Adobe Media Encoder CC constantly crashing during batch encodes

[oremusproductions]

Hello!

We just made the big switch to Premiere Pro CC for our TV shows and now that it's time to finalize our first few episodes we are having some major problems batch exporting segments of the show. Sometimes it works, sometimes it works half way through the batch list then crashes, sometimes it crashes right away. There is no consistency, other than crashes are happening all the time. Here's what is happening:

• AME 7.2.0.43 (64-bit)

• Mac OS X 10.9.1 on 2x2.66 GHx 6-Core Intel Xeon, 40 GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM

• Startup disk is SSD w/ 4GB free space (all footage is on external storage)

• Using Premiere Pro CC to export via AME.

• All recent updates insatlled as of 3/10/14.

The source footage is ProRes 422 720p 59.94 footage from AJA KiPros. Each project has 16 segments - these are individual sequences. There are 7 tracks of audio and 4-5 tracks of video in each. In addition to the video there are targa files that include the score bug, full screen graphics, etc (this is sports). There are also some Adoby Dynamic Link After Effects elements throughout.

Editing has been fairly crashless - however when I File > Export > Media and queue it up in AME, that's when the fun starts.

I can rarely get through an entire batch list - generally within a few files the preview window at the bottom shows that it has halted and nothing further will encode. There is no way to stop or close the program without force quitting. When I have tried to encode from Premiere Pro CC directly, it works, although it is much slower and will only do the one sequence at a time.

I have been trying to encode to two different formats from within AME:

1.) ProRes 422 720 59.94 (just like the source footage) with 4 channels of audio.

2.) ProRes 422 1080i29.97 with 4 channels of audio.

We have different broadcast partners so we need to deliver in these two difference specs. I get crashes regularly on both outputs.

Possibly unrelated but also weird - I've noticed that when AME starts this crashing cycle sometimes Premiere CC won't let me save anyome. The status bar comes up like it's going to save the project but it goes nowhere. I have to quit without saving. Weird.

Can anyone help me further troubleshoot? This is bordering near deal breaker to continue using this software if I have this much trouble when trying to get my project outputted. Thank you!

[dlsprouse]

Though I got AME to work for most cases, here are some answers to the questions asked  -- then I'll explain my work-around.

• Mavericks 10.9.5 on maxed out 2012 Mac-mini  ( I know, right? )
• AME CC 2014.2 build 8.2.0.54
• If I happen to see it, it usually crashes about 3/4 through encoding  (my current video is 1hr20min, so about one hour through).  If I don't see it, then I have no idea.
• Source is either PPro project or .mp4 media
• Does not work even if encoding directly
• encoding to multiple formats MPEG2, Quicktime, mp4 m4v gp3 (was failing on all of these prior to my work-around)
• my only option is software only mode
• have not tried disabling Native Sequence Loading (NSL) yet. (AME Preferences: General > Import Sequences Natively)

Workaround

Instead of encoding to the drive I usually do, I switched to a temp area on my internal drive, then I move the finished files back to my external drive.

I also bumped up the amount of memory allocated to AME from 10Mb to 13Mb of 16Mb total. 

Thus far the only failures I still have are when I try encoding to YouTube or Vimeo. Both of those fail every time.

Since implementing the workaround, I've probably encoded 25-30 videos successfully (except when using the YouTube or Vimeo default settings)

Did not incur any problems prior to this latest release, btw.

Thanks for you suggestions. I'll try disabling NSL and see what happens with the YouTube and Vimeo encoders.

[rw-media]

Having the same problems. In every version of CC we've had, batch exporting to AME has only worked intermittently. Certain sequences will cause it to hang when sending PrPro sequences to AME. Sometimes it has issues with sequences with images in them, but that is the only pattern (and even then that is only intermittent) I can see.

