RENDER PROBLEM - AME and Premiere Pro CC causing random horizontal lines on H.264 Renders

[JesseSchluntz]

I just got the new mac pro with freshly installed, up to date software, so of course something isn't working right...

When exporting batches of H.264s from Premiere Pro CC using AME, I get random horizontal lines on screen for most videos. (see below image for a clear example of one of these random horizontal bugs. the line below the logo is the issue)

Tried restarting the app a few times, which gave me a clean render here and there, but mostly the issue persists and it's taking me forever to produce clean renders. I notice this problem less when exporting straight from the timeline in Premiere Pro, but alas it still happens.

This random issue is catastrophic for my workflow. Help?!

[Text formatting corrected.  Please type your posts directly into the forums, as copy/paste often leaves unwanted code throughout.]

Message was edited by: Jim Simon

[Boru]

Hi Jesse,

I am happy to sign the letter.  And it is nice that Kevin is going to help.

[Derjis]

JesseSchluntz wrote:

If this issue haunts me again, my local Apple Store has agreed to arrange a new computer. if this does not happen again, I'm going to be calling on every Premiere Pro editor who's been dealing with this issue to sign a letter I'll draft to Adobe and Apple demanding, as their customers, to figure out this issue immediately. I'll use this thread to reach out if things come to that.

We haven't had any issues (with this particular glitch, anyway...) since the 10.9.4 update, but I will happily sign that letter. Anything to try and get Adobe to do more extensive beta testing, rather than just rushing out bug-filled updates!

[Boru]

Yup, they are back.  Horizontal white lines are back in my renders.  And as you know we are all always on tight deadlines. 

Come on, please take us seriously and fix this problem.  Jesse, time for the letter.

[RonniePedra]

Same horizontal lines artifacts in my h264 renders. My hardware is a Mac Pro 6 Core with the AMD D700 😕
Running OSX 10.10 Yosemite and Premiere Pro CC 2014 v8.1

[Doooh]

Having the same issue. How can this take almost a year to figure out ?

[Doooh]

I'm on 10.9.5 and been running Premiere CC 2014 (latest update) fine for about a month, but yesterday it started to show the lines on all exports from a project that had no issues before. Turning to software only render removes the lines, but why do I have to use a slower rendering ?

Specs:

3 GHz-8Core Intel Xeon E5

64 GB DDR3 RAM

AMD Firepro 700D

Software OS X 10.9.5 (13F34)

Bought 2 months ago.

[Boru]

It has been a while since I posted, all has been well.  Then today while being on a tight deadline as we all are at times I am getting one big horizontal line popping up in the lower left of the frame on 50% of the clips.  But here is the weird part.  It is not in my render, it is on my timeline.  I have been through this timeline 10-12 times while setting it up and it just started. 

As we are seeing this is not just an Apple problem since PC's are having the problem also.  This is a bug in the Adobe code.  I agree we should all get together and see what Adobe will do for us.  If I do not pay my monthly fee I loose my projects which is understandable.  But now that the software again is costing me time and money who suffers?  Me, not adobe.  And how the hell do I fix it on the timeline?

Kevin, I always appreciate you responding to our input and I would never want your job.  But Adobe needs to take responsibility and solve this problem. 

Frustrated and not very happy Adobe paying customer.

[EditorPete]

Boru,

I have seen this before as well....I usually do a full restart of the computer and sometimes the lines go away. If not, make a new project and import the said sequence into the new project and see if that does the trick.

Not that this makes it OK for Adobe to ignore this ongoing issue!!!

Pete

[Boru]

Pete,

Thanks for the response, working on options now.  Hope it is as easy as you say.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Boru,

Boru wrote:

Then today while being on a tight deadline as we all are at times I am getting one big horizontal line popping up in the lower left of the frame on 50% of the clips.  But here is the weird part.  It is not in my render, it is on my timeline.  I have been through this timeline 10-12 times while setting it up and it just started.

Sorry to hear that. However, if they are not the same kind of "horizontal lines" and they are on playback and not on export, this is a separate issue. I'm sorry that this is occurring to you. It sounds like you are having issues with the GPU. What happens if you go into Software Only mode for the Mercury Playback Engine? Does it go away?

