HDLink -- various questions

John Estcourt · March 20th, 2008, 06:28 AM

no difference..crash..frustrated,,

Matthew Ebenezer · April 30th, 2008, 05:26 PM

Hi,

Hoping that someone can help me with this ... got my brand new XH-A1 yesterday, downloaded the trial of AspectHD (5.2.5.110a) and I can capture and edit successfully in PPro2.0 using the appropriate Cineform preset.

But ....

When I try to re-wrap a Cineform AVI to a MOV I receive the attached error (see jpg of log file).

I've also attached the prefs window in case that is helpful.

The error occurs with any Cineform AVI whether it's the original file I captured using PPro 2.0 or the file I export from Premiere after I've finished editing.

I'm just wanting to export a Cineform AVI from Premiere, re-wrap it as an MOV so I can use Sorenson Squeeze 4.5 to convert it to other formats.

Thanks,

Matthew.

David Newman · April 30th, 2008, 05:29 PM

Two things.

1) Sorenson Squeeze 5.0 is now AVI compatible.

2) You need Quicktime installed to rewrap an AVI to MOV.

Matthew Ebenezer · April 30th, 2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Newman

Two things.

1) Sorenson Squeeze 5.0 is now AVI compatible.

2) You need Quicktime installed to rewrap an AVI to MOV.

Hi David,

Thanks for your super-fast reply!

Quicktime is definitely installed.

I did read on another thread that Sorenson Squeeze 5.0 is now AVI compatible - but I was hoping to avoid shelling out for it just yet as version 4.5 is getting me by at the moment.

Plus, I'd hate to buy the upgrade to v5.0 and have it still not work :(

Any other ideas with my current setup?

Thanks again!

Matthew.

David Newman · April 30th, 2008, 06:10 PM

That error is what happens when the MOV MUX can't find a suitable version of QuickTime installed. What version is installed?

Matthew Ebenezer · April 30th, 2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Newman

That error is what happens when the MOV MUX can't find a suitable version of QuickTime installed. What version is installed?

Hi David,

I've got Quicktime 7.4.5 installed on my system. I might see if there's a new version available or uninstall and re-install Quicktime.

I'm also installing a trial of Sorenson Squeeze 5.0 and will let you know how that goes with the AVI files.

Thanks again,

Matthew.

David Newman · April 30th, 2008, 06:21 PM

Haven't tried 7.4.5, but 7.3.1 and 7.4 work.

Matthew Ebenezer · April 30th, 2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Newman

Haven't tried 7.4.5, but 7.3.1 and 7.4 work.

Hi David,

I'm having success using the trial version of Sorenson Squeeze 5.0 to convert the Cineform AVIs into other formats.

No luck yet with re-installing Quicktime etc ...

Looks like I'll be ugrading to Squeeze 5.0 in the near future ;)

Thanks heaps for your help - really impressed with how quickly you responded.

Cheers,

Matthew.

Deniz Ahmet · May 2nd, 2008, 02:13 PM

I'm trying to convert some Sony AVCHD footage (.m2ts). Hdlink only works if picking resize to 1440 option, but refuses to stop encoding, duplicating the same file over and over. Also original file of say 60Mb ends up 326Mb in cineform format - what gives?

some bug surely?

David Newman · May 2nd, 2008, 02:39 PM

Using Version 3.3 yet? It can help with AVCHD files.

re: size. AVCHD is compressed to a inch of its life, 2 or 3 times more than HDV, and we are 3 to 4 time bigger than HDV. So expect files at least 5 times bigger than AVCHD -- and you want that. Data size increase has to happen when you unroll all that very long GOP motion estimation nonsense.

Deniz Ahmet · May 2nd, 2008, 03:12 PM

Hi David, yes it's v3.3.

It does the job, but has mentioned bugs, looping / STOP button not working / hanging unless you select resize option....

David Newman · May 2nd, 2008, 03:27 PM

Sounds like the beta not the release code. You should be running Build 164 not 163.