Answers to your questions:

- Mac OS X 10.9.5, 2.6 GHz Intel i7, 8GB RAM, NVidia GForce GT 650M 1024MB

- AME version 8.2.0.54

- PrPro version CC 2014 Build 8.2.0 (65)

- When it crashes: I select multiple timelines in PrPro, select Export Media. The dialogue in Premiere opens, I make my choices. I then hit queue and it begins to launch AME. AME will then load, but sequences will not come in, it hangs and PrPro will crash. Once PrPro crashes, AME may or may not pull in some of the sequences, at least until it hits the problem sequence. What settings I use in the export media queue seem to have no bearing on whether or not it crashes.

- Source: PremierePro sequence is the source. Settings of the sequence seem to have no effect on whether it crashes or not.

- From PrPro: It always works when exporting directly from PrPro. Never crashes.

- Format: I've tried H.264 & ProRes, it behaves the same either way.

- Formats: If a sequence causes a crash, it does not appear to matter what format it was going to or fro.

- GPU rendering on/off: Only tried with it on, will try with it off.

- Disabling native sequence loading: I will try that one now.

I have tried some of the other troubleshooting suggestions, clearing preferences or cache, etc., to no avail.

Any help would be appreciated. I will try your final two suggestions and let you know if they have an effect (Update: they did not have an effect in my case). Thanks!

UPDATE #1:

Per another thread, I tried a suggestion of dragging & dropping the PrPro sequences into Encore. I then got a "Dynamic Link Error: Source is empty" for the two problem sequences.

UPDATE #2:

When I import the sequences in Adobe Media Encoder using "add PrPro sequence..." I do NOT get an error. At least not with the sequences that I am dealing with. It brings them in, I will have to run a test to confirm they actually render out, but that's good news, I will use that method instead. I am still curious about troubleshooting the above.

[Jeremy_Strawn]

Just wanted to add that I have two Mac Pro's (2015) and both systems are having the same issue. We have 70 sequences and get crashes on every four. Bigger videos crash every other one.

We are editing in 720 60P and exporting ProRes 422 720 60P.

Very disappointed at AME so far. Compressing videos for Vimeo and Youtube seem to be good. Other than that, we are starting to use Mpeg stream clip for live shows. The h264 output settings for AME creates choppy playback. I have tested multiple settings for h264 with poor results.

PP CC 2014

Mavericks

Mac Pro 6 and 8 core

[phiNDsum1]

Unable to get through a single render out (in PPro or AME)  - keeps crashing ... PPro CC 8.2.0 (65) and AME CC 8.2.0.54 are updated

Unbelievable ... can't get any work out!

• What OS - WIN 7 64bit 32GB RAM - dual XEON 2.26
• PPro CC 8.2.0 (65) and AME CC 8.2.0.54
• Sometimes Crashes at beginning of Render ... mostly in the middle - or towards the end
• source = PPro project with AE dynamic linked files
• does not work exporting directly from PPro
• MPEG4
• tried MPEG2 doesn't work
• tried both GPU rendering on and Software-only mode
• Have you tried disabling Native Sequence Loading? YES

This is taking way too much time ... updated CC and now nothing can get out the door

need a fix!

[phiNDsum1]

Inline Timeline Rendering will also hang sometimes ... resulting in having to CANCEL the render to get back into PPro.

Have also noticed a RENDER hang in the Media Export preview pane ... the word RENDER will appear frozen in the preview pane resulting in the inability to Export (when you click on Export the Render bar appears but does not proceed with the Render).

** CUDA is initialized in Project Settings. When monitored with the NVIDIA GPU Utilization Graph during Export Render, neither PPro or AME use much of the available resources  -  spiking at 57% running around 5% and flatlining around 10% when extra rendering power is needed.  CARD: Quadro FX 1800

[Eric_Bleak]

Agreed, I now have a project to GET OUT, and AME crashes consistently 1/3 into the render. It appears to halt all processing after (real time) 00:02:30

Am seriously considering uninstalling CC as I am beginning to find other issues in some apps, and going back to CS6/MC just so I can get work out. Durn it Adobe this is AWFUL!!

