VLC PLayer rendering HEVC MKV file really strangely...

[Lathe]

... and yet, both KM Player and MPC-HC player render the file just fine. Here is the MediaInfo for the video file and I will post snapshots of both players below.

Also BDRB chokes on the original HEVC file trying to convert it to x264. And, in using Clever FFMpeg, it is converting the file to x264 AVC, BUT... the resulting MKV file as it's converting plays EXACTLY the same way on both players and I have NO bloody idea why...???

Appreciate any insight or thoughts about this, thanks!

General
Unique ID : 202976396382864838426451038748639539652 (0x98B3D4FCA01849B45B2AE20204C0B1C4)
Complete name : G:\_HEVC.file.mkv
Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 4
File size : 3.94 GiB
Duration : 1 h 40 min
Overall bit rate : 5 618 kb/s
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Encoded date : 2024-09-08 08:25:09 UTC
Writing application : mkvmerge v87.0 ('Black as the Sky') 64-bit
Writing library : libebml v1.4.5 + libmatroska v1.7.1

Video
ID : 1
Format : HEVC
Format/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile : Main 10@L4@Main
Codec ID : V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC
Duration : 1 h 40 min
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0 (Type 0)
Bit depth : 10 bits
Writing library : x265 3.6+1-aa7f602f7:[Windows][GCC 13.2.0][64 bit] 10bit
Encoding settings : cpuid=1111039 / frame-threads=4 / numa-pools=24 / wpp / no-pmode / no-pme / no-psnr / no-ssim / log-level=2 / input-csp=1 / input-res=1920x1080 / interlace=0 / total-frames=0 / level-idc=0 / high-tier=1 / uhd-bd=0 / ref=3 / no-allow-non-conformance / no-repeat-headers / annexb / no-aud / no-eob / no-eos / no-hrd / info / hash=0 / temporal-layers=0 / no-open-gop / min-keyint=24 / keyint=240 / gop-lookahead=0 / bframes=4 / b-adapt=2 / b-pyramid / bframe-bias=0 / rc-lookahead=25 / lookahead-slices=6 / scenecut=40 / no-hist-scenecut / radl=0 / no-splice / no-intra-refresh / ctu=32 / min-cu-size=8 / no-rect / no-amp / max-tu-size=32 / tu-inter-depth=1 / tu-intra-depth=1 / limit-tu=0 / rdoq-level=2 / dynamic-rd=0.00 / no-ssim-rd / signhide / no-tskip / nr-intra=0 / nr-inter=0 / no-constrained-intra / no-strong-intra-smoothing / max-merge=3 / limit-refs=3 / limit-modes / me=3 / subme=3 / merange=25 / temporal-mvp / no-frame-dup / no-hme / weightp / no-weightb / no-analyze-src-pics / deblock=-2:-2 / no-sao / no-sao-non-deblock / rd=3 / selective-sao=0 / early-skip / rskip / rskip-edge-threshold=0.030000 / no-fast-intra / no-tskip-fast / no-cu-lossless / no-b-intra / splitrd-skip / rdpenalty=0 / psy-rd=1.00 / psy-rdoq=1.00 / no-rd-refine / no-lossless / cbqpoffs=-1 / crqpoffs=-1 / rc=abr / bitrate=4800 / qcomp=0.60 / qpstep=4 / stats-write=0 / stats-read=0 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30 / aq-mode=1 / aq-strength=0.80 / no-cutree / zone-count=0 / no-strict-cbr / qg-size=32 / no-rc-grain / qpmax=69 / qpmin=0 / no-const-vbv / sar=1 / overscan=0 / videoformat=5 / range=0 / colorprim=1 / transfer=1 / colormatrix=1 / chromaloc=1 / chromaloc-top=0 / chromaloc-bottom=0 / display-window=0 / cll=0,0 / min-luma=0 / max-luma=1023 / log2-max-poc-lsb=8 / vui-timing-info / vui-hrd-info / slices=1 / opt-qp-pps / opt-ref-list-length-pps / no-multi-pass-opt-rps / scenecut-bias=0.05 / no-opt-cu-delta-qp / no-aq-motion / no-hdr10 / no-hdr10-opt / no-dhdr10-opt / no-idr-recovery-sei / analysis-reuse-level=0 / analysis-save-reuse-level=0 / analysis-load-reuse-level=0 / scale-factor=0 / refine-intra=0 / refine-inter=0 / refine-mv=1 / refine-ctu-distortion=0 / no-limit-sao / ctu-info=0 / no-lowpass-dct / refine-analysis-type=0 / copy-pic=1 / max-ausize-factor=1.0 / no-dynamic-refine / no-single-sei / no-hevc-aq / no-svt / no-field / qp-adaptation-range=1.00 / scenecut-aware-qp=0conformance-window-offsets / right=0 / bottom=0 / decoder-max-rate=0 / no-vbv-live-multi-pass / no-mcstf / no-sbrc
Default : Yes
Forced : No
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

