[MEncoder-users] Black/gray showing as completely black.

Tue Jan 9 16:29:15 CET 2007

On Tue, Jan 09, 2007 at 09:09:21AM -0600, Mike Smith wrote:
> Recently I've been trying to convert an xvid encoded avi into a
> dvd-compliant mpeg.
> 
> Here's some information on the xvid video I'm using:
> 
> Playing [Pino-no-Usagi]_Ergo_Proxy_18_[5D0FBCD3].avi.
> get_path('sub/') -> '/root/.mplayer/sub/'
> [file] File size is 182697984 bytes
> STREAM: [file] [Pino-no-Usagi]_Ergo_Proxy_18_[5D0FBCD3].avi
> STREAM: Description: File
> STREAM: Author: Albeu
> STREAM: Comment: based on the code from ??? (probably Arpi)
> AVI file format detected.
> list_end=0x2292
> ======= AVI Header =======
> us/frame: 41708  (fps=23.976)
> max bytes/sec: 0
> padding: 0
> MainAVIHeader.dwFlags: (272) HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED
> frames  total: 37020   initial: 0
> streams: 2
> Suggested BufferSize: 0
> Size:  704 x 396
> ==========================
> list_end=0x10F4
> ==> Found video stream: 0
> ID_VIDEO_ID=0
> ====== STREAM Header =====
> Type: vids   FCC: xvid (64697678)
> Flags: 0
> Priority: 0   Language: 0
> InitialFrames: 0
> Rate: 2997/125 = 23.976
> Start: 0   Len: 37020
> Suggested BufferSize: 170840
> Quality 10000
> Sample size: 0
> ==========================
> Found 'bih', 40 bytes of 40
> ======= VIDEO Format ======
>  biSize 40
>  biWidth 704
>  biHeight 396
>  biPlanes 1
>  biBitCount 24
>  biCompression 1145656920='XVID'
>  biSizeImage 1672704
> ===========================
> Regenerating keyframe table for MPEG-4 video.
> list_end=0x2186
> ==> Found audio stream: 1
> ID_AUDIO_ID=1
> ====== STREAM Header =====
> Type: auds   FCC:  (0)
> Flags: 0
> Priority: 0   Language: 0
> InitialFrames: 1
> Rate: 24000/576 = 41.667
> Start: 0   Len: 64335
> Suggested BufferSize: 12096
> Quality -1
> Sample size: 576
> ==========================
> Found 'wf', 30 bytes of 18
> ======= WAVE Format =======
> Format Tag: 85 (0x55)
> Channels: 2
> Samplerate: 48000
> avg byte/sec: 24000
> Block align: 576
> bits/sample: 0
> cbSize: 12
> mp3.wID=1
> mp3.fdwFlags=0x2
> mp3.nBlockSize=576
> mp3.nFramesPerBlock=1
> mp3.nCodecDelay=0
> ==========================================================================
> list_end=0x2292
> AVI: dmlh found (size=248) (total_frames=37020)
> list_end=0x22D2
> hdr=Software  size=44
> Software  : VirtualDubMod 1.5.10.2 (build 2540/release)
> list_end=0xAD1A828
> Found movie at 0x280C - 0xAD1A828
> Reading INDEX block, 74029 chunks for 37020 frames (fpos=181512240).
> AVI index offset: 0x2808 (movi=0x280C idx0=0x4 idx1=0x2F4C)
> Auto-selected AVI audio ID = 1
> Auto-selected AVI video ID = 0
> AVI: Searching for audio stream (id:1)
> AVI video size=143828050 (37020) audio size=37056960 (64335)
> VIDEO:  [XVID]  704x396  24bpp  23.976 fps  745.2 kbps (91.0 kbyte/s)
> [V] filefmt:3  fourcc:0x44495658  size:704x396  fps:23.98  ftime:=0.0417
> Clip info:
> Software: VirtualDubMod 1.5.10.2 (build 2540/release)
> ID_CLIP_INFO_NAME0=Software
> ID_CLIP_INFO_VALUE0=VirtualDubMod 1.5.10.2 (build 2540/release)
> ID_CLIP_INFO_N=1
> get_path('sub/') -> '/root/.mplayer/sub/'
> ID_FILENAME=[Pino-no-Usagi]_Ergo_Proxy_18_[5D0FBCD3].avi
> ID_DEMUXER=avi
> ID_VIDEO_FORMAT=XVID
> ID_VIDEO_BITRATE=745200
> ID_VIDEO_WIDTH=704
> ID_VIDEO_HEIGHT=396
> ID_VIDEO_FPS=23.976
> ID_VIDEO_ASPECT=0.0000
> ID_AUDIO_FORMAT=85
> ID_AUDIO_BITRATE=192000
> ID_AUDIO_RATE=0
> ID_AUDIO_NCH=0
> ID_LENGTH=1544.04
> ==========================================================================
> Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