Alright, let's try to be constructive instead of throwing rocks... but the frustration level is high, and I have material on deadline. Let's get with this, guys...

• What OS Win7, 64-bit
• What version of AME/PPro (Please be specific by getting the full version number in the About Adobe Media Encoder screen) 8.2.0.54 Ppro: 8.2.0 (65)
• When is it crashing (Again, the more detail here about where it was in the encoding process the better) roughly 1/3 into the sequence, always on exactly the same frame - tried replacing the clip with something different to see if it was a timeline error, and NO EFFECT.
• What is your source (PPro project or media file (what kind?)) PPro
• If the source if a PPro project, does it work when exporting directly from PPro? NO
• What format are you exporting to? H.264, QT, WM, tried everything my client can play.
• Do other formats work? MPEG2, QuickTime, etc? NO
• Have you tried with GPU rendering on? How about turning it off by switching to Software-only mode? Mine doesn't have any choice, it's software-only.
• Have you tried disabling Native Sequence Loading? (AME Preferences: General > Enable Native Sequence Loading) No effect

Other things I tried: uninstalling/reinstalling AME, setting cache to a fast local disk.

[Nariman Sodeifi]

Hi Eric,  Here are a few other things you may want to try

Reset AME

Make sure PPro and AME are both Closed.

Hold the shift key and launch AME

This will reset AME to originally installed state (I know you did uninstall and re-install, but this will reset other files that may have issues).

Startup items

It is possible that some other app in background is somehow conflicting with AME.

In Windows 7, you can go to Start and type MSCONFIG.

Then select startup

Go through each item and decide if they need to launch on startup or not.  You can do google search if you don't know about them.

Unchecking the box next to these doesn't uninstall the app, it just won't load it on startup.

One of them could be conflicting with AME. 

You can always go through this process and turn them back on if this doesn't solve this issue.

You mentioned your source is PPro Project. 

What happens if you just use a video file like single MPEG video instead of PPro Project.

Do you still run into this issue?

[Eric_Bleak]

Tried all the stuff above over the weekend. That and more - a restart of the machine and running AME without anything else running. No dice.

I may have a clue for you. This almost appears to be the same bug as in Acrobat: If you have a PDF open and make changes to it, you cannot resave it to the same location.

Just got an error message out of AME:

05/04/2015 01:19:15 PM : Encoding Failed

------------------------------------------------------------

Export Error

Error compiling movie.

Unable to create or open output file.

[Eric_Bleak]

I'll watch to see if there's some kind of resolution, but for now I've uninstalled this 'improved' version and have gone back to my previous version of the software (CS6/MC). I'm completely re-editing my project because IT HAS TO GET DONE and nothing here has helped,.

Fortunately, I can whip right along because all the edit decisions have been made...

[Eric_Bleak]

One more clue for you: As I was re-editing the project all day yesterday and way into last night, I realized there's another bug in Premiere CC: when you do a 'commanded save' by hitting CTRL+S, it often brings up an error message that it can't save because somehow it can't create the file. So your Acrobat bug has followed Premiere also.

I encoded the project overnight and came in this morning to find it done correctly and that it plays perfectly, BY USING CS6. This eliminates the possibility of any problem with the footage. The work is off to the client.

Let me know when you have the Premier and AME CC version fixed.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Oremus Productions,

Can anyone help me further troubleshoot? This is bordering near deal breaker to continue using this software if I have this much trouble when trying to get my project outputted. Thank you!

Since you and many others on this post are Mac users. One thing that has not been mentioned is the permissions of your Adobe folders. Please check those: http://bit.ly/OSX-permissions

Thanks,

Kevin

[Eric_Bleak]

I believe you guys are onto it that it is a file-locking problem. It appears to occur with both PCs and Macs.

I began to notice this very thing in the 'new' version of Acrobat, and it appears to have propagated its way into PPro and AME.