Boru wrote:

As we are seeing this is not just an Apple problem since PC's are having the problem also.  This is a bug in the Adobe code. 

Please file a bug report if you have time: http://adobe.ly/ReportBug I will make sure that engineering knows about this issue.

Boru wrote:

I agree we should all get together and see what Adobe will do for us.  If I do not pay my monthly fee I loose my projects which is understandable.  But now that the software again is costing me time and money who suffers?  Me, not adobe.  And how the hell do I fix it on the timeline?

This is the first I have heard of this issue and will add it to my list. If you think you deserve a refund for time lost, then contact support and see if they can get you a credit: Contact Customer Care. In the mean time, it looks like EditorPete has a workaround. I hope that will be OK for now.

Since this is a totally different issue, feel free to start a new thread so that we don't lose the primary focus of this thread.

Thanks,
Kevin

[JesseSchluntz]

Regarding post 476 by @Boru ,

Kevin Monahan , I experienced horizontal lines on rendered video, but often also on rendered footage played in the timeline. And I had variations of these lines. They weren't always the same. It all had to do with rendering, and the two problems were definitely linked. I suggest you read my original posts, as it's all there. This thread has become so long that don't have the time or energy to hunt down all my old entries.

The update on my end since they replaced my logic board & ram is smooth sailing so far. But again, I won't count my chickens yet. There are guys on this thread, including myself, who've had their issue "fixed" after various methods were employed, including hardware replacement like brand new graphics cards (I have my hand raised as I write), only to have the problem start up again.

jesse

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Doooh,

Doooh wrote:

I'm on 10.9.5 and been running Premiere CC 2014 (latest update) fine for about a month, but yesterday it started to show the lines on all exports from a project that had no issues before. Turning to software only render removes the lines, but why do I have to use a slower rendering ?

Specs:

3 GHz-8Core Intel Xeon E5

64 GB DDR3 RAM

AMD Firepro 700D

Software OS X 10.9.5 (13F34)

Bought 2 months ago.

That is strange, since the issue had been fixed with the release of OS X 10.9.4. I have not seen anyone with the issue on OS X 10.9.5 yet. Is this from a brand new Premiere Pro CC 2014.1 (8.1) project or one you updated from Premiere Pro CC 2014 (8.0.1)? If it is an updated project file, please try a test with a brand new Premiere Pro CC 2014.1 (8.1) project.

Thanks,

Kevin

[kresh333]

Hello

I am experience same problem (horizontal lines) in Resolve.

I noticed that my mac pro gets really hot and warmer it gets lines and glitches are more prevalent.

For a past few days I been running mac with a bags of ice around it. which seems to help but computer still gets warm inside and at one point lines are back

Currently I am having computer with “geniuses” at apple store and after some arguing i manage to get them to replace D700 graphic cards, as apparently that helped to some on Resolve forums.

All the best!

[kresh333]

I updated to Yosemite, and got new D700graphic cards, no lines but now I got flickering between video frame and black frame. It works fine in begining but as soon as machine gets hot things start to happen. Interestingly when working on FCPX computer in almost cooL. While on resolve I could probably prepare some hard boiled eggs on a top of it. I believe that softwares are just not able to use computer properly. Incompatible they are. OR maybe it is apple that screwing competition.

[BlueErik]

Got the new MacPro about two months ago, and it was OS 10.9.5, with the horizontal lines showing up on some exports, and at random points in the export. It wouldn't show up in the same place twice. It also wasn't showing up in the shorter sequences. I had it show up in a project converted from an older project and from a new project. It continues to show up in Yosemite (10.10.1). I had it not show up in a 6 minute sequence with multi-cam, then did color correction, and it started showing up. This was a new project. It's inconsistent, and is sometimes really bad, and sometimes really minor, but either way it's a problem and I can't trust it. This is all using the H.264 mp4 settings (HD720p, 29.97). My work-around for now is to use my older machine, which is a retina mac. But I'd also like to know how to fix this. Per Kevin's request, I submit a bug report just before writing this.

Mac Pro (Late 2013)

OS 10.10.1

Processor: 3 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon E5

Memory: 32 GB 1866 MHz DDR3 ECC

Graphics: AMD FirePro D700 6144 MB

Premiere Pro: 8.0.1

[JesseSchluntz]

Kevin Monahan just pointing out another user who's having these issues post 10.9.4 above (post 486). As stated in my earlier post (484), the evidence doesn't point to the Mac OS updates being a fix for this.

