crashings, transcoding problems with 0.9.x (and other)

[mpeg-lover]

Hi Folks!

I've different problems with VLC in different versions. (Unfortunately I'm new to VLC and didn't get working my first two "projects". Think my projects aren't very uncommon so I'm not able to understand what's happening.)

Both sources should be converted to iPod (480x320, MPEG-4 or H.264 with AAC audio).

i) A MPEG-1 video with muxed audio from a VCD
ii) Some usual DVDs

I've checked differend versions of VLC (0.8.6i, 0.9.2, 0.9.8a) on Vista 32-bit and XP SP2. At both OS I've the same effects, so we are able to have a closer look to the VLC versions. (I've checked different transcoding codec settings [MPEG-4, H.264, ...] and different audio codec settings. Result is always the same.)


1) All versions (0.8.6i, 0.9.2, 0.9.8a)

Different DVDs tested. Even unencrypted (no CSS).
Playing of the DVD is ok. Audio tracks are switchable via Audio menu during playing.

I'm not able to choose audio track during opening of the volume (DVD). So I'm not able to choose my language for transcoding target.
Error mesage like "VLC cannot open 'dvd://D:\@2 :audio-track=2'".


2) Both 0.9.x versions

The muxed MPEG-1 video results in a correctly transcoded MPEG-4 video but with choped audio.
(With 0.8.6i transcoding result is ok!)


3) Both (!) 0.9.x versions (and both operating systems like described above!!)

Different genuine DVDs, some without CSS:

Playing the DVD isn't a problem. All ist at the best.

But if I choose transcoding about one second after beginning VLC crashes. (Message console even with high verbosity didn't show useful information.)

(Some DVD menus [title 1 and 2 of 3, 3 is the movie] are transcodable - but not useful, of course. )

With 0.8.6i I'm able to transcode some of the same tested DVDs.


All three problems seems to be most essential so I'm thinking I'm wrong with my operations!?


Thank you for sharing my problems,
Harald

[mpeg-lover]

Additional discoverys:

VLC 0.9.8i crashes if I'm using MP4 encoders:

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=1400,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}
:sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=1400,scale=1,acodec=a52,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}
:sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=1400,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1400,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}


This is ok (MPEG-4, AC-3), but no audio in target file (perhaps a problem because ":audio-track=1" for the source is a problem, too):

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1400,scale=1,acodec=a52,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}


This is ok (MPEG-2, AC-3), but no audio in target file (perhaps a problem because ":audio-track=1" for the source is a problem, too):

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,vb=1400,scale=1,acodec=a52,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}


Harald

[VLC_help]

dvd://D:\@2 :audio-track=2

That is wrong. Separate input from parameters correctly.

2) Both 0.9.x versions

Could you please share your transcoding options?

x264 encoding is broken in VLC 0.9.x, so vcodec=h264 doesn't work (crash).

This is ok (MPEG-4, AC-3)

You aren't allowed to put AC3 inside MP4. Use either AAC or MP3 audio.

[mpeg-lover]

Hi VLC_help!

Thank you for sharing my problem!

dvd://D:\@2 :audio-track=2

That is wrong. Separate input from parameters correctly.

I don't understand what could be wrong with this parameters.

The VLC GUI creates this string (show additional options) at the open window:
-> "dvd://D:\@2" :audio-track=2
The error message window then brings up (German language):
-> Wiedergabefehler:
-> DVDREad konnte die Disk "D:\@2 :audio-track=2" nicht öffnen.
-> Ihre Eingabe konnte nicht geöffnet werden:
-> VLC kann die MRL 'dvd://D:\@2 :audio-track=2' nicht öffnen. Sehen Sie für Details im Fehlerprotokoll nach.

No matter which track number is given (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7) the English audio track was played.

Started from command line with this parameters it's the same (no effect of ":audio-track=X"):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@2 :audio-track=2

But this is properly working (but not checkable via GUI):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@2 :audio-language=de

2) Both 0.9.x versions

Could you please share your transcoding options?

What do you want to know (sorry)? Standard, I only had adjusted width and height to 480x320.

x264 encoding is broken in VLC 0.9.x, so vcodec=h264 doesn't work (crash).

Ah, ok! Thank you for that hint! (Perhaps I didn't read release notes carefully...)

This is ok (MPEG-4, AC-3)

You aren't allowed to put AC3 inside MP4. Use either AAC or MP3 audio.

Thank you for this info (I didn't know that)! But it was for test purposes only, anyway.

Now it's more comprehensible: because of AC-3 isn't allowed in MPEG-4, no audio was
included/transcoded - because no audio encoder was active, no crash of VLC.


I'd done your options at one of my first attempts (generated stream-output-string):
-> :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst=C:\testdvd.mp4}}
-> :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst=C:\testdvd.mp4}}
But both will crash VLC 0.9.8a (and 0.9.2), too. (The transcoding hasn't begun ["0:00/1:15"].)