If you have an older version of PPro and AME, (for instance CS6) they work just fine. So it's not the footage, and I deliberately put a gap in my timeline and Queued it to AME (CS6 version). It encoded it just fine.

This has been going on since about October and it's still not fixed. I agree, Kevin, people like us have to make a living and can't be waiting for Adobe to figure this out.

Adobe, if you're listening, PLEASE fix this.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Eric,

Adobe, if you're listening, PLEASE fix this.

Actually, these forums are not the best place to get our attention. File a bug report here: http://adobe.ly/ReportBug

Cheers,

Kevin

[Eric_Bleak]

Thanks, Kevin. Bug report submitted as soon as I saw your response. Interesting that there was never any reply from the CC team. 

I now have these projects 'done and out of the way' so I can get back here and make a report. I have found the problem: It is in CC2014, period.

Once I downloaded and installed CC2015, Premiere and AME are working properly again. Whatever it was, it's been fixed in the new version. I verified this by importing my so-called 'problem timelines' and burning the same type of files. No more problems, even with my 'problem projects'.

[IvanBercholz]

I have both a maxed out macbook pro (2011) and a hackintosh with good specs. The new version of Media Encoder CC 2015 is freezing on both of them on different projects. If they are shorter exports, a couple usually make it through, longer ones always freeze up at some point. This is all h264, but I've tried different settings. Someone mentioned that the Vimeo upload option was making them freeze, I tried without that last night. Still a problem. What to do?

[jamesa29219022]

Been reading all of the above and if some other soul comes to this forum my two cents may help.  I've had the same problems with a 65 minute video.  Tried all export and queuing options.  It hung every time.  Finally got Adobe's attention with an online help.  Let him take over my computer and the first thing he did was to remove all effects from all clips . . . saved a test file and it exported just fine.  That's about all we could do on a Friday afternoon and he said he'd get back to me on Monday, tomorrow.  In the meantime, I set up a new sequence in my project, copied all clips to it, removed all effects, it also exported fine.

Then I started adding effects, one group at a time and exporting, until I had added all but a couple "color adjustment" effects that were not critical.  All exported and/or queued without a problem (also made the "software selection" mentioned above).  I queued h264, and DVD, all without a hitch.

Hope this helps someone, it still doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy as I work on projects, not knowing whether or not I'll be able to keep my effects.  If anything else pops up I'll be back with an update.

[Schlueter Glennon]

Hi All -

I have been going thru the same thing, but I have two seats and was rendering out of AME on one machine, while working on another machine so I was distracted when the Windows 7 Locked up on the AME rendering machine.

Noticed the lock-up, restarted the machine, and the AME render was there, done - finished. It's still doing it, just locking up the system interface and forcing you to do a hard computer restart. So I have been setting an alarm clock with the time remaining on the AME render upon lock, and when the alarm goes off, I hard restart my machine and find my final file rendered. The other thing I have noticed is you can watch the system hard drive light blinking, and when it goes solid your AME render is done.

I'm getting ready to do a total reinstall of CC (with cleaner etal), because I think it's just corrupted reg files, but if your in a production pinch, be patient and watch your drive light - AME is probably still doing the render, your operating system interface is just locked up.

Help us AME team!!!!

[Tinius]

There must still be some issues with AME...

I know I don't have an ideal setup but it should at least be able to finish.

Running Premiere Pro CC and AME CC 2015 with latest updates on a Mac Mini OSX 10.11.1, 256GB SSD and a 8TB LaCie Thunderbolt 2 disk attached. 200GB free space on the mac and 6TB on the LaCie.

I have tried all kinds of settings, even some I do not need, just to see if AME can produce a encoded file at all. It does not.

It stops after a few hours, with or without an error message.

Error log:

- Encoding Time: 01:13:17

12/07/2015 11:54:54 AM : Encoding Failed

-------------------------------------------------------

Export Error

Error compiling movie.

