[Matroska] image size doubled, codec not found after remux

[Cyberman]

I´ve encountered a few strange problems.

1) image size doubled on playback - instead of 320x240, it´s 640x480
the file contains DiVX(5.2) video and MP3 audio, together with an SSA subtitle stream. A/V by VDub, MKV + SSA by MKVToolnix 0.9.5

When I tried to play it on a computer(not my main computer), the image size was doubled, file lenght was shown as 00:00 - no seeking possible - the file played fine, though.
Since I don´t have admin rights on that computer, I used MPC(latest release I think) together with DivX´ directshow files, as well as VSFIlter and MatroskaSplitter DirectShow versions.

I *think* the subtitles are at fault, somehow, though I couldn´t tell HOW that could be possible.

That problem did no occur on my main computer, where I have every right and am using the MatroskaPack.
Both computers use Win2K, btw. My main computer(everything fine) has SP4, the virtual machine SP3(on-disk), the other computer I don´t know - but I guess it´d be SP4 at least, with most patches.

To test that, I installed Win2K on a virtual machine, using VMWare.
Maybe I did something wrong(first time I used it), but it seems to me the VfW components of neither the MatroskaPack, nor the DivX(5.2) codec were installed.
VDub couldn´t open the file(even the original AVI) because of that.

WMP, however, played them fine - Matroska as well as AVI.
Only problem, again - the image size is doubled(MKV).

2)
When I created a new MKV file, not containing the subtitle stream, either by MKVToolnix 0.9.5, or by VDubMod, the resultant file couldn´t be played by WMP - codec not found.
VDubMod said it´s still the same DX50 fourcc as before.

Rendering it with GraphEdit(on the virtual machine) didn´t reveal anything - the original file(with SSA subtitles) seems fine, the new file(without subs) would appear fine too, were it not missing the VIDEO rendering - an error message told that some streams couldn´t be rendered.

--

Anyone any ideas? Anything I could try to find out more?
Did I left something out, more info required?

[stephanV]

Originally posted by Cyberman
I´ve encountered a few strange problems.

1) image size doubled on playback - instead of 320x240, it´s 640x480
the file contains DiVX(5.2) video and MP3 audio, together with an SSA subtitle stream. A/V by VDub, MKV + SSA by MKVToolnix 0.9.5

I *think* the subtitles are at fault, somehow, though I couldn´t tell HOW that could be possible.
Could very well be, VSfilter has an option to double the output resolution if it is below a certain value. I believe the standard value is 384x288. (so 320x240 would become 640x480). you can turn this function of in the configure screen of VSfilter though.


2)When I created a new MKV file, not containing the subtitle stream, either by MKVToolnix 0.9.5, or by VDubMod, the resultant file couldn´t be played by WMP - codec not found.
VDubMod said it´s still the same DX50 fourcc as before.

which filter do you use for decoding? DivX? perhaps turning on generic MPEG4 support helps... can you construct a grah manually in graphedit?

[Cyberman]

Originally posted by stephanV
Could very well be, VSfilter has an option to double the output resolution if it is below a certain value. I believe the standard value is 384x288. (so 320x240 would become 640x480). you can turn this function of in the configure screen of VSfilter though.
Indeed. That was what caused the doubled size. I must have turned it off on my computer a long time ago, and forgot about it.


which filter do you use for decoding? DivX? perhaps turning on generic MPEG4 support helps... can you construct a grah manually in graphedit?

I tried. When I let GraphEdit render that file, it tells me not all data from the file is supported.
The graph then only has the audio path, video isn´t shown (Subtitles mustn´t, as they shouldn´t be in anymore).
I can manually connect the DivX decoder, but when I try to add the DivX decoder to VIDEO RENDERER, it tells me they can´t agree on a format.
However, if I throw the VobSub in between, it works.

Can it be the subs are still in there? I deactivated them in MMG/VDubMod, though.

My guess is that I screwed up when writing the SSA file. Is there a program that can validate it and tell me what´s wrong?

[stephanV]

try to turn off "yuv extended mode" in the DivX decoding filter settings. im guessing there are some problems with the colorspace outputted by the DivX decoder and the colorspaces accepeted by the video renderer...

[Cyberman]

Didn´t help, apparently.

I opened the file(without subs, not working) in VDubMod(getting the no VfW codec error, of course) and saved it as AVI(DSC a/v).

That´s being played fine with WMP - so I guess it´s somehow the MKV file.
I think the MKVToolnix had some program to analyze an MKV file - I´ll try it and post the results.

[edit]
OK, I tried to analyze the MKV files with MKVInfo. I didn´t find much, certainly nothing that should create such problems.

However, I did find out that I apparently screwed up during creation. The subs are too long(i.e. set to be displayed even after the movie ended), and audio seems to be too short(I appended several short clips).

I´ll have to recreate the files - maybe it´s working then...

[Cyberman]

Well, I created the file anew, this time without audio gaps, but it didn´t really help.

If anyone wants to take a look at it, it´s downloadable here: www.fredlarts.at/~cyberman/MatroskaFiles/bregit_divx_mp3.mkv .

About 650KB in size.

[stephanV]

above file is not supposed to work?

[Cyberman]

It works for me - on the main computer.

The virtual Computer(VMWare) is having problems.

BTW, seeking´s buggy too - it doesn´t really work, alway jumping back to a part before, although the slider remains where it was before.

[edit]I am starting to believe the file is alright and it´s the computers fault. But then, what could be broken, it´s a fresh install?

[[Toff]]

There is in fact a difference in the way MatroskaSplitter output the video media type compared to the AviSplitter.
It outputs 2 media type, 1 anamorphic compatible and 1 normal. Maybe there is a problem in the Divx5 decoder with the anamorphic compatible media type or maybe with the video renderer in the virtual computer.
You should try another mpeg4 decoder.

[Cyberman]

I removed DivX and installed FFDShow. While the original file played well, the one without subs doesn´t.

Now that I removed DirectVobSub(registry editing), even the previously playing file refuses to work.

Could it be it became "dependant" somehow on DirectVobSub? It´s like DVS supplying required color conversions or something.
I can´t render a graph in GraphEdit without it either - the filter "Color space converter" doesn´t help.

I did some more testing, and I think I´ll reinstall that virtual computer. There´s got to be something wrong with the install.

I tried an MKV file made WITHOUT the subs in the first place. Didn´t play. The original AVI file does, however.
When rendering in GraphEdit, it tells me it can´t render all streams.

After some time playing around, i discovered that there are TWO "DivX decoder" filter in GraphEdit.
Even worse, they seem to be different - because neither one will play the file - but both added sequentially will.

So, I´m reinstalling it - maybe that helps...

[[Toff]]

By the way, why are you using a virtual machine ?
I don't think you will get good playing result as I'm not sure the virtual machine can access overlay surface or hardware resizing.

[Cyberman]

I´m not using it to view videos, I´m using it to TEST them.

On my real/main computer, everything works fine - which is no wonder, I installed two dozen codecs, several directshow filters, etc... - the usual stuff.

However, when I tried the video on a different computer(the one at the place I work), where I didn´t install all these things and have to use Media Player Classic with DirectShow filters loaded(i.e. DivX, MKV Splitter, etc...), the video wasn´t shown correct - too large, subs wrong, etc...

So instead of setting up a real computer I tried these virtual machines - VMWare.

[edit]Well, the problem´s at least partially solved. Apparently VMWare didn´t install the "MSVCP60.DLL" file, which contains important functions for C programs.
Somehow no program gave an error - but VfW didn´t work anymore...

Now that I copied the file into Winnt\Sytem32 everything works as it should.