Internal Software error PGC for encore CS3 !!! solved !!!

Report · Sep 08, 2008

Almost everybody here knows the next error:

PGC "timeline name" has an error at xx:xx:xx:xy internal software error : %0, line timeline name - PGCINFO: name= timeline name, ref=BPGC, time=xx:xx:xx:xy

Where the y in time stands for the length of the timeline minus 2 frames. The BPGC error can also be FPGC or DPGC dependant on how many menu's there are in the project.

It kept me awake for weeks and after reading this forum several times and comparing encore CS3 with encore 2.0 filenames I found the solution.

This Error is a bug in encore witch has nothing to do with blank filename spots and sonic coding or codecs or planning your workflow with a pencil but pure with the combination Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and Encore CS3.

This is what generates the problem:

In Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 you build project with video, sound and chapters. Then you export the project via the Media Encoder not Multplexed.

Premiere CS3 then creates the following files:
filename.M2V (video file mpg)
filename.AC3 (audio file ac3)
filename.M2V.XMPSES (an adobe file with preview info and chapter pointers)
filname.XMP (??)

It is the .M2V.XMPSES file witch creates the PGC error. If you use the MULTIPLEX DVD option then ADOBE will not create the .M2V.XMPSES file so there will not be an error. This trick mentioned by ADOBE and many others is just to go around the bug instead of solving it. Also with multiplex you have just one sound track. I use two sound tracks like 5.1 and a 2.0 track witch you can choose in a menu.

Some people say it is the blank spots. Also not true. They have probably just erased the blank spots of the M2V file and forgot the .M2V.XMPSES file.

When you just delete the .M2V.XMPSES file and then open the M2V and AC3 file in Encore as a new asset, make a timeline and menu's and the project will built and burn. Only if you delete this .M2V.XMPSES file Encore takes a longer time to import the M2V file and will be without the chapter points.

Almost everything else will work like menu with sound and even a movie background (use M2V files). Only the motion buttons in a menu still wont work unless you use a black background !?!. Haven't figured this out yet. Only solution for this is use Encore 2.0. In this older version also the motion buttons will work without error's (everything else also so why buy CS3??)

Here is what you must do create a DVD without errors:

-Create a project in Premiere Pro, even with chapters.
-Write down all chapter points (minutes:seconds:frames)
-Create two new unique maps in explorer for example D:DVD1 and D:DVD2
-Export in Premiere with Media Encoder without the Multiplex:DVD but with NON to the D:DVD1 map
-Copy from D:DVD1 only the M2V and AC3 files to D:DVD2

-Start up Encore DVD CS3 or 2.0
-Create a new unique project in Encore for example "DVD" and save this in the map D:DVD2\
-Then use Save-as (under file) and pinpoint to D:DVD2\dvd to be sure that all Encore's files are placed in this folder.

-Select M2V file and make new timeline.
-Make chapter points (you wrote down the points, did you?)
-Create menu's, even with sound (AC3) and movie background (M2V)
-Then render project if you have used a video for menu background
-Finally Built and burnnnnnn!!
-If you like to use motion buttons in a menu then use Encore 2.0

I have double checked my work flow and it really works. I have built a project and burned with success Then I deleted the timeline and the M2V file. Copied the .M2V.XMPSES file in the used folder. Re loaded the M2V file in encore (this time much faster! and with chapter points). Tried to built and burn and back was the error. Also this happened in in Encore 2.0!!

Hope that this will solve the PGC error once and for all !!!

Marcel W

system:
acer aspire AMD 64 3800+
2 GB
250 GB hard drive for system
750 GB hard drive for movie

software Adobe Encore 3.0.1.008, Premiere PRO 3.2.0, Photoshop CS3 10.0, All upgraded
NERO 7

No Internet

Report · Feb 08, 2009

Dear Bowden,

As I´ve mentioned earlier, not having this problem at all does not mean that you are working in a different (better way) than most of us.

As Adobe has mentioned on his site, errors often do appear due to hardware conflicts, driver issues, codecs and more. You probably have a setup of hardware-software in witch no error will appear. Adobe has worked around some issues and solved a conflict of their software (with others?)and this is usually called a bug.

As you can read in my topic I have found one issue witch creates the error and a solution to solve it (the non usable XMPSES files). I'm not telling you this is the solution but it will work for some of us getting the error and working in the way it is supposed to be by Adobe.

As I will get SC4 soon I will report you if this bug is finally solved. In the mean time I hope you will stay bug free because it is/was a pain in the ...

Report · Feb 08, 2009

>As I´ve mentioned earlier, not having this problem at all does not mean that you are working in a different (better way) than most of us.

marcel, I never said that. I said I never got this error in Encore CS3. If it's a bug in CS3, then wouldn't we all see it?

If I were to speculate as to why you and some others got it, but I and others did not, I would likely guess the cause of this problem is in system configuration.

Report · Feb 08, 2009

I'd like more information about "Bug fixed (#1871844)." I cannot find anything about this in a search of the adobe knowledgebase and these encore forums. I believe this probably refers to the "non PGC" internal software error on burning; not the pgc error upon building.

