x264 Jerky video duplicated/substitute frames (samples attached)

[bigmick]

Hi Guys

I need some help. My Media PC is full and I'm trying to convert my PAL DVB recorded TV (mpeg2) files into mp4 files to save space. I'm using a GUI called MCEBuddy but it's calling MEncoder and compressing with x264 under the covers.

I picked a file at random as my test file to tune quality and settings, but I can't get anything I'm happy with. The main issue I'm struggling with is bad jerkyness in the output video. By stepping through frame by frame I've found the issue is instead of all the frames from the source file being present, some frames are being substituted with a duplicate of the previous frame. This frame substitution consistently occurs at the same frames in the video, regardless of whether I've cut something off the start of the video (using VideoRedo) or the encode settings I've used. I assume it's related to the "1 duplicate frame(s)!" messages I'm seeing in the MEncoder output below.

I've tried googling the error messages but most matches relate to capturing....

Would really appreciate any help. Here are links to small input and output samples which demonstrate the problem:

Input: http://www.users.on.net/~madkins/LostWorlds-snippet_small.mpg(11.5Mb)
Output: http://www.users.on.net/~madkins/LostWorlds-snippet_small.mp4(5.33Mb)

eg see how frames 79 and 80 are the same...

This particular sample was encoded with the following settings, but the various x264 settings I've tried don't seem to make much difference:


mencoder-general=-vf pullup,softskip,yadif=0:-1,hqdn3d,harddup
mencoder-video=-ovc x264 -x264encopts bitrate=1800:me=hex:trellis=1:subq=8:partitions=all:8x8dct:ref=8:\
rc_lookahead=50:keyint=25:keyint_min=20:\
bframes=1:weight_b:level_idc=41:b_pyramid=normal:direct_pred=auto:mixed_refs:deblock=-1,-1:nofast_pskip:\
nodct_decimate:b_adapt=0:threads=auto
mencoder-audio=-oac faac -faacopts br=192:mpeg=4:tns:object=2
mencoder-audioac3=-oac faac -faacopts br=256:mpeg=4:tns:object=2
mencoder-ext=.avi
mencoder-remuxto=.mp4
mencoder-audiodelay=skip



Section of MEncoder Log:


