Encore always transcodes my x264 compressed files

[Eric_Daoust]

Hi everyone. I'm about to go crazy working on my first Blu-Ray disc! I work on a Mac Pro using Encore CS6 on Mac OS X 10.6.8. I am looking to use an AVC/H.264 encoded file by the x264 compression engine, which is supposed to be the best out there. For this, I have tried using FFmpegX and Handbrake with regular settings (1920x1080p, 23,976fps, 16:9, constant quality) starting from an Uncompressed 10-bit output from my Premiere timeline.

I am very satisfied by the compressed H264 outpout file, but no matter which application I use and the different configurations (tried different profiles inside Handbrake), everytime I import the  file, Encore sees it as a file that has to be Transcoded again. And of course you can imagine how the result looks like when an h264 file is encoded twice...

I have tried reading every possible forum on the subject of H264 Blu-Ray compatible files... without any success. I desperately need your help!

I have even tried pointing to the "encoded" file on my hard drive by telling Encore it has been encoded already, but the compilation of my Blu-Ray fails everytime when I does this.

I have succeeded once to create a file with Handbrake that is "sometimes" accepted in Encore (happened twice, I think), but it's bitrate was too risky to my taste for compatibility (38mbps) and therefore was only a test. I have no idea why this one worked...

[excited_Genie16B8]

Upload a small sample so others can test.

http://www.depositfiles.com/en/

[Eric_Daoust]

Hi Jim. I'll try to compress a small exceprt tommorow. You mean the final H264 file that isn't accepted by Encore, right?

[tjh65]

Hi Eric

Join the club. I have spent over a week now trying to resolve this problem without success. I have found that it  fails to get the correct aspect ratio or recognise the correct interlace with 1440x1080i25 HDV video. As you probably know Encore is riddled with bugs but I have been kooking for a work around. The built in mainconcept encoder does work but is greatly inferior to x264. There is a plugin called x264pro which seems to work with progressive video. I have been testing this and found there is a bug with interlaced video which they are fixing now. I have done alot of web searching without success.

Regards Trevor

[Eric_Daoust]

Haha! Thanks Trevor.

I must say it is a relief to know that somebody else shares the same pain. My file isn't even as fancy as yours (purely traditionnal/common 1080p 23,976fps file)

Unfortunately, since I'm on a mac, I cannot try x264pro (windows-based only)... But I don't see why Encore wouldn't be able to accept ANY file compressed by a mac-based x264 encoder. It's just driving me crazy!!

And the problem is that there is absolutely no other alternative on the mac platform to author Blu-Ray discs.

[EricWB]

I am having the same problem it appears.

I have tried creating a standard DVD in encore - bringing in numerous files made of Standard Definition originals - converted to H.264  and/or .avi  (large, small, high quality exports, Youtube exports, numerous versions.... all exported converted with either Premiere Pro, or Matrox) The exports look fine (generally).

All of these files play back and look (generally) fine in Quicktime or Windows Media player.

Once I bring them into Encore they come up UNTRANSCODED and they look like crap, low quality. I am trying different project settings - DVD / BluRay / both different frame rates.... the video clips look like crap. I have'nt even bothered to try to create a DVD.

This is a major flaw I believe. I paid a solid amount of money, and have software that does not work it appears. I will keep watching, reading, listening, and definately keep the best attitude I can. I have had Adobe  Encore for years, and PPro. Now I have CS6. I need a DVD authoring program that does not degrade my video this horribly.

[excited_Genie16B8]

You mean the final H264 file that isn't accepted by Encore, right?

Yeah.  I'll try it over here and see what Encore does with it.

[Eric_Daoust]

Here is the file.

Thanks in advance Jim.

[Stan Jones]

Media info says it has variable frame rate; I have to think Encore does not like that. Imports for me as "untranscoded."

[Eric_Daoust]

Thanks Stan. Here's another one with "constant framerate". Same problem. Still "untranscoded".

[Stan Jones]

Media info still says variable frame rate. And yes, still untranscoded in EN.

[Eric_Daoust]

I've just installed Media Info MAC. Looks like a handy little app. Where do you see that my framerate is variable? Can't seem to see this info in my version of Media Info... Or are you talking about VBR (bitrate)?

[Stan Jones]

Go to View -> Tree. Then, under the Video section, find "Frame Rate." For me, the "Frame Rate Mode: Variable" is right before that; and after them is a minimum and maximum.

In Handbrake, check both that you specify "constant," and also that you specify a rate (rather than using "source" or whatever).

[Eric_Daoust]

Thanks Stan. That's exactly what I did in Handbrake. FPS: 23,976 NTSC FILM, then Constant framerate.

It seems that your Media Info is more sophisticated than mine since I do not have this information. Are you on PC? Or maybe using the Media Inspector program which isn't free?

[Stan Jones]

I don't think the mediainfo should be different. (I am PC.) Can you post a screenshot of what you are seeing?

I don't know for a fact that variable framerate is an issue; but it seems a logical problem - and once EN transcodes it, it is a constant 23.976.

Is the 23.976 a drop down in Handbrake?

[Eric_Daoust]

[Eric_Daoust]

[Eric_Daoust]

Here's what I see in media info and the only options there are in Handbrake.

[Stan Jones]

Looks like the tree view in Mediainfo, and everything is the same as for me (PC version) except the variable framerate.

I check in Gspot (only available for PC), and it does not report a framerate mode, but reports the framerate as 23.974.

[Eric_Daoust]

Thanks Stan. 23.976 you mean? Which is supposed to be Blu-Ray compatible.

[Stan Jones]

No, it was 23.974 as in not compatible!

I do not understand this; I sorta understood DVD, in which 23.976 was really 29.97 with pulldown, but I don't know how BD works or what scenarios might explain this.

[Eric_Daoust]

Damn. I'm starting to go totally nuts myself. Hope someone can enlighten us

[excited_Genie16B8]

Media info says it has variable frame rate;

I've found MediaInfo to be less than reliable on this front.  Gspot, VLC and even Premiere Pro properly see it as 23.976.

[Eric_Daoust]

Thx Jim. Only renaming the files doesn't work, of course. In the handbrake manual it says:

You can simply change the file extension between .mp4 and .m4v as the file is exactly the same. There are no differences in the content or container itself.

Did you make it work on your side just by changing the file extension Jim? I will adjust the preference in Handbrake for my next tests in order to output the m4v file directly.

[excited_Genie16B8]

Did you make it work on your side just by changing the file extension Jim?

Nope.  Which leads me to believe there is a difference between files.