I do not believe that any CS4 user has reported the pgc error upon building, so I hope will see success Marcel. If you are using CS4 with the exact same hardware setup, I will be especially interested to see if you can get the error using one of your previous assets that produced the problem.

Report · Mar 06, 2009

I have never seen the PgC error (upon build) with CS2 or CS3. Recently built a new PC (3.0 core2) and installed CS3...Premiere/Encore works fine building a dozen or so DVDs.
Installed CS4, all worked fine building a dozen or so DVDs. Then the dreaded PGC error started in Encore on everything exported from Premiere via AME.

I am slowly coming to the conclusion that the problem is faulty .m2v files from AME.

I can export from Cs3; Encore CS3 and CS4 work fine.
I can export from CS4; both CS3 and CS4 Encore builds fail.
To debunk the XMPES theories I imported a CS4 .m2v file into Encore 2.0 on another PC and the build failed with the PGC error.

All test builds used just the .m2v file and no menus.

Report · Mar 06, 2009

What is your exact error?

On your various tests, you are creating a brand new project for each test?

When you imported the m2v (to test the xmpses effect), how did you separate it from the xmpses file? (Copied/moved the m2v to another directory; deleted the xmpses file?)

Report · Mar 07, 2009

The error exactly
is:
PGC "timeline name" has an error at xx:xx:xx:xy internal software error : %0, line timeline name - PGCINFO: name= timeline name, ref=BPGC, time=xx:xx:xx:xy

I used a short DV clip for the tests. Created a new project in Premiere AND Encore for each tests. Used different target drives for the folder builds.

I initially tried renaming the .m2v file prior to importing into Encore. Also tried deleting the XMPES files. I then copied one .m2v file to another PC across the network and imported it into Encore 2 (build failed).

I also experimented with turning off the XMP settings in Preferences>Media. This actually fixed another problem with multiple audio conforming.

I also turned off "Include source XMP Metadata" in the Export Settings window wing menu. This resets itself after every use.

I tried exporting a muxed .mpg file.
I tried muxing AME elementary streams using Tmpeg.

I tried a system restore to a point prior to the first AME update and when things worked fine.

I had one success with importing a CS4 AME muxed .mpg into VideoRedo Plus and exporting a muxed .mpg file and importing into Encore. VideoRedo Plus does not re-render. Examined the imported and exported files in GSpot...no difference. Once in Encore and after a successful build I "Replaced Asset" with the original .mpg from AME and the build failed.

Report · Mar 07, 2009

What is the time=xx:xx:xx:xy? 2 or 3 frames from the end of the timeline? Or some other number?

There are 3 different pgc errors that I put in the category of "false" errors. These are probably not "false" errors, but they defy resolving for those who have them. One is in menus, another timelines, and the third slideshows.

If yours is a timeline error that is not the last few frames, it is probably a "real" error due to some asset problem.

I had one similar asset to the one you are describing, that I could use to create this error from some parts of the asset and not others. But another user did not get the error when he used the clip that consistently would create the error for me.

Your situation is different in that you are saying that multiple assets reliably produce the error as long as they are ame exports.

I pay attention to this, and there is only one other CS4 user who raised the issue of this error, but it was not clear to me that it was one of the pgc errors seen with CS3.

Report · Mar 08, 2009

The error is 2 frames from the end....no slide show and no menus in testing. I can reproduce 100% of the time. CS4 AME/Encore had been working fine for a month or so.
I tried many different formats of files to encode.
I get the same error if I import the CS4 .m2v into Encore CS3 and even in Encore 2 on another computer.
I cannot reinstall until next week.
One of my workarounds is to export a muxed file from AME and do a "save as" using VideoRedo Plus. This takes just a couple of minutes and works fine.
Thanks for your interest, I love a good mystery, but this one looks like it needs a programmer to read the header files.

Report · Mar 10, 2009

I also having PGC error. Specifically, PCG "file.avi " has an error at 3050.3139s. The aspect ratio of this file is not supported by DVD. - PGC info: name = file.avi , ref = Dpgc, time = 3050.3139s.

I have imported a slideshow in .avi and a the main video in .avi. Both were edited and exported in premiere cs3.

3050.3139 = 50:50 which is where my slideshow starts. I havent figured it out to the exact frame.

My slideshow.avi pixel aspect ratio is .9 and my main avi file is 1.2.
Not sure if this is a problem? I tried to "interpret footage" for slideshow to be 1.2... but no luck.

Anyone?

Report · Mar 10, 2009

I have not dealt with the slideshow version of the pgc error. Some users reported finding bad pix to improve it, but only in some cases. Search these forums for slideshow.

However, the "aspect ratio not supported" message does not ring a bell.

Report · Mar 11, 2009

Update!

Jeff asked me if I could export a dv.avi from AME and then have Encore transcode and that worked! Just for grins I then exported the same as .m2v from AME and that worked!! And things have worked well since.

The only odd thing I noticed was that the default audio choice had changed and made me a .wav instead of Dolby. Is that a clue?

Report · Apr 25, 2009

Hi,

Yesterday, it took 12 hours straight for me to get out of this error.

Original files were in wmv format.