--> MEncoder Sherpya-SVN-r34401-4.6.2 (C) 2000-2011 MPlayer Team
--> 181 audio & 389 video codecs
--> success: format: 0 data: 0x0 - 0xb80000
--> MPEG-PS file format detected.
--> VIDEO: MPEG2 1280x1080 (aspect 3) 25.000 fps 90000.0 kbps (11250.0 kbyte/s)
--> [V] filefmt:2 fourcc:0x10000002 size:1280x1080 fps:25.000 ftime:=0.0400
--> ==========================================================================
--> Requested audio codec family [mpg123] (afm=mpg123) not available.
--> Enable it at compilation.
--> Opening audio decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg/libavcodec audio decoders
--> AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, floatle, 192.0 kbit/6.25% (ratio: 24000->384000)
--> Selected audio codec: [ffmp2float] afm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG layer-1 and layer-2 audio)
--> ==========================================================================
--> Opening video filter: [expand osd=1]
--> Expand: -1 x -1, -1 ; -1, osd: 1, aspect: 0.000000, round: 1
--> Opening video filter: [harddup]
--> Opening video filter: [hqdn3d]
--> Opening video filter: [yadif=0:-1]
--> Opening video filter: [softskip]
--> Opening video filter: [pullup]
--> ==========================================================================
--> Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
--> Selected video codec: [ffmpeg2] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-2)
--> ==========================================================================
--> Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
--> Pos: 0.0s 1f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.000 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.0s 2f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.004 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.0s 3f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.008 [0:0]
--> x264 [info]: using SAR=3/2
--> x264 [warning]: DPB size (8 frames, 16711680 bytes) > level limit (6 frames, 12582912 bytes)
--> x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2 AVX
--> x264 [info]: profile High, level 4.1
MX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2 AVX
2912 bytes)
12 [0:0]
--> x264 [info]: profile High, level 4.1
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Muxer frame buffer cannot allocate memory!
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 0.0s 5f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.016 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.1s 6f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.020 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.2s 7f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.024 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.2s 8f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.028 [0:0]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 0.2s 9f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.032 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.3s 10f (10%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.036 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.3s 11f (10%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.040 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.4s 12f (10%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.044 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.4s 13f (11%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.048 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.4s 14f (11%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.012 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.4s 15f (11%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.016 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.5s 16f (12%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.020 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.5s 17f (12%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.024 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.5s 18f (13%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.028 [0:172]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 0.6s 19f (13%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.027 [0:172]
--> Pos: 0.6s 20f (14%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.031 [0:174]
--> Pos: 0.7s 21f (14%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.035 [0:175]
--> Pos: 0.7s 22f (15%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.038 [0:176]
--> Pos: 0.7s 23f (15%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.041 [0:178]
--> Pos: 0.8s 24f (15%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.003 [0:178]
--> Pos: 0.8s 25f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.006 [0:179]
--> Pos: 0.8s 26f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.009 [0:180]
--> Pos: 0.9s 27f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.012 [0:180]
--> Pos: 0.9s 28f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.013 [0:181]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 0.9s 29f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.010 [0:181]
--> Pos: 1.0s 30f (17%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.012 [0:182]
--> Pos: 1.0s 31f (18%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.015 [0:182]
--> Pos: 1.1s 32f (18%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.015 [0:183]
--> Pos: 1.1s 33f (18%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.016 [0:184]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 1.1s 34f (18%) 30.41fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.013 [0:184]
--> Pos: 1.2s 35f (19%) 30.28fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.015 [0:185]
--> Pos: 1.2s 36f (20%) 30.05fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.017 [0:185]
--> Pos: 1.3s 37f (20%) 29.81fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.017 [0:187]
--> Pos: 1.3s 38f (21%) 29.71fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.018 [0:188]
--> Pos: 1.3s 39f (21%) 30.14fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.019 [0:189]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 1.4s 40f (21%) 29.81fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.016 [0:189]
--> Pos: 1.4s 41f (22%) 29.14fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.018 [0:190]
--> Pos: 1.5s 42f (22%) 28.81fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.018 [0:190]
--> Pos: 1.5s 43f (23%) 28.40fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.019 [0:190]
--> Pos: 1.5s 44f (23%) 28.80fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.020 [0:191]
--> Writing header...
--> ODML: vprp aspect is 16:9.
--> Setting audio delay to 0.043s.
--> Writing header...
--> ODML: vprp aspect is 16:9.
--> Setting audio delay to 0.043s.
--> Writing header...
--> ODML: vprp aspect is 16:9.
--> Setting audio delay to 0.043s.
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 1.6s 45f (23%) 27.12fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.017 [1067:191]
--> Pos: 1.6s 46f (25%) 26.73fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.019 [1022:191]
--> Pos: 1.7s 47f (25%) 23.94fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.019 [1364:191]
--> Pos: 1.7s 48f (25%) 23.81fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.020 [1455:192]
--> Pos: 1.7s 49f (25%) 23.88fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.021 [1455:192]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 1.8s 50f (25%) 23.76fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.018 [1750:192]
--> Pos: 1.8s 51f (26%) 22.32fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.021 [1959:192]
--> Pos: 1.9s 52f (26%) 22.24fps Trem: 0min 1mb A-V:0.021 [2015:192]
--> Pos: 1.9s 53f (27%) 22.03fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.021 [2258:192]
--> Pos: 1.9s 54f (27%) 22.31fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2258:192]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 2.0s 55f (27%) 20.98fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2622:192]
--> Pos: 2.0s 56f (28%) 20.90fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2648:193]
--> Pos: 2.1s 57f (29%) 20.84fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2652:193]
--> Pos: 2.1s 58f (29%) 19.39fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2610:194]
--> Pos: 2.1s 59f (30%) 19.63fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2610:193]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 2.2s 60f (30%) 19.74fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2635:193]
--> Pos: 2.2s 61f (31%) 19.69fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2592:194]
--> Pos: 2.3s 62f (31%) 19.67fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2561:193]
--> Pos: 2.3s 63f (32%) 19.73fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2577:193]
--> Pos: 2.3s 64f (32%) 19.96fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2577:193]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 2.4s 65f (32%) 20.06fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2629:193]
--> Pos: 2.4s 66f (32%) 20.02fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2560:193]
--> Pos: 2.5s 67f (32%) 20.02fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2568:194]
--> Pos: 2.5s 68f (33%) 20.05fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2528:194]
--> Pos: 2.5s 69f (34%) 20.26fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2528:194]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 2.6s 70f (34%) 20.27fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2804:194]
--> Pos: 2.6s 71f (34%) 20.22fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.019 [2736:194]
--> Pos: 2.7s 72f (35%) 20.19fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2756:194]
--> Pos: 2.7s 73f (36%) 20.17fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.021 [2717:194]
--> Pos: 2.7s 74f (36%) 20.36fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.023 [2717:195]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 2.8s 75f (36%) 20.31fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2777:195]
--> Pos: 2.8s 76f (37%) 19.95fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.020 [2772:195]
--> Pos: 2.9s 77f (37%) 19.93fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.021 [2755:194]
--> Pos: 2.9s 78f (38%) 19.19fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2795:194]
--> Pos: 2.9s 79f (38%) 19.37fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.023 [2795:194]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 3.0s 80f (38%) 18.97fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.021 [2847:194]
--> Pos: 3.0s 81f (38%) 18.93fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.021 [2801:193]
--> Pos: 3.1s 82f (40%) 18.91fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2811:193]
--> Pos: 3.1s 83f (40%) 17.97fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.023 [2777:192]
--> Pos: 3.1s 84f (40%) 18.12fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.024 [2777:192]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 3.2s 85f (40%) 18.16fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.021 [2850:192]
--> Pos: 3.2s 86f (41%) 18.15fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2856:192]
--> Pos: 3.3s 87f (41%) 18.17fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.022 [2844:191]
--> Pos: 3.3s 88f (42%) 18.18fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.024 [2881:191]
--> Pos: 3.3s 89f (42%) 18.33fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.025 [2881:191]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 3.4s 90f (42%) 18.04fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.023 [2924:191]
--> Pos: 3.4s 91f (42%) 18.03fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.023 [2890:192]
--> Pos: 3.5s 92f (42%) 18.04fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [2912:192]
--> Pos: 3.5s 93f (43%) 18.04fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.025 [2880:191]
--> Pos: 3.5s 94f (44%) 18.18fps Trem: 0min 2mb A-V:0.026 [2880:191]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 3.6s 95f (44%) 18.23fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [3075:191]
--> Pos: 3.6s 96f (44%) 18.22fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [3042:190]
--> Pos: 3.7s 97f (45%) 18.22fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.025 [3060:190]
--> Pos: 3.7s 98f (45%) 18.23fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.026 [3029:190]
--> Pos: 3.7s 99f (46%) 18.35fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.027 [3029:190]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 3.8s 100f (46%) 18.16fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [3116:190]
--> Pos: 3.8s 101f (46%) 17.76fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.025 [3144:189]
--> Pos: 3.9s 102f (46%) 17.78fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.025 [3139:189]
--> Pos: 3.9s 103f (48%) 17.59fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.027 [3178:189]
--> Pos: 3.9s 104f (48%) 17.72fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.026 [3178:189]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 4.0s 105f (48%) 17.29fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.022 [3224:189]
--> Pos: 4.0s 106f (48%) 17.29fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.022 [3196:189]
--> Pos: 4.1s 107f (49%) 17.29fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.023 [3212:189]
--> Pos: 4.1s 108f (49%) 16.67fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.025 [3183:189]
--> Pos: 4.1s 109f (49%) 16.78fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [3183:189]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 4.2s 110f (49%) 16.82fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.020 [3254:189]
--> Pos: 4.2s 111f (51%) 16.82fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.021 [3258:189]
--> Pos: 4.3s 112f (51%) 16.83fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.022 [3253:189]
--> Pos: 4.3s 113f (51%) 16.75fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [3298:189]
--> Pos: 4.3s 114f (51%) 16.87fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.024 [3298:189]
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 4.4s 115f (51%) 16.54fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.020 [3332:189]
--> Pos: 4.4s 116f (52%) 16.54fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.021 [3300:189]
--> Pos: 4.5s 117f (52%) 16.59fps Trem: 0min 3mb A-V:0.022 [3322:190]


