CCE Error --- At Wits End

[m000558]

Hey Chaps,

I have encoded a number of discs using the Big 3 guide all with no problems... except for this one movie... !

I am trying to backup Natural Born Killers Directors Cut Region 4 using the Big 3 guide. As standard, I create an ISO and mount this using Daemon tools.

During the encoding phase I receive an error similar to the following

cce encoding failed: OPV VBV ovf frame# (01:02:15:01)I 45516 max 45370.37 rel 145.63 1.00 qsv 21.71->21.71

Now, I haven't gone off half cocked with this email. I have searched through the message base and found a similar error, but there was no solution. So I am hoping that I will get lucky.

Also, I have tried a number of things to get past this problem. By default DoCCE4U uses the Bach-Robshot encoding method. I have also tried Multi VBR - one pass VBR & CBR encoding methods. On all apart from CBR the error occurs during the pass where the vaf file is created. And on the CBR method it occurs during the encoding.

I thought that my original DVD may have been dodgy, so I borrowed a copy and tested with the same results.

This is driving me nuts. I have backed up plenty of discs before and since this error all with no problems whatsoever. It is only on this disc that there is a problem.

PLEASE---- can someone help?

[wmansir]

I encounter these errors once in a while with a problem source. The most recent was Cowboy Bebop session #23, which beat me as I had to resort to using TMPEGenc.

The easiest fix is to try a different version of CCE. For example, I was using CCE 2.66 on Bebop sessions #23-26. All but session #24 encountered this error, so I switched to CCE 2.67 (.0.11 I believe). With this version only #23 continued to have the problem. I would have tried 2.5, but I was using the pulldown detection feature, which 2.5 lacks.

I'm curious as to what exaclty the video looks like at the time point in the error message. In my case it seemed to happen whenever the image was of "tv static", the episode I was encoding had a lot of people (and you as the viewer) watching TV and flipping thru channels, and it seemed that the error occured when static was displayed. I know NBK has some shots like that, so I'm curious if it's the same problem.

[m000558]

I am currently using CCE 2.67 - I will try downgrading to 2.5 if that could help resolve the issue...

Otherwise, if I have to use TMPEGenc, is there a guide around for this app?

Thanks

[m000558]

I was able to successfully encode NBK using CCE 2.5.01 However, the output result is not of the same quality that I have come to expect from 2.67. There is a line at the bottom of the widescreen image which flickers - it really is distracting.

Anyone have any experience with this issue? Thanks

[digitalman]

At least on my DVD player I had to change the video output from TV Standard to Letterbox to get rid of that flickering line. It only showed up on certain movies so I thought it was an encoding issue. Also if I set my DVD player to Widescreen the flickering line isn't there either.

[Swan]

Originally posted by wmansir
In my case it seemed to happen whenever the image was of "tv static", the episode I was encoding had a lot of people (and you as the viewer) watching TV and flipping thru channels, and it seemed that the error occured when static was displayed. I know NBK has some shots like that, so I'm curious if it's the same problem.
Wmansir, I have the same experience. This has happened twice to me, so now I feel confident to post about it. You're absolutely right about "static" being a problem for some versions of CCE.

I looked at what frame CCE (2.66.01.07) had frozen on, then simply opened the (avi) video I was encoding and on both occasions, the frame was comprised of "static" as you say. I solved it the first time (after reading this post by you) by using a different version of CCE. Today it happened again and I worked around it by blackening the frames with static in them using a filter.

[stickyicky]

@wmansir & Swan: I can confirm this problem with CCE (v2.67.00.23) about static. I tried to backup Minority Report and the same error occurred (OPV VBV ovf frame# 137077 ...), so I looked that frame up and guess what... static.

The same error happened with Band Of Brothers episode 1, although I didn't check the frame for static.

I worked around it by blackening the frames with static in them using a filter.

I'm gonna try that now, see if it works.

[Milkman Dan]

If I'm reading that error right, it looks like the VBV buffer is overflowing?

Maybe the reason some versions/apps do this is because they have differing compliance with regards to the buffer?

Can someone with more experience with CCE comment on this assertion?

[Kedirekin]

I don't know for sure, but I have a gut feeling this is caused by scene change detection. My gut tells me CCE is trying to encode too many I frames in a row, depleting the VBV buffer.

What happens if you shut off automatic scene change detection?

I'm not savvy enough with CCE to know if you can shut off scene change detection for just a portion of the video. Anyone know if that is an option in the advanced settings window (assuming of course that you can get through the vaf pass)?

[RB]

No, you can't turn off scene change detection for only a portion of the video. Also, I just backed up all episodes of Band Of Brothers with CCE 2.67.00.23 and it didn't have any problems with the "HBO TV static" sequences. A full version of CCE 2.66+ however would let you use the CCE internal filters for selected portions of the video, which would probably help.

[stanjr]

Swan,

How did you go about blacking out the troublesome frames?

[spielburg]

also had this prob chaps on multi pass last 2times ive run it actually so what i did to get round it was send the same movies through cce but used the avg i got off cce guesser for multi pass and put it as my minimum in single pass then max set at 200 higher went through no probs at all and with excellent results.

doing my head in though chaps as would prefer to run multi pass without prob

[stanjr]

I never discovered how to "black out" the troublesome frames; however, I was able to get it to work by changing the encoding type in AVS Script section of DIF4U v1.4.6 from Robshot to Multipass. Strange....I don't get why that would make a difference for "the buffer."