1. I let Encore do transcoding, many files had this error.

2. I encoded all files in Premiere, only audio transcoding in Encore, now only one of the files had this error, but it stayed no matter how I tried to change the encoding settings and such.

3. Lastly for this one file, I rendered it first as a TIF-sequence, then encoded the sequence in Premiere with same settings than before, Encore transcoded the audio only, DVD build finally worked.

I'm amazed that wmv to m2v/m2a conversion transfers something that is faulty in the wmv file, Only raw image sequence got rid of it. Or then I made something other very minor thing differently that makes the difference, but really can't think of anything what it could be.

Report · Apr 25, 2009

I do not think that anyone would likely recommend Importing WMV files into Encore.

Since you are working on this material in Premiere, your best choices are DVD spec MPEG-2 elemental stream with the appropriate Audio elemental stream, with the Transcoding taken into consideration, and DV-AVI Type II elemental stream with the appropriate Audio elemental stream, letting Encore do the Transcoding.

Was there a particular reason why you were looking to heavily compress to WMV (a streaming delivery format) and then doing an MPEG-2 compression to DVD?

Just curious.

Hunt

Report · Apr 25, 2009

Hi Hunt!

The files were some pretty low resolution, old, files that our client wanted to have on dvd. I think the files had gone through one conversion already, then once more to wmv and those then came to me.

Quality was pretty bad, but was still ok for the purposes the dvd was made for, so all ok now.

- Hannu

Report · May 05, 2009

I understand. Often we get handed all sorts of Assets to work with. Thanks for filling in the blanks in my mind.

Good luck,

Hunt

Report · Jun 20, 2009

I've gotten some solution for this problem I think allitle, I had a hugh DVD project and got this error too. It was 3 slideshows built in Encore and I video rendered in PP CS3. I had Dissolve as the transaction between each slide and I had transaction on each button rendered in PP CS3. I even had the background motion menu on it in WMV file. First time got the error, so erased the video from the project, got the error, erased the transactions on the buttons, got the error, erased the motion menu WMV file, got the error, took the dissolve for ALL the slideshows and OH MY GOD it worked. This is my experience with this problem so far, will update if I figure out how to get the video on the same disc. Just thought that I would share my experince and hope this helps anyone out there. At least I can create slideshow DVD's now, but would love to add video to the same disc.

Report · Mar 29, 2010

I am putting together a slideshow that contains 120 slides and audio. Encore CS4 is great because I can do an exact timeline to a fraction of a second. But when I build and burn a DVD is receive a message saying:

PGC "...Timeline" has an error at 0.0000s. PGC error - PGC Info: name = ....Timeline, ref = Bpgc, time = 0.0000s

Any help would be most grateful!

Report · Mar 29, 2010

Ninety-nine slides/images is the limit in Encore's SlideShow. How do things work, if you stay within those limits?

If you need more images in one SlideShow, you can use PrPro, or maybe ProShow Gold, or their Producer. Encore's SlideShow feature is rudimentary, at best.

Good luck,

Hunt

Report · Apr 04, 2010

I have used hundred of slides in a DVD. You just have to do multiple slideshows, 99 per each.

For DVD's, have not find an issue. BUT, for BR, after a few hundred it fails, and I have yet to find root cause after multiple projects hit the same issue.

Report · Aug 28, 2010

Thank you!! I will try this and hope for the best.

Kirk

Report · May 17, 2011

Error: I received same error in Encore cs5 ( premiere pro cs5 sequence was sent to encore via dynamic link). The error occured at "1.0677s". The file was 2 hours 25 minutes long.

Solution: It turns out the problem was that I had a few seconds of "black" or empty space at the beginning of the timeline. Removing this blank space cured the problem.

Report · May 19, 2011

Welcome to the forum.

Glad that you got things sorted out. I had not read of the old PGC error, since CS3 was replaced. With a Video gap, the more common error is "Failure to Return Frame... " or similar syntax. Maybe because it came at the beginning, Encore threw the "PGC" error, or maybe the Sonic AuthorCore module got it wrong, and Encore just guessed. That has happened before.

Regardless, thank you for both reporting the error in CS5, and also sharing the cause and repair. Had you not posted, I would just have pointed the CS5 user to this old, and rather long thread, with no really good resolution in CS3. Now, there is another possibility.

Thanks,

Hunt

Report · May 19, 2011

Appreciate the comment. As a 75 year old retired neurologist turned video producer, I'm wired to diagnose and then treat~~which is a bit easier to do in a digital world as opposed to a medical (analog) world~~altho it's tough to be effective in either one. . .

Howard

Report · May 19, 2011

A few PGC errors have been reported in CS5 (and CS4), but a) they generally have a bit different syntax (they add info) and b) they are "real" errors - meaning they point to a specific problem, such as the blank space here. The persistent PGC errors in CS3 never had solutions (or identified causes) but had a variety of workarounds. As illustrated by this thread, there were actually differnt PGC variants - timelines, slideshows, and motion menus.

Report · May 20, 2011

Stanley,

Thank you for that update. I guess that I just missed those, or forgot about them.

Appreciated,

Hunt