Marty Hudzik · May 21st, 2008, 07:02 AM

I have been using HDLink for about 2 years now and I just ran into this issue. I typically have hdlink split my 24f HDV clips as it captures them and it creates cineform avi files, based on the start and stop of my camera recording. In the past, when it would encounter a glitch/dropped packet, whatever, it would split the file and create a new avi at that point and I would typically lose a second or two of the video. Not ideal, but what are you going to do....it was a glitch in the recording.

Recently however, it has been skipping right over the glitch and continuing to capture the clip. What tends to happen is the video shifts in relation to the audio and the remainder of the clip has audio sync issues. In this case the audio was ahead of the video by 6 frames. I was able to perform a shift in Premiere and compensate for this but I am wondering why this is happening.

To be fair I don't have many dropouts and I don't usually shoot long takes, but in this case it was a live concert and the audio was obviously out of sync for the reamining 45 minutes after this glitch.

Should cineform see this gltich and start a new clip? In the past this is what it did but the last 2 times it encountered this situation it didn't.

I should point out that I am not using the absolute latest build....I don't think I have updated since January or so. I am of the mindset that if it is working....don't fix it.

THanks.

Tim Bucklin · May 21st, 2008, 11:58 AM

Hi Marty,

It's hard to tell exactly what's happening during this "glitch" compared to others.
Generally if we see an improperly terminated/structured MPEG stream packet, we may interpret that as a scene break. If there's just invalid MPEG stream data but it's properly structured, we may continue processing it.

There haven't been any changes (to my knowledge) in the section of code regarding M2T decoding and conversion for quite some time, so my guess is that it's a different type of "glitch" that's occurring in the camera.

It may be time to clean your video heads or get some different tapes; hopefully that will prevent the problem in the first place.

If you have the problematic M2T saved, and it's small enough, send it over www.yousendit.com to tbucklin@cineform.com and I'll take a look at it and see if there's anything I can find.

Marty Hudzik · May 21st, 2008, 12:55 PM

Thanks. I did just clean the heads hours before the recording and these were brand new tapes. In all fairness I have not rechecked the tape to see if this occurs at the same spot everytime. I use an XL-H1 to record and a Canon HV20 to capture. Both decks had just been cleaned prior to this event.

I have notice on occassion the HV20 will drop a frame (or 15!) one time through, and then I can rewind and play the same part again and it is no longer there. I assume that is not a permanent problem with the tape in that case. However I have not been able to test this in this case.

April 30th, 2008, 05:26 PM	#212
Matthew Ebenezer Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Posts: 370	Cineform HDLink re-wrap error Hi, Hoping that someone can help me with this ... got my brand new XH-A1 yesterday, downloaded the trial of AspectHD (5.2.5.110a) and I can capture and edit successfully in PPro2.0 using the appropriate Cineform preset. But .... When I try to re-wrap a Cineform AVI to a MOV I receive the attached error (see jpg of log file). I've also attached the prefs window in case that is helpful. The error occurs with any Cineform AVI whether it's the original file I captured using PPro 2.0 or the file I export from Premiere after I've finished editing. I'm just wanting to export a Cineform AVI from Premiere, re-wrap it as an MOV so I can use Sorenson Squeeze 4.5 to convert it to other formats. Thanks, Matthew. Attached Thumbnails

April 30th, 2008, 05:29 PM	#213
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Two things. 1) Sorenson Squeeze 5.0 is now AVI compatible. 2) You need Quicktime installed to rewrap an AVI to MOV. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

April 30th, 2008, 06:10 PM	#215
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	That error is what happens when the MOV MUX can't find a suitable version of QuickTime installed. What version is installed? __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

April 30th, 2008, 06:21 PM	#217
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Haven't tried 7.4.5, but 7.3.1 and 7.4 work. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

May 2nd, 2008, 02:13 PM	#219
Deniz Ahmet Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LONDON Posts: 178	HDLINK and AVCHD issues I'm trying to convert some Sony AVCHD footage (.m2ts). Hdlink only works if picking resize to 1440 option, but refuses to stop encoding, duplicating the same file over and over. Also original file of say 60Mb ends up 326Mb in cineform format - what gives? some bug surely?

