesize without sacrificing quality (IMHO).

(3): Yes, tried that. Doesn't work. Also limiting the process to a core (both computers are dual cores) doesn't. Not even PAUSING the process helps.

(4): Yeah, I might write to them. I mean I can work around it, but perhaps they'd like to have a look at it anyway. When I wrote this thread I wasn't yet aware that it's a CoreAVC problem.

(5): Only the Windows Firewall and MS Security Essentials... usually they don't get in the way. Not sure if I'm so keen on finding the precise source of the problem when I can work around it.