[wmansir]

I have found that this problem is related to your bitrate, a lower bitrate is more likely to encoutner this problem. So perhaps the RobShot method (which tweaks the bitrate around complex areas) increased the bitrate enough around those problem areas so that the error didn't occur.

As for how to blank out a section of video try this:

1. Create a text file in your AviSynth/Plugins directory called "blankout.avsi"

Paste this code into it.


function BlankOut(clip SOURCE, int START, int END) {

OUTPUT = SOURCE.Trim(0, START-1) + SOURCE.blackness(END+1 - START) + SOURCE.trim(END+1,0)

return OUTPUT
}


2. Now to blank out a section of video just add the following line to your .avs file.


BlankOut( X, Y)


Where
X = The first frame you want removed, must be greater than 2
and
Y= The last frame you want removed, should be at least 2 from last frame, but if it isn't it will just add an extra frame or two to the end of the video.

EDIT: Forgot to say, this will also remove the audio from that portion, if you want to keep the audio try:


function BlankOutVideo(clip SOURCE, int START, int END) {

OUTPUT = SOURCE.Trim(0, START-1) + SOURCE.blackness(END+1 - START) + SOURCE.trim(END+1,0)

return AudioDub(OUTPUT, SOURCE)
}


You can add it to the same file if you want both versions.

EDIT2: placed limits on values of X and Y.

[stanjr]

Hey, thanks wmansir! I'll try that next time I encounter the problem!

[RB]

Also, you might try turning "DVD compliant" on in CCE. From what I read in the manual, it makes sure the VBV buffer is as large as possible.

[Swan]

Originally posted by stanjr
Swan,

How did you go about blacking out the troublesome frames?
I used an Avisynth function (originally a VirtualDub filter) called "frame tweaker". I think you can find it by doing a forum search in the Avisynth forum. If not, I'll dig it up and post it here.

Originally posted by RB
Also, you might try turning "DVD compliant" on in CCE. From what I read in the manual, it makes sure the VBV buffer is as large as possible.
I did that once and the authoring program (can't recall which one I used right now) complained that the "nominal bitrate" was too high or something like that. I think CCE sets it at something like 9800 kbps when one turns on "DVD Compliant", doesn't it?

[RB]

No, it only writes that value to the GOP header, thus ensuring a large as possible VBV buffer. It still satisfies the max. bitrate you specified. But some authoring packages obviously take that value in the GOP header for real rather than checking for overruns during actual muxing. I never had a problem with DVD compliant in Maestro and Scenarist.

[Geddons]

Originally posted by wmansir
I have found that this problem is related to your bitrate, a lower bitrate is more likely to encoutner this problem. So perhaps the RobShot method (which tweaks the bitrate around complex areas) increased the bitrate enough around those problem areas so that the error didn't occur.

As for how to blank out a section of video try this:
(...)


Well, thank you for your tip wmansir. But, I have tried it on Minority Report, I get a seriously problem, the "bad" frame is the #137077

So, in my Avisynth plugin directory I have pasted exactly that in blankout.avsi :


function BlankOutVideo(clip SOURCE, int START, int END) {

OUTPUT = SOURCE.Trim(0, START-1) + SOURCE.blackness(END+1 - START) + SOURCE.trim(END+1,0)

return AudioDub(OUTPUT, SOURCE)
}


And in the "VTS__01_P01.16~9_1.AVS" in Difutemp folder (VTS 01 is the movie) I have added at the end the blackout line, so it does :


import("C:\Program Files\DoItFast4U\new.avs\addaudio.avs")LoadPlugin("C:\Program Files\DoItFast4U\new.avs\mpeg2dec3.dll")
Mpeg2Source("VTS__01_P01.16~9_1.d2v",idct=0)AddAudio()ConvertToYUY2(interlaced=true)
BlankOut( 137075, 137077)


As you told...

The problem is, when I try to encode the job with BatchCCEWS, it's done really... quick !!! In fact, when I watch the PGC with Reauthorist, it says the main movie has only a few seconds for duration... It's completely wrong off course ! How can I fix that ?

Thank you in advance. :cool:

[wmansir]

It could be that you copied the function

BlankOutVideo

but are calling a function

BlankOut

If you didn't define this function also you will get a script error because you are attempting to use an unknown function.

Either one will work with Big3 because the audio is processed separately.

[Geddons]

Originally posted by wmansir
It could be that you copied the function

BlankOutVideo

but are calling a function

BlankOut

If you didn't define this function also you will get a script error because you are attempting to use an unknown function.

Either one will work with Big3 because the audio is processed separately.


Oh yes... off course ! What I'm stupid !

Thank you very much, it seems to work, I'll use it next time. By the way, I have already encoded Minority Report (which makes problem at frame #137077) with CCE 2.66 and it works :cool: .

[sh03z]

ya, same thing happened to me

I went a step further though, I reformatted!

I never saw the error again until 2 weeks later, maybe that means the error is registry related?
or is it really a bad frame?