Unknown error.

-------------------------------------------------------

- Encoding Time: 00:52:44

12/07/2015 01:20:09 PM : Encoding Failed

-------------------------------------------------------

Export Error

Error compiling movie.

Unknown error.

-------------------------------------------------------

- Encoding Time: 00:51:59

12/07/2015 05:58:52 PM : Encoding Failed

-------------------------------------------------------

Export Error

Error compiling movie.

Unknown error.

-------------------------------------------------------

- Encoding Time: 00:50:40

12/07/2015 08:07:39 PM : Encoding Failed

-------------------------------------------------------

Export Error

Error compiling movie.

Unknown error.

-------------------------------------------------------

Seems to be some issue after around 50 minutes.

Have also tried to export directly from PPro resulting in same issue.

Getting a bit fed up with this now...

[MMeguro]

Hi Tinius

You mentioned "Running Premiere Pro CC and AME CC 2015".  Did you mean you have Premiere Pro CC 2015?  If not, please update Premiere Pro to CC2015 so that both AME and Premiere Pro are in the same version.

What are your source file format and destination format?

Also, please make sure your system and drive don't go sleep.  Please try turning off screen savor if it's currently enabled.

[Tinius]

Thank you for your reply, Mmeguro

I'm running Creative Suite CC 2015 (with latest updates from a few days ago) and OS X 10.11.1.

Files are stored on a LaCie 2Big 8TB Thunderbolt2 disk

Source file format: .m4v 25FPS

Destination file format: MPEG-DVD for PAL 16:9

Will check that screen savers and all power saving options are turned off (app nap etc.) and try again.

[CordruoyMedia]

I am having the same problem using the latest update for Premiere Pro CC 2015 and Media Encoder CC 2015. On iMac OX 10.10.5.  I keep getting "failed" - but not every time I export.  Can't seem to find a pattern on why it is failing. Cleaning out disk cache has worked but not every time.  This seems to be a major bug on the new update? @MMeguro

[CordruoyMedia]

I was just on chat with Adobe Support regarding this and I think they solved it:

Create a new premiere project using the latest updated software and import the older project into it, then export. 

[photopj]

FYI creating a new project then importing the older project/sequence only seems to work temporarily. Same temp. results using the "Mercury Playback Engine Software Only" option in AME.

Please save us Adobe PP/AME engineers.

Thank you.

[TristanVCD]

For what it's worth, I just submitted a bug report because I determined clips that were slowed down using Optical Flow in Premiere would crash AME, and it was a repeatable issue. I could put a single clip (4k) on a new timeline (1080p), slow it to 80%, queue it to AME, and it would crash a few seconds into the encode. Exporting through premiere seemed to work fine.

(On Mac OS 10.10)

[cy1176]

This is insane. NOTHING is right about AME

Adobe keep updating to the new version while the bugs were all over the places.

the 2014 CC, with CPU software only,

has problem to render simple cross-fade transition correctly if you mixed up footages with different codecs

(the brightness jump up and down) which didn't show in Premiere real-time playback.

if you switch to OPENGL, CUDA then the render result is fine.

2015 CC is worse, all three of them having the same problem,

for complicated clips, cross-fade randomly has this brightness jump issue in render result not showing up in real-time playback.

in the end I have to render EVERY SINGLE CLIPS and then replace them just to overcome this supposed to be very basic cross-fade.
(no it doesn't help to put them inside another nest. even this method sometimes work in the older version, it doesn't work on 2015CC)

After I solve the crossfade issue, AME keeps crashing randomly

(the preference, plist has been removed , not working; reinstall the Adobe CC, not working)

Tried at least 30+ times with different render settings, codecs,

no app nap, computer and the drive is not sleeping, render to desktop/local

nothing works.

Extremely annoying.

Honestly I have no idea how AME qualified as a product dedicated to rendering.

(iMac 10.10.5, codec prores 4444, Adobe CC 2015.3 )