March 20th, 2008, 06:28 AM	#211
John Estcourt Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scotland, Ayr www.amour weddingvideos.co.uk Posts: 305	no difference..crash..frustrated,,

May 2nd, 2008, 02:39 PM	#220
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Using Version 3.3 yet? It can help with AVCHD files. re: size. AVCHD is compressed to a inch of its life, 2 or 3 times more than HDV, and we are 3 to 4 time bigger than HDV. So expect files at least 5 times bigger than AVCHD -- and you want that. Data size increase has to happen when you unroll all that very long GOP motion estimation nonsense. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

May 2nd, 2008, 03:12 PM	#221
Deniz Ahmet Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LONDON Posts: 178	Hi David, yes it's v3.3. It does the job, but has mentioned bugs, looping / STOP button not working / hanging unless you select resize option....

May 2nd, 2008, 03:27 PM	#222
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Sounds like the beta not the release code. You should be running Build 164 not 163. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

May 21st, 2008, 07:02 AM	#223
Marty Hudzik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 1,771	proper behavior of HDlink when encountering dropouts? I have been using HDLink for about 2 years now and I just ran into this issue. I typically have hdlink split my 24f HDV clips as it captures them and it creates cineform avi files, based on the start and stop of my camera recording. In the past, when it would encounter a glitch/dropped packet, whatever, it would split the file and create a new avi at that point and I would typically lose a second or two of the video. Not ideal, but what are you going to do....it was a glitch in the recording. Recently however, it has been skipping right over the glitch and continuing to capture the clip. What tends to happen is the video shifts in relation to the audio and the remainder of the clip has audio sync issues. In this case the audio was ahead of the video by 6 frames. I was able to perform a shift in Premiere and compensate for this but I am wondering why this is happening. To be fair I don't have many dropouts and I don't usually shoot long takes, but in this case it was a live concert and the audio was obviously out of sync for the reamining 45 minutes after this glitch. Should cineform see this gltich and start a new clip? In the past this is what it did but the last 2 times it encountered this situation it didn't. I should point out that I am not using the absolute latest build....I don't think I have updated since January or so. I am of the mindset that if it is working....don't fix it. THanks.

May 21st, 2008, 11:58 AM	#224
Tim Bucklin Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Solana Beach, CA Posts: 112	Hi Marty, It's hard to tell exactly what's happening during this "glitch" compared to others. Generally if we see an improperly terminated/structured MPEG stream packet, we may interpret that as a scene break. If there's just invalid MPEG stream data but it's properly structured, we may continue processing it. There haven't been any changes (to my knowledge) in the section of code regarding M2T decoding and conversion for quite some time, so my guess is that it's a different type of "glitch" that's occurring in the camera. It may be time to clean your video heads or get some different tapes; hopefully that will prevent the problem in the first place. If you have the problematic M2T saved, and it's small enough, send it over www.yousendit.com to tbucklin@cineform.com and I'll take a look at it and see if there's anything I can find. __________________ Tim Bucklin CineForm Software Engineer

May 21st, 2008, 12:55 PM	#225
Marty Hudzik Trustee Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 1,771	Thanks. I did just clean the heads hours before the recording and these were brand new tapes. In all fairness I have not rechecked the tape to see if this occurs at the same spot everytime. I use an XL-H1 to record and a Canon HV20 to capture. Both decks had just been cleaned prior to this event. I have notice on occassion the HV20 will drop a frame (or 15!) one time through, and then I can rewind and play the same part again and it is no longer there. I assume that is not a permanent problem with the tape in that case. However I have not been able to test this in this case.