[EditorPete]

This may be a shot in the dark, but my brain hurts trying to think of why this issue is still occurring as well. I still get renders that are bad or previewing right out of PrP sometimes, but not all the time. The one thing no one has discussed (at least I don't remember) is the size and brand monitors we are using when this occurs. Could this be why some are having problems and some are not??? The monitors are driven by the AMD processors. It doesn't explain the render problems really, but maybe a link somehow? Kevin Monahan is this possible?

My dual monitors are DELL 3007WFP, 2560x1600 attached with Apple's Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapters. Maybe the Dual Link DVI adapters are the culprit?

Just trying to think of everything that might possibly be a common reason why some of us are still having issues and some are not.

Pete

[Boru]

Pete,

I had the same thought in Sept and tried a bunch of different monitors.  Dell 24", Dell 27" Samsung 27" and LG 34", HDMI to 42" HDTV and it showed on all of them. I really think it is PP and OS just not getting along all the time.  And the more effects I have the more problems I have .

[Derjis]

I'm not exactly the most technical guy in the world, but, to me, the (seeming?) absence of this problem on every platform but the new MacPros points to a hardware issue, no? Or possibly some kind of HW/SW compatibility issue? AFAIK, the AMD DXXX line of GFX cards are only used in the 2013+ MacPros. Defective HW would also explain why the rendering issue shows up for some people, but not others, and why it's persisted through several OS iterations. It seems clear that there was a bug in OSX 10.9.3 that caused a rendering glitch, but maybe the post 10.9.4 rendering glitch that people are seeing is unrelated to the 10.9.3 OSX glitch?

I'd raised this possibility a while ago, so I apologize for repeating myself, but a heat-dissipation issue might explain things --- the trashcan design can't keep the video cards cool enough, so when they're under load (ie. during render, or playback, depending on the content being played), they heat up, components expand, things start to futz up. The lack of glitches when going software-only would also be explained by this, since the GFX cards are being completely bypassed. This would also explain why people are seeing similar problems in Resolve. It wouldn't explain the lack of issues in FCPX, unless FCPX is capable of using the video cards more efficiently than 3rd party programs, or unless FCPX is primarily reliant on the CPU for rendering.

Dunno, just throwing stuff out there.

[kresh333]

I think heat is issue too, but rather then design of Mac it is how Adobe or Resolve use graphic cards. I used FCPX all day and my Mac is cool.

with DaVinchi it gets so hot in 30 min.

[JesseSchluntz]

I started this thread because these problems began with my new Mac Pro when my graphics cards were enabled. The only other person I know (an Australian editor) who had similar issues experienced them when he got his new Mac Pro as well. The issue's common thread is the New Mac Pro and use of GFX cards during render in both the timeline and exporting video. I've had 3 major service appointments. When my D700s were replaced, everything worked for a week, then the lines returned but were a different color. When my logic board was recently replaced, the lines again went away and have stayed away for almost a month.

Despite attempted fixes via OS updates, this is OBVIOUSLY an issue with the new Mac Pro, and OBVIOUSLY NOT a software issue. What drives all of us crazy who have dealt with it is the lack of definitive answers from the makers of the hardware & software, who really need to get their hands on a tower that is CURRENTLY SHOWING SYMPTOMS so they can diagnose and nail down the issue.

After all these months, my solution is simply this: Apple and Adobe need to reach out to one of us who is CURRENTLY SHOWING SYMPTOMS THAT ARE EASILY REPRODUCIBLE, arrange for that tower to be shipped to them for analysis, and provide a replacement tower in the meantime. This and only this will provide Adobe & Apple with the ability to permanently fix this issue. This fact CANNOT BE DEBATED.

Unfortunately, this most likely will not happen because not enough of us are having the issue, and until Adobe & Apple can feel this problem in their pocketbooks like we do, there will not be sufficient will on their end to team up & properly fix it.

