[MEncoder-users] DivX/Xvid Video Skips

[Ross Alexander]

I am having an issue with MEncoded AVIs of series animations  
(Simpsons, Family Guy) on playback on my standalone DVD player (OPPO  
971H w/latest firmware). The issue is that intermittently the video  
will skip ahead a few seconds (varies from perhaps 2-10 seconds), then  
slow down until it gets re-synched with the audio, which plays fine  
all the while. If I rewind a bit and replay, it plays fine...

I have tried many different encoding options, none of which seem to  
prevent the issue from happening. It occurs using MEncoder supplied  
with FFMpegX (OSX static build MEncoder dev-CVS-060307-04:23-4.0.1)  
and a fairly recent build of MEncoder(SVN-r28176). It occurs when  
using either xvid codec or lavc codec.

I don't know if it's bitrate spikes or vbv buffer issues, but have  
been using the profile=dxnhtntsc option to ensure Divx home theater  
profile which my player is certified. I also have AVIs that play fine  
without the skips... I have mmcl'd and mediainfo'd those and compared  
them to the encodes that skip and nothing seems different or out of  
the ordinary.

Here is my latest encoding options along with mediainfo/mmcl output:

mencoder dvd://1 -oac mp3lame -ovc xvid -lameopts cbr:br=224 - 
xvidencopts  
profile=dxnhtntsc:bitrate=-130000:max_bframes=0:trellis=1:cartoon=1 - 
ffourcc DX50 -srate 48000 -aid 128 -af volnorm=1:.1 -ofps 24000/1001 - 
noodml -vf pullup,softskip,pp=l5,crop=704:480:8:0,scale=512:384 -dvd- 
device /RIPS/SIMPSONS_SEASON6_DISC1 -xvidencopts pass=1 -o /dev/null

second pass same but with -xvidencopts pass=2 -o SIMP_S06_01.avi  
instead of -xvidencopts pass=1 -o /dev/null

ross at octopuss ~/$ mediainfo SIMP_S06_01.avi
General
Complete name                    : SIMP_S06_01.avi
Format                           : AVI
Format/Info                      : Audio Video Interleave
File size                        : 165 MiB
Duration                         : 22mn 57s
Overall bit rate                 : 1 003 Kbps
Writing application              : MEncoder dev-CVS-060307-04:23-4.0.1
Writing library                  : MPlayer

Video
Format                           : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile                   : Simple at L3
Format settings, BVOP            : No
Format settings, QPel            : No
Format settings, GMC             : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix          : Default
Codec ID                         : DX50
Codec ID/Hint                    : DivX 5
Duration                         : 22mn 57s
Bit rate                         : 767 Kbps
Width                            : 512 pixels
Height                           : 384 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 4/3
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Resolution                       : 24 bits
Colorimetry                      : 4:2:0
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.163
Stream size                      : 126 MiB (76%)
Writing library                  : XviD 1.2.0SMP (UTC 2006-01-08)

Audio
Format                           : MPEG Audio
Format version                   : Version 1
Format profile                   : Layer 3
Codec ID                         : 55
Codec ID/Hint                    : MP3
Duration                         : 22mn 57s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 224 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Resolution                       : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 36.8 MiB (22%)
Alignment                        : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration             : 24 ms (0.58 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration     : 504 ms
Writing library                  : LAME3.98 (alpha)

Note that mediainfo does not correctly report format profile (not  
important according to maintainer)...

ross at octopuss ~/$ mono /Applications/MPEG4ModifierCL/mmcl.exe --info  
SIMP_S06_01.avi
MPEG4 Modifier CL v1.4.4
http://www.moitah.net/

Loading: 100.0%
---------- Video Info ----------
Packed bitstream:  No
QPel:              No
GMC:               No
Interlaced:        No
Aspect ratio:      Square pixels
Quant type:        H.263
FourCC:            DX50
User data:         DivX503b1393
                    XviD0043C

I-VOPs: 380 (1.17%)
P-VOPs: 32095 (98.58%)
B-VOPs: 0 (0.00%)
S-VOPs: 0 (0.00%)
N-VOPs: 82 (0.25%)
--------------------------------

Does anyone see anything I should investigate or have any suggestions  
as to what I can tweak to get these files to play properly on the  
standalone?

Many thanks,

Ross