This is how VLC Player renders the file:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczOBz2KN2cl1lBCfgnhMSgN0WQ26Rx3cKqJ993oupBGVEEyTi2iV5rpcD1jSjGTBZ0lR4IikWV8f1mPm-mXCsC0rAGmNGTC4T1zSWOj06F3en4dIu8EtVZ5PpocYjYllciavyTSe64SlVH2dT6ALfG1Oow=w894-h475-s-no-gm?authuser=0

This is how the MPC-HC Player renders it:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczM4wfxkg6lA4sXSIaj971gvLEdSDWBcie-FNGpMQf2sxbO0HXueXeA_glh5FT6hRvrfH3NxVqxbC3l5WqZ6AUNEs2k6P_l2HDMKnq-jtIKvKdS2t180SocZCOmkF7OpCKyJjHgKQ3tZpothk59F7WbquA=w887-h477-s-no-gm?authuser=0

[microchip8]

Please do not ask help for pirated content. Read & follow the rules!

[Lathe]

Please do not ask help for pirated content. Read & follow the rules!

My apologies...

But, I would like to know the general answer about converting the files, so I will remember this next time, and for now I will edit the name of the file(s) so that they will appear generic.

Also, the primary mystery is why VLC Player is playing the file strangely and yet the other programs seem to play it just fine. That is a more general question and is not file specific.

But, I will remember what you said for next time, thank you.

[Z2697]

What makes you think it's not your VLC settings' problem?

[Lathe]

What makes you think it's not your VLC settings' problem?

Well, actually... I think the strong indication is that there indeed is something wrong with the VLC player. I mean, if all the others seem to be playing it right. Soooooo... that's why I posted pictures of the way both players were rendering the file, so that people like YOU who likely know a LOT more than I do about this stuff will look at it and understand what's happening with the VLC player.

And, it's a bit of a drag too because I've always used VLC Player for everything and this is the first time I've been noticing this. And yes, I went online and searched and tried all the same tweaks and settings that everyone suggests. BUT... it doesn't explain this particular phenomenon.

And, I don't THINK it is the way the original HEVC file is encoded, or that there's something wrong with the way it was encoded, because after running it through Clever FFMpeg and converting it to AVC, the resulting file STILL plays that way on VLC Player. So, I've changed all the settings that people always recommend for this kind of stuff, and none of them change this strange dark, super contrasty super grainy look that VLC Player is rendering. It's just weird... :)

[Z2697]

I just thought you have ruled out VLC because this is Doom9's Forum > Video Encoding > High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) sub-forum.

[Lathe]

I just thought you have ruled out VLC because this is Doom9's Forum > Video Encoding > High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) sub-forum.

Ah, gotcha! Yeah, It's a weird one alright... I tried an older version of VLC player and the same thing. It's funny, when burned to Blu-ray and played on my OPPO it seems to look okay and doesn't have all that grain and dark, contrasted look. IDK... I kind like that look because it's very vibrant, and all that grain doesn't really bother me too much. Heh, I don't know what the hell is the deal. I also think the original encoded file I was using may have been a bit dodgy too due to the slightly jerky nature of the video playback. I was just really curious why the difference in the way VLC was playing it. I also happen to have the full Blu-ray and VLC still looks dark, grainy, and very contrasty, but plays completely smoothly, so there you go... 😊

[Z2697]

Ah, gotcha! Yeah, It's a weird one alright... I tried an older version of VLC player and the same thing. It's funny, when burned to Blu-ray and played on my OPPO it seems to look okay and doesn't have all that grain and dark, contrasted look. IDK... I kind like that look because it's very vibrant, and all that grain doesn't really bother me too much. Heh, I don't know what the hell is the deal. I also think the original encoded file I was using may have been a bit dodgy too due to the slightly jerky nature of the video playback. I was just really curious why the difference in the way VLC was playing it. I also happen to have the full Blu-ray and VLC still looks dark, grainy, and very contrasty, but plays completely smoothly, so there you go... 😊

If anything in VLC settings won't change it, perhaps it's related to graphics driver settings?