Harald

[mpeg-lover]

Additional interesting test result (you'll notice I'm getting more experienced with VLC ):

This command line command works (Yipiee!):

-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@2 :audio-language=de :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,width=640,height=480,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}


But this command line command doesn't work (crash):

-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@2 :audio-track=2 :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,width=640,height=480,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\testdvd.mp4"}}

So something must be wrong with the ":audio-track=2".


Harald

[VLC_help]

You can manually insert options to GUI, just tick Show more options and add them to Customize filed. So you can add audio-language=de via GUI also.

"D:\@2 :audio-track=2"

means that VLC tries to open "D:\@2 :audio-track=2", when the correct open would be "D:\@2" :audio-track=2 (there might be a GUI parsing bug causing this)

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst=C:\testdvd.mp4}}

works fine in here. So maybe issue with input file.

Also don't use scale=1 and resolution limits at the same time. So either width=x,height=y or scale=z.

[mpeg-lover]

Strange: Some options are working, and other aren't working.

This is my currently tested DVD:
Titanic, German version, VLC shows thre audio tracks in audio menu during playing: Title 1 - [German], Title 2 - [English], Title 3 - [German].
(The DVD includes three audio options: AC3 2-ch English, AC3 5.1-ch German, AC3 2-ch German.)
I didn't know the real physical/logical order of this three tracks at the DVD.


VLC 0.9.8a:
--------------

This command line command crashes VLC:
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@1 :audio-language=de :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-M4V-AAC.mp4"}}

(Perhaps ":audio-language=de" chooses the AC3-5.1-ch-German track by accident (instead of AC3-2ch-German), and 5.1-ch is faulty in VLC?)


This command line command is working (without ":audio-language=de"):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@1 :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-M4V-AAC.mp4"}}

(But the resulting file has stuttering audio with QT7! With VLC 0.9.8a audio is ok. )


This command line command is working (with ":audio-track=2" [or: 1,3,4,5,6,7]):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe dvd://D:@1 :audio-track=2 :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-M4V-AAC.mp4"}}

(But the resulting file is English with every track, and has stuttering audio with QT7! With VLC 0.9.8a audio is ok. )


VLC 0.8.6i:
-------------

This command line command is working (with ":audio-language=de"):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC-086i\vlc.exe dvd://D:@1 :audio-language=de :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,width=640,height=480,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}
:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-086i-M4V-AAC-640x480.mp4"}}


This command line command is working (with ":audio-language=de", H.264):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC-086i\vlc.exe dvd://D:@1 :audio-language=de :sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=1200,width=640,height=480,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}
:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-086i-H264-AAC-640x480.mp4"}}

:audio-track=X instead of :audio-language=YY doesn't take any effect in 0.8.6i, too. Always English audio track.

(By the way: but both of them aren't playable with iPod, only with QT7/iTunes8 - they have to go through a second transcoding [iTunes integrated].)



Can somebody clarify the malfunctions of parameters ":audio-track=X" and ":audio-language=YY" - even in VLC 0.8.6i?

Can somebody tell me about the stuttering problems with codec mp4a (0.9.8a) with QT7?


Thanks,
Harald

[mpeg-lover]

Hi VLC_help!

You can manually insert options to GUI, just tick Show more options and add them to Customize filed. So you can add audio-language=de via GUI also.

Solved: Thank you for this hint! (Meanwhile I'd discovered that by myself as work-around for this missing checkable option.)

"D:\@2 :audio-track=2"

means that VLC tries to open "D:\@2 :audio-track=2", when the correct open would be "D:\@2" :audio-track=2 (there might be a GUI parsing bug causing this)

Thank you for clarifying - my fault: I didn't be most precice with my quotes in former posts. The GUI generated parameter always was like you described:
-> "dvd://D:\@2" :audio-track=2

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst=C:\testdvd.mp4}}

works fine in here. So maybe issue with input file.

Meanwhile I'd found the reason: parameter ":audio-language=de" makes trouble / crashes in some circumstances with VLC 0.9.8a (see my new post with 5 examples directly above).

Also don't use scale=1 and resolution limits at the same time. So either width=x,height=y or scale=z.

Ok! Of course! (Now self explaining.) Sorry for the misunderstanding of parameters and using them together (a cut/copy/paste without thinking effect).


Thousands of thanks to you! (Withot you I wouldn't get results after many hours and days of trrying.)


Harald

[mpeg-lover]

Another tested DVD (self created from genuine DVD because of playing problems):

4 Titles (3 credit titles, 1 movie)
Title 1 = AC3 2-ch Unspecified (credit title)
Title 2 = AC3 5.1-ch English (FOX credit title)
Title 3 = AC3 5.1-ch English (THX credit title)
Title 4 = AC3 5.1-ch German (movie)

VLC 0.9.8a:
--------------

-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe "dvd://G:\@1" :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Test-M4V-AAC.mp4"}}

Title 1 (@1) is working, all 5.1 titles crashes VLC.


