This is my conclusion and solution to one of two Video Hang/Freeze (with audio still working) problems. It is caused by attempting to have TmpGEnc 12e encode a De-Muxed video stream that is VBR. The solution is the use CBR into TMPGEnc until the TMPGen problem is fixed.
The terms "hang" or "Freeze" refers in MY case to a file whos output becomes a set of repeated frames about halfway through the file that continue all the way to the end of the file. This is detected best by the Bit Rate viewer. The video does NOT hang, but, rather repeats itself to the end of the file. When viewed, at first you will assume its the standard bad frame problem, but it never un-hangs (continues like that problem normaly does).
The other more common hang/freeze is a result of a bad frame. The way you can detect this more common problem is that the frames following the hang are still a continuation of the video. It is easily corrected by editing out the bad frames.
It seems many people capture CBR anyhow (I do most of the time) since it seems to produce a better capture file from some capture devices(less overhead on slow computers). I used the TMPGEnc 12e Default NTSC SVCD templates. I concluded the problem was not just with Dazzle (my capture device) since a user of AVI captured with vbr also had the same problem AND I downloaded a MPEG-2 VBR sample that had the same results. Let me repeat: This problem should not be confused with a somewhat common capture file having a bad or out of order frame. You can tell the difference by cutting out the(or a few) offending frame(s). Or you can chop the file in half before the fending frame and just re-do the beginnning of the file. The picture will freeze/hang in the middle of the good half of the file! Always at the center of the file. The Bit Rate Viewer is a powerful tool for detecting this problem. If you want to know how I did this you can look at my instructions page and check the VBR box Dazzle DVC-II SVCD capture step by step instructions.
More details on the suspected bug:
I am using Dazzle DVC-II Moviestar 4.22 to capture and TMPGENc 12e
to encode at a much better quality.
Symtombs:
-Dazzle output 2520000 vbr
-Plays on DVd player
-Plays on Windows media player
-Plays on sthsdvd
-Dazzle output 5000000 vbr
-Plays on Windows media player
-Plays on sthsdvd
-My dvd player, Apex 660 has some trouble playing at this speed
but it does not hang.
-Dazzle output 5000000 cbr
-Plays on Windows media player
-Plays on sthsdvd
-My dvd player, Apex 660 has real serious trouble playing at
this speed but it does not hang.
-Convert with TMPGEN a 5000000 cbr file (from Dazzle) encoded down
to 2520000 vbr
-Plays on DVd player
-Plays on Windows media player
-Plays on sthsdvd
-Has REALLY good video quality
compared to a capture directly at 2520000!
-Convert with TMPGEN a 5000000 vbr file (from Dazzle or VirtDub)
encoded down to 2520000 vbr
-hangs on Dvd player
-hangs on Windows media player
-hangs on sthsdvd
-the file is half full with the same thing
-Just in, Someone gave me a AVI file that has 5,000K VBR in it.
-Plays on Windows media player
-Plays on sthsdvd
-My dvd player, Apex 660 has some trouble playing at this speed
but it does not hang.
-5,000K vbr AVI Processed through TMPGEnc 12e.
-hangs on Dvd player
-hangs on Windows media player
-hangs on sthsdvd
-the file is half full with the same thing
Upon further investigation:
-audio is unaffected.
-this happens reguardless of the size of the
clip (30minutes or even 30 seconds).
-it ALWAYS happens near the middle of the clip.
-After the middle point the Video (only) repeats
several frames over and over.
I cut out peices and played them seperately.
Also saw this in the Bit rate Viewer. (Very
handy little program!)
-Here is the bit rate viewer output of a file
that causes TMPGEN heart ache.
The video tmpgen can NOT convert is:
Stream type: MPEG-2 MP@ML VBR
Resolution: 480*480
Aspect ratio: 4:3 Generic
Framerate: 29.97
Nom. bitrate: 5000000 Bit/Sec
VBV buffer size: 112
Constrained param. flag: No
Chroma format: 4:2:0
DCT precision: 10
Pic. structure: Frame
Field topfirst: Yes
DCT type: Field
Quantscale: Nonlinear
Scan type: ZigZag
Frame type: Interlaced
Working file:
Stream type: MPEG-2 MP@ML CBR
Resolution: 480*480
Aspect ratio: 4:3 Generic
Framerate: 29.97
Nom. bitrate: 5000000 Bit/Sec
VBV buffer size: 112
Constrained param. flag: No
Chroma format: 4:2:0
DCT precision: 10
Pic. structure: Frame
Field topfirst: Yes
DCT type: Field
Quantscale: Nonlinear
Scan type: ZigZag
Frame type: Interlaced
This seems to be a reproducable problem. I might even go so far as to say that either Dazzle or TMPGEN have a bug in either creating the video or converting it. However the Dazzle output seems to play everywhere and now I have other sample files that also have the same problem.
So my suggestion for a fix is "Do NOT USE Dazzle VBR as input to TMPGEnc 12e".
,,, Tim ke3ht@lmrgroup.com
Developing my own Dazzle howto: (not completed yet)
http://www.lmrgroup.com/ke3ht/dvc-ii-svcd.html