Many thanks
Mick

[bigmick]

No-one has seen this error before??

I don't get the same duplicated frames issue with ffmpeg however the motion in the output is still not smooth like the original. Is anyone able to try encoding that sample with their favourite x264 encoder and settings and see/post what the results are - I'd just like to know whether I've happened to pick a crappy test clip etc...

Thanks a lot
Mick

[paradoxical]

I don't get the same duplicated frames issue with ffmpeg

Which means your problem is with the pre-processing you are doing. I've encoded your sample using AviSynth and x264 CLI and I see no issues with duplicates or jerkiness.

[Selur]

Why are you doing 'pullup,softskip,yadif=0:-1,hqdn3d,harddup' ?
according to MediaInfo video is 25fps interlaced, but you filtering looks more like it's ment to IVTC the content

[bigmick]

Ahhh you guys might have helped me out heaps here I think. Thanks. That would certainly explain it. They are just the default settings in this MCEBuddy tool - but thinking about it, it's possibly a US based tool geared up for NTSC. I'll have a look into the pre-filters. Are there any of those you'd specifically recommend I keep?

[bigmick]

Just in terms of the filter chain there (pullup,softskip,yadif=0:-1,hqdn3d,harddup) I'm going to drop off pullup, but I'm also wondering whether softskip shouldn't be after yadif and hqdn3d? (ie right before harddup). I would have thought those 2 filters would need all frames??