"Surprising": with "channels=6" it's working! OMG! No 2 channel downmix/transcoding ...

-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe "dvd://G:\@4" :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=6}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Test-M4V-AAC.mp4"}}

But still stuttering audio in QT7!


Finally:
- With VLC 0.9.8a I get only stuttering audio in QuickTime 7 with "acodec=mp4a" ("channels=2" and "channels=6"), even with 2-ch DVD source.
- VLC 0.8.6i automatically creates 2-ch audio, even with 5.1-ch DVD source (and "channels=2", of course). VLC 0.9.8a doesn't.
- (I don't know how to force VLC 0.9..8a to downmix 5.1 DVD sources into 2-ch.)
- I don't get ":audio-track=X" working with 0.9.8a and 0.8.6i. So I'm not able to select the wanted 2-/5.1-ch DVD source, if both sources (2-ch, and 5.1ch) are included in the DVD with same language .


Harald

[mpeg-lover]

Oh, what a mess!

:audio-track=X seems to work (and is mandatory) with source dvdsimple:// only, not with dvd://.
Tested with VLC 0.8.6i.

(I can't find infos about this fact anywhere. It wasted many hours.
An advanced VLC user will have the idea about this fact, but not a beginner. And in my opinion, even with DVD menus the audio track should be forcable.)


But with VLC 0.9.8a this will produce a crash (even without transcoding):
-> D:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe "dvdsimple://D:\@1" :audio-track=2

(If this wouldn't produce crashes I would been able to discover the audio-track realm hours before...)


What's the bug with dvdsimple:// in 0.9.8a?


Harald

[VLC_help]

What's the bug with dvdsimple:// in 0.9.8a?

It tries to open wrong part. (prolly some change in code)

I tested with VLC 1.0.0

Code: Select all

vlc "dvdsimple://D:\@1" :audio-track=2

works. But first track is audio-track=0 so the second track would be audio-track=1.

I think the channel should be working correctly if you use channels=2. And it shouldn't crash even if it would be wrong.

[mpeg-lover]

Hi VLC_help!

I tested with VLC 1.0.0

(We could be happy someone is working on this bugs.)

I think the channel should be working correctly if you use channels=2. And it shouldn't crash even if it would be wrong.

:audio-language=de together with channels=2 crashes.
:audio-language=de together with channels=6 works.
no audio language selection together with channels=2 works (of course with default track: English).

(I strongly suppose :audio-language=de choses the 5.1-ch German one not the 2-ch German one [because of tests with playing, not transcoding].
Tests with the 2-ch German track aren't possible because of dvdsimple:// [:audio-track=X] isn't working in 0.9.8a.)


But by the way: both working commands results in files which have stuttering audio in QT7 (in VLC 0.9.8a audio is ok)!


VLC 0.9.8a crashes:
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe "dvd://D:\@1" :audio-language=de
:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}
:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-MP4V-AAC-scale1.mp4"}}

VLC 0.9.8a works:
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe "dvd://D:\@1" :audio-language=de
:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=6}
:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-MP4V-AAC-scale1.mp4"}}

VLC 0.9.8a works (2-ch, no language selection):
-> C:\Programme\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe "dvd://D:\@1"
:sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=1200,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2}
:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=mp4,dst="C:\Titanic-MP4V-AAC-scale1.mp4"}}


Harald

[VLC_help]

But by the way: both working commands results in files which have stuttering audio in QT7 (in VLC 0.9.8a audio is ok)!

Yep. You are right. Audio doesn't work correctly in QT7. But it works correctly in Media Player Classic and also in AVIdemux, so it might QT issue. There should be newer faac (AAC encoder) in stable VLC 1.0.0 that should address some issues and hopefully this one also.

[mpeg-lover]

Hi VLC_help!

But by the way: both working commands results in files which have stuttering audio in QT7 (in VLC 0.9.8a audio is ok)!

Yep. You are right. Audio doesn't work correctly in QT7. But it works correctly in Media Player Classic and also in AVIdemux, so it might QT issue. There should be newer faac (AAC encoder) in stable VLC 1.0.0 that should address some issues and hopefully this one also.

By the way: Stuttering audio in QuickTime 7 (tested together with running mp4v video instead of x264, now) from 0.9.8a and 0.9.6 mp4a transcoding results in not playable (but syncable) video at iPod touch, too!

Additionally: With choosen 5.1-ch audiotrack (:audio-track=1 instead of 2) and transcoding (downmixing) to 2-ch (channels=2) VLC 0.9.6 and 0.9.8a crashes. VLC 0.8.6i does this downmix flawlessly.

So stuttering autio might a QT and iPod issue... (and a 0.9.x issue - because 0.8.6i runs).

See my other iPod thread converting/transcoding for iPod not really ok.


Harald