[Lathe]

If anything in VLC settings won't change it, perhaps it's related to graphics driver settings?

Yeah, thanks! Well, or perhaps the way VLC is utilizing the graphics settings as opposed to all the other players playing it supposedly 'Properly'... Just another one of those ethereal mysteries floating around... :D

Just now shrinking the full Blu-ray using BDRB so that I can burn it to Blu-ray and see how it looks on my OPPO.

[clsid]

rtx super resolution

[Lathe]

rtx super resolution

Hmmm... Cryptic comment...

Sooooo, what does it mean...? :)

Although, just going by the term 'Super Resolution', that might suggest something about how the video looks super contrasty and grainy...? I would LOVE to understand exactly what that means and why VLC would render it differently than others (others perhaps have newer codecs?)

[Lathe]

Well, I went ahead and ran the Shout Factory Blu-ray through BDRB to shrink it to fit a BD, and burned it to Blu-ray and it played perfectly fine on my OPPO. As an experiment I also had tried the HEVC file (which I got in trouble for :)) and VLC played both the file and the resulting M2ts file from BDRB exactly the same with with exaggerated contrast and super grainy. So, it simply must just be something about VLC rending this movie that way for some mysterious reason. But, as long as I have the Blu-ray backed up and burned to disc and it plays fine on my OPPO then everything is okay... :D

[GeoffreyA]

RTX Super Resolution is, seemingly, enabled and using AI to scale the video. To disable it, do so in the preferences, as set out here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/VLC/comments/1cfx09u/fix_for_nvidia_rtx_super_resolution_on_vlc_fixes/

I expect you can also disable it in your GeForce settings in Windows. Or, even better, throw VLC in the bin and use MPC-HC for good :)

[Lathe]

RTX Super Resolution is, seemingly, enabled and using AI to scale the video. To disable it, do so in the preferences, as set out here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/VLC/comments/1cfx09u/fix_for_nvidia_rtx_super_resolution_on_vlc_fixes/

I expect you can also disable it in your GeForce settings in Windows. Or, even better, throw VLC in the bin and use MPC-HC for good :)

Heh, hey thanks for the reply.

Uh... well... I have a confession to make... I just figured out that in the VLC video settings, for some bizarre reason the checkbox for 'Sharpen' was checked and it was cranked way up... :rolleyes: I know... Stupid isn't it? For some reason I just checked it and I have NO bloody idea why that was set that way. No F'n wonder nobody knew what the hell I was talk'n about.

So, anyway, sorry about that... But, I will check that setting too so that I will be more familiar with it. And yeah, I should probably just stay with MPC-HC like you say... :)

[GeoffreyA]

Don't worry, it happens. Basically, in software, we never know what setting may be enabled or disabled, and sometimes the GUIs themselves are broken. And when one is working with encoding and such things, these so-called improvements nullify all testing and comparison. Recently, I even disabled hardware decoding on MPC-HC.

[Lathe]

Don't worry, it happens. Basically, in software, we never know what setting may be enabled or disabled, and sometimes the GUIs themselves are broken. And when one is working with encoding and such things, these so-called improvements nullify all testing and comparison. Recently, I even disabled hardware decoding on MPC-HC.

Thanks! That makes feel ever so slightly less stupid... :)

That was pretty bad though, but I'm glad at least I stumbled upon what the hell was going on. Weird though... it's like it just happened one day to the next, can't imagine what the heck I did (although I have tried to cut back on dropping Acid while encoding... :D)

[Sunspark]

Perhaps at this point you should click the reset preferences button to reset everything back to stock and then make the changes you want to have.

[Lathe]

Perhaps at this point you should click the reset preferences button to reset everything back to stock and then make the changes you want to have.

Good idea!