[Selur]

Why not simply use: yadif=0:-1,hqdn3d ?
The whole pullup,softskip,...,hardup does not belong here from my point of view.

[bigmick]

@paradoxical not sure where your reply went - I got it by email, but it's not here... anyway you and Selur are both saying the same. I don't really know what I'm doing - I'm just trying to understand the filter chain this tool is using. So for my own learning I'm kind of still interested in which side of the softskip yadif and hqdn3d should be (even in the original filter chain for teleclined material).

I'll get rid of the others then and use what you suggest there Selur. The reason I didn't - when I was reading the mencoder doco about softskip and harddup I got the impression that frames could be dropped/duplicated for various reasons to maintain a/v sync and not just to do with the IVTC. So that's why I thought it safer to leave them. That said I actually don't see why frames would need to be dropped/added in my situation - interestingly though in my log with the latest settings I'm still getting the odd "Skipping frame!" message. Maybe I need to try something like -mc 0

Does anything in the log give any clue why the frames are being skipped?

--> ==========================================================================
--> Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
--> Selected video codec: [ffmpeg2] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-2)
--> ==========================================================================
--> Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
--> Pos: 0.0s 1f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.000 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.0s 2f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.004 [0:0]
--> x264 [warning]: interlace + weightp is not implemented
--> x264 [info]: using SAR=3/2
--> x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 FastShuffle SSE4.2 AVX
--> x264 [info]: profile High, level 4.0
--> 1 duplicate frame(s)!
--> Pos: 0.0s 3f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.008 [0:0]
--> Pos: 0.1s 4f ( 8%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.012 [0:0]

<snip>

--> Pos: 0.8s 21f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.080 [0:179]
--> Pos: 0.8s 22f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.084 [0:180]
--> Pos: 0.8s 23f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.048 [0:180]
2 AVX
udio)
ostWorl--> Pos: 0.8s 23f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.048 [0:180]
2 AVX
udio)
ostWorl--> Pos: 0.9s 24f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.052 [0:180]
--> Pos: 0.9s 25f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.056 [0:181]
--> Pos: 1.0s 26f (16%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.060 [0:181]
--> Pos: 1.0s 27f (17%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.064 [0:182]
--> Pos: 1.0s 28f (18%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.068 [0:182]
--> Pos: 1.1s 29f (18%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.072 [0:183]
--> Pos: 1.1s 30f (18%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.076 [0:184]
--> Pos: 1.2s 31f (19%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.080 [0:184]
--> Pos: 1.2s 32f (19%) 31.65fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.084 [0:185]
--> Pos: 1.2s 33f (20%) 31.76fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.048 [0:185]
2 AVX
udio)
ostWorl--> Pos: 1.2s 33f (20%) 31.76fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.048 [0:185]
2 AVX
udio)
ostWorl--> Pos: 1.2s 34f (20%) 31.89fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.052 [0:185]
--> Pos: 1.3s 35f (20%) 31.88fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.056 [0:187]
--> Pos: 1.3s 36f (21%) 31.86fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.060 [0:188]
--> Pos: 1.4s 37f (21%) 31.87fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.064 [0:189]
--> Pos: 1.4s 38f (22%) 31.85fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.068 [0:189]
--> Pos: 1.4s 39f (22%) 31.86fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.072 [0:190]
--> Pos: 1.5s 40f (22%) 31.92fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.075 [0:190]
--> Pos: 1.5s 41f (23%) 31.93fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.078 [0:190]
--> Pos: 1.6s 42f (23%) 31.91fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.081 [0:191]
--> Skipping frame!
3f (23%) 32.02fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.044 [0:191]
2 AVX
udio)
ostWorl--> Skipping frame!
3f (23%) 32.02fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.044 [0:191]
2 AVX
udio)
ostWorl--> Pos: 1.6s 44f (23%) 32.09fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.047 [0:191]
--> Pos: 1.6s 45f (25%) 32.10fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.050 [0:191]

Thanks for helping me guys - really appreciate it

[Selur]

Does anything in the log give any clue why the frames are being skipped?
probably because mencoder sees duplicates, add '-noskip'

As a general rule of the thumb: don't add filters to your call unless you are shure about what they are ment to do. :)
Normally softskip&harddup should not be needed unless you do IVTC or you source if buggy, e.g. if you are capturing a streamed content.

Maybe I need to try something like -mc 0
don't, this will only screw a/v synchronization, you should normally only use -mc 0 if you are creating audio or video output but not when you are creating audio&video ouput through your mencoder call.