> INFO: libavcodec init OK!
> Selected video codec: [ffodivx] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-4)
> ==========================================================================
> ID_VIDEO_CODEC=ffodivx
> ==========================================================================
> Opening audio decoder: [mp3lib] MPEG layer-2, layer-3
> dec_audio: Allocating 4608 + 65536 = 70144 bytes for output buffer.
> mp3lib: made decode tables with MMX optimization
> mp3lib: using 3DNow!Ex optimized decore!
> MP3lib: init layer2&3 finished, tables done
> ^MMPEG 1.0, Layer III, 48000 Hz 192 kbit Stereo, BPF: 576
> Channels: 2, copyright: No, original: No, CRC: No, emphasis: 0
> AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 192.0 kbit/12.50% (ratio: 24000->192000)
> ID_AUDIO_BITRATE=192000
> ID_AUDIO_RATE=48000
> ID_AUDIO_NCH=2
> Selected audio codec: [mp3] afm: mp3lib (mp3lib MPEG layer-2, layer-3)
> ==========================================================================
> Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 0Hz/0ch/??...
> [libaf] Adding filter dummy
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> AO: [null] 48000Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
> AO: Description: Null audio output
> AO: Author: Tobias Diedrich <ranma+mplayer at tdiedrich.de>
> Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 48000Hz/2ch/s16le...
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> ID_AUDIO_CODEC=mp3
> Starting playback...
> [ffmpeg] aspect_ratio: 1.777778
> VDec: vo config request - 704 x 396 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
> Trying filter chain: vo
> VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
> Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
> ID_VIDEO_ASPECT=1.7778
> VO Config (704x396->704x396,flags=0,'MPlayer',0x32315659)
> VO: [null] 704x396 => 704x396 Planar YV12
> 
> Using the following syntax:
> 
> mencoder -ovc lavc -oac lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts
> format=dvd:tsaf:telecine:vaspect=16/9 -vf
> pullup,softskip,expand=720:480,dsize=16/9,harddup -srate 48000 -af
> lavcresample=48000 -lavcopts
> vcodec=mpeg2video:vrc_buf_size=1835:vrc_maxrate=9800:vbitrate=8000:acodec=ac3:
> abitrate=192:vstrict=0:aspect=16/9:vpass=1 -ofps 24000/1001 movie.avi
> -o movie.mpg
> 
> mencoder -ovc lavc -oac lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts
> format=dvd:tsaf:telecine:vaspect=16/9 -vf
> pullup,softskip,expand=720:480,dsize=16/9,harddup -srate 48000 -af
> lavcresample=48000
> -lavcopts 
> vcodec=mpeg2video:vrc_buf_size=1835:vrc_maxrate=9800:vbitrate=8000:trell:mbd=2
> subcmp=10:cmp=10:dia=-10:predia=-10:dc=10:vstrict=0:acodec=ac3:abitrate=192:aspect=16/9:
> vpass=2 -ofps 24000/1001
> 
> The result looks great when played back with mplayer, but when I
> actually burn it to dvd and
> view the video on various players it comes out fairly dark, and not
> just dark... in many cases
> when there is an area in the movie that contains a lot of darker grays
> it displays as totally
> black.  It's almost hard to see what's going on.  Is there something
> in my encoding options
> that's missing/wrong that could be causing this?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Mike Smith.

I suggest to try the following:

1) use the same libavcodec options for the first and second pass. Add turbo to the
first pass for speedup.
2) use dc=9
3) remove or use lower values for subcmp=10:cmp=10:dia=-10:predia=-10

The solution, if exist, can be in any of the previsous suggestions or a combination
of them.

Tell us if it helps.

Ciao
Giacomo