Trying to use Huffyuv

[egov]

Hi!
I am trying to capture full trame video with Huffyuv in Windows 98 with a system PIII 800MHz, 256MB RAM on a ATA100 7200rpm Maxtor using VirtualDub and G200 Matrox Marvel. I followed all steps in FAQ33 from the Matrox forum.

The lost is like 20% or more frames. I must be doing something wrong. I was never able to get to the http://www.math.berkeley.edu/~benrg/huffyuv-config.png menu. Please, help.

[Dr Mordrid]

The HuffYUV options can be found (if its properly installed) in the Video/Compression menu. Select HuffYUV and then click the Configure button. I usually use Predict Left.

AVI_IO works better for HuffYUV captures due to its lower overhead.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 16 January 2001).]

[Hulk]

I'm going to have to agree with Dr Mordrid on this one.

You're going to have a tough time capturing huffyuv with Virtual Dub.

Use avi_io.

Also, make sure DMA is enabled on your video capture drive. Control Panel>System>Device Manager>Disk Drives

You're system should be plenty fast for huffyuv using avi_io.

[egov]

The only configure menu I could get is http://server3002.freeyellow.com/statii/huffyuv.gif

[egov]

I tried everything. Followed the instructions from "Marvel & Morgan Codec Problems......Desperately in need of help!". The drop rate is about 50% :-(

[egov]

ok, here's the last achievement. Some times it captures 52 frames without a single drop, then stops and says "The actual framerate is higher than the one you requested! Your hardware/software does not support your requested framerate!.." I tried with different frame rates: 27.970, 29.97, 30, 25 with the same effect. Only one time it passed the 52 frames and continued. Another time it would not start the capture at all.

[Dr Mordrid]

egov;

That looks like the properties sheet from an earlier version of HuffYUV, not v. 2.1.1.

Speculation:

The HuffYUV website design is a bit weak. To get the latest version you have to click the link "pre-built DLL", not one of the two version links below that. Those are outdated. Try downloading from the above link and reinstall it.

Also confirm that you are using Matrox Video Tools (PC-VCR) version 1.52. Version 1.54's YUY2 function is broken and WILL cause 50% frame drops every time when capturing YUY2, HuffYUV or any other alternate codec.

Dr. Mordrid



[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 16 January 2001).]

[egov]

How can I DOWNGRADE the tools? I have installed the latest ones.

[hapz]

Doc,

I took your advise and downgraded from 1.54 to 1.52, applied the patch, and I was in business

At least partially. The file I captured with AVI_IO and Huff does not play smoothly at all in Windows Media Player. Actually it is terrible. So something must be still wrong, but what?

By the way, with 1.54 I could not get any audio from my audio tape deck in AVI_IO ( and in Media Studio video capture). With 1.52 I get audio in AVI_IO (but still not in Media Studio).



------------------
Harald

[Dr Mordrid]

I use it for lossless editing before feeding the resultant clips to another codec (MPEG-1/2/4 etc.) that's better suited for playback.

This eliminates recompression errors when adding effects, a major weakness when using codecs like MJPeg. It also makes it easier to create high quality MPEG's at low or variable bitrates.

My usual output format these days: 2400-7000 kbps MPEG-2.

When using full frame sizes HuffYUV is not really a playback format unless you have a RAID array with very fast drives and an equally fat CPU.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 20 January 2001).]

[hapz]

Well, my array benchmarked at >34MB/sec. But my processor is only 667MHz. Do you think that this is the reason?

------------------
Harald

[Dr Mordrid]

667mhz? Could be. What kind of CPU/mainboard/memory are you running?

It takes CPU/mainboard heat to pull off realtime playback of HuffYUV, not just a fast array. I'm runing the Asus P3B-F, with a PIII/850. Very fast indeed when it comes to software encoding/decoding.

Dr. Mordrid

[hapz]

My mobo is Intel 840 based (Supermicro PIIIDR3) with 256 Rambus (400MHz) and 133MHz FSB. Should be fast enough

------------------
Harald

[egov]

OK, here's the latest update:

downgraded the video tools, updated the sound card drivers, followed the FAQ#33 instructions (http://www.matrox.com/mga/support/faq/subject_faq/video4.cfm#33 ), hacker the YUY2 and now I am able to capture full frame using Huffyuv with no dropped frames. The only problem is the audio, that sounds chopped and distorted, no mather what frame rate or audio rate I choose. Hear it yourself: http://members.nbci.com/worldwinner1/test.avi
My machine is PIII800/256MB RAM/ATA100 40Gb Maxtor/Matrox Marvel G200 TV

PLEASE HELP!