Kevin Monahan, THIS is the kind of real help we would really, really appreciate you working with Adobe to enact. If I hear one more "try this method" from any well intentioned people on this thread, I'm gonna puke because nothing software-based, unless it somehow permanently affects the hardware performance of the new Mac Pro, will fix this issue. It's DESIGN FLAW. The issue is NOT BEING SOLVED, period, so let's freaking fix it and stop flapping about it on a now 13 page forum...

CAPS mean I'm really really serious

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Jesse,

JesseSchluntz wrote:

After all these months, my solution is simply this: Apple and Adobe need to reach out to one of us who is CURRENTLY SHOWING SYMPTOMS THAT ARE EASILY REPRODUCIBLE, arrange for that tower to be shipped to them for analysis, and provide a replacement tower in the meantime. This and only this will provide Adobe & Apple with the ability to permanently fix this issue. This fact CANNOT BE DEBATED.

Unfortunately, this most likely will not happen because not enough of us are having the issue, and until Adobe & Apple can feel this problem in their pocketbooks like we do, there will not be sufficient will on their end to team up & properly fix it.

Kevin Monahan, THIS is the kind of real help we would really, really appreciate you working with Adobe to enact. If I hear one more "try this method" from any well intentioned people on this thread, I'm gonna puke because nothing software-based, unless it somehow permanently affects the hardware performance of the new Mac Pro, will fix this issue. It's DESIGN FLAW. The issue is NOT BEING SOLVED, period, so let's freaking fix it and stop flapping about it on a now 13 page forum...

CAPS mean I'm really really serious

I have heard of our team collecting problematic computer systems, hard drives, and media before and I'm sure I could probably facilitate some kind of exchange there, but I'm not sure we have a bunch of new Mac Pros floating around that we could replace it with. Therefore, If anyone on this thread is having issues with their hardware, I would first seek out an Apple service center to have the hardware thoroughly tested to rule out any issues then and there.

Thanks,
Kevin

[JesseSchluntz]

Forgive me Kevin Monahan , but your response is incredibly frustrating given the fact that many of us on this thread have taken out computers to Apple, had our hardware check out as working fine, then dealt with this issue again. In my case every time I took it to Apple it "checked out fine", yet it took multiple calls to senior advisors, 3 appointments and 2 major hardware replacements before it was (for now) solved, and still nobody on either Adobe or Apple's end can tell me what is actually causing this issue. If you read over this thread you'll find multiple users speaking with different techs at Apple, Adobe, and AMD, and we all tend to get different information and varying levels of service. So advising us to take our computer back to Apple so they can tell us it works fine (and losing weeks on our machine in the process) is not good advice.

Kevin, please, I'm asking you to step out of the procedure box for a minute and think logically here.

We need real, proactive, out of the box action to get this done right. If Adobe and Apple work together to fix this issue, it will get fixed, but again, it's a matter of not hitting either of them hard enough in the wallet to get you guys sufficiently motivated. I guess what I'm saying is... I wish you guys and Apple would nut-up, get in contact about this, get your hand on a symptomatic computer and figure it out. But we won't get that at this rate Kevin. We'll get more thread entries by buffoons like me raving about how Adobe is out to get them I guess...

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Jesse,

I'm glad you are no longer experiencing horizontal lines on your exports. It appears that a combination of new hardware and updating your OS helped your situation, so far. I hope that solution continues to work for you.

I'm sorry for those on the thread still experiencing horizontal lines in your exports, but we don't have any current bugs filed on this issue. If you are experiencing this issue, by all means, file a bug: http://adobe.ly/ReportBug so that we can find a reproducible problem to test. If you have not filed a bug, do so now. It would really help.

I appreciate you advocating for others still experiencing this issue. I know that you don't want them to go through all you did just to get your exports working with acceleration again. I wish I could snap my fingers and make the issue simply go away, but without more reproducible cases, our options on getting a fix for these folks is limited.

Thanks,

Kevin

[JesseSchluntz]

Okay Kevin Monahan , So you've confirmed that you are in fact in a box over there and can only do so much. I understand. Can you please point us toward someone who can work outside of that box and proactively address this issue?

Also, my OS never had anything to do with fixing my issue. I had this issue on every Mac OS I've used since getting the new Mac Pro. It was only major hardware replacement that temporarily fixed the problem. I've pointed this out a few times.

thanks Kevin