h264 HD files cropped to upper left 10% only

[wrg-sc]

Playing .ts h264 files, created from recording high def TV with an HD-PVR, in vlc results in cropped video such that only about 15% of the original picture appears (just the upper left corner). What picture there is looks great, plays smoothly, audio is good and in sync.
I've fiddled with the output ratio and crop settings with no luck.
The VLC x264 video codec settings are a bit daunting and I have no idea what to change.

Here are the level 1 messages:
a52 info: A/52 channels:2 samplerate:48000 bitrate:384000
ts warning: discontinuity received 0x0 instead of 0xd (pid=4352)
ts warning: discontinuity received 0x0 instead of 0xc (pid=4113)
avcodec warning: error while decoding MB 38 10, bytestream (td)
(h264@00BB5410)

Recorded standard def TV files created the same way play completely fine in vlc (well, almost -- if I jump to a distance point in either HD or SD file vlc crashes, but that seems like a subject for a different thread!).
The high def (and standard def) files also play fine in SageTV (mpeg4 playback= directshow; video renderer = overlay).

vlc 0.9.9, Win XP, on both duo core and quad core machines

Thanks!

[VLC_help]

Have you tried 1.0.0 test builds?
http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/win32/?C=M;O=D (trunks are 1.0.0)

[wrg-sc]

Have you tried 1.0.0 test builds?
http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/win32/?C=M;O=D (trunks are 1.0.0)

Thanks for the suggestion.
I tried vlc-1.0.0-pre1-20090402-2208-win32.exe and got the same result.

[VLC_help]

Could you share us short sample file that shows the issue?

[wrg-sc]

Could you share us short sample file that shows the issue?

The "upper left" problem files are 3.6Gb. I used H264TS_Cutter to extract an 8Mb sample from a problem file.
I played that sample in VLC and no more problem! Thinking it might be a file size issue, I cut a 3.5Gb sample from the same known problem file...but again, problem gone. I did verify that the problem still exists in the original file(s).

The original problem HD files were recorded via the HDPVR and SageTV. I tested an HD file from the HDPVR and Arcsoft TMT, and it plays fine in VLC.
I tried to record another HD file in SageTV, but unfortunately the H264TS_Cutter installation has "broken" Sage.

I obviously won't attempt to upload the 3.6Gb file with the issue -- any other thoughts based on the above?
Thanks again.

[VLC_help]

If cutting fixes those issues, I assume the header generated by your recording software is incorrect. With TS files, file sizes shouldn't matter. And first critical size limit would be 4 gigs.

[wrg-sc]

If cutting fixes those issues, I assume the header generated by your recording software is incorrect. With TS files, file sizes shouldn't matter. And first critical size limit would be 4 gigs.

I like your theory...but the original problem files play fine in Arcsoft TMT, Windows Media Player, and SageTV. (SageTV was the recording software). Can I simply open the original file in a text editor and save the first few Mb, and send you that to analyze the header -- or is that nonsense?
Thanks again.

[Lotesdelere]

It randomly happens to me too and not only with HD files but also with SD files.

It seems to have nothing to do with the video format or the container used as it happened to me with XviD in AVI, MPEG2 in MPG and H264 in MKV.
I have the video size set to double (zoom*2) by default in my preferences and I'm using DirectX 3D video output.

I can't find a way to reproduce this behaviour each time, it's just random. The workaround I'm using is to double click on the windoiw to set it to fullscreen and double click again to set it back to the original size then the video auto adjusts to the size of the window. Looks like a nasty bug in the auto scaling system.

[VLC_help]

Not with text editor. You have to use binary file splitter tool.

[wrg-sc]

It randomly happens to me too and not only with HD files but also with SD files.

It seems to have nothing to do with the video format or the container used as it happened to me with XviD in AVI, MPEG2 in MPG and H264 in MKV.
I have the video size set to double (zoom*2) by default in my preferences and I'm using DirectX 3D video output.

I can't find a way to reproduce this behaviour each time, it's just random. The workaround I'm using is to double click on the windoiw to set it to fullscreen and double click again to set it back to the original size then the video auto adjusts to the size of the window. Looks like a nasty bug in the auto scaling system.

Your problem sounds similar but not identical. Mine has never happened with an SD file, although now I have had an HD file that "worked" (1 out of about 30 I've tested). I've only tried SD & HD with H264 in .ts. Unfortunately your fullscreen/original size workaround doesn't fix it for me.

[wrg-sc]

Not with text editor. You have to use binary file splitter tool.

I'm trying to get you a sample...I've tried 2 binary file splitters -- one crashed and the other created a first split that wouldn't play. Can you recommend a freeware splitter that should work? Thanks.

[Lotesdelere]

Can you recommend a freeware splitter that should work?

Get Donald Graft's DGSplit v1.2 from here:
http://rationalqm.us/dgsplit/dgsplit12.zip

Open your file, set a destination file name (to avoid accidents take care not to use the same name as the source file!), then select Chunks and give it a reasonable size (say 10 MB), tick Stop after 1 chunk written, then click on the Split button in bottom left corner.

This will keep the original header of your file so that might help to track down the problem.

[Hazuzi]

Ok thx, i used the program - like it was difficult^^ - and uploaded it here is the link.
http://www.multiupload.com/GEL1196KJK
Any idea whats causing my problem ? even if its a hunch. (hope that words right written)

[VLC_help]

I'll check this out tomorrow. Weekend tag.

[VLC_help]

That Naruto sample works fine in VLC 1.1.11
http://i.imgur.com/ukgKT.jpg