Serato Video General Discussion

Talk about Serato Video and Video-SL.

VSL1.1 first report

Millz 4:31 PM - 25 February, 2009
I have an Asus Rampage Forumula LGA 775 x48 board with an Intel quad core 2.66 Q9400 and 8gb of Kingston Hyper X ram. I am using onboard sound and an Asus GeForece 9500GT 512 vid card. I am using a front mounted USB Hub between the computer and the SL-1 box. I have almost no problems as to performance issues. The 4 processors run at about 60% to peaking at 80% running VSL1.1. Ram useage is anywhere from 2gb upwards towards 4gb at peak. In VSL1.1 video settings, I have the buffer all the way to the right (2gb) and quality at best. In SSL, USB buffer is at 5 (any lower and i get distortion), screen refresh rate is all the way to the right at 60, and my audio cache is set at 60. I am using Vista Home Premium 64 bit, and it was not optimized for SSL/VSL (its my production computer), so there were Firefox tabs open, Vegas and Acid were both open, Audition was open, 3 different messingers, etcetc...

I have been noticing that the output window acts a bit buggy, as to say when I test it on my dual monitors, it goes exactly where it is supposed to go (extended desktop), but when I hook up my projector or output it to my 42 inch LCD (both HDMI in/out), it takes 4 - 6 MANUAL drag/drop attempts before it goes where it is supposed to go (also setup as extended desktop). Sometimes when this happens, the VSL box will turn grey, and I can not see any of VSL on my screen, but the videos still play on extended desktop. When this happens, I am forced to shut down SSL and restart the program.

I also noticed that if you let the mp4(video) keep playing (after the track/video is at the end), it will jump back to the beginning of the video, with no audio, and it seems to be scrolling thru the video 2x as fast. The track pointer is still pointing at the end of the track in the display. This was tested using Absolute mode with Pioneer CDJ 1000mk3's hooked up.

Also on almost all of the Crossfading EFX, I am getting a "green vertical line". Its not always in the same location, and its not every time, but its always vertical.

As I stated before, I am having a minor lag issue on this setup with certain vegas produced video remixes/edits. After some calculations, the video is about 4 - 8 frames behind on these certain video remixes/edits. I tested these same edits with Virtual DJ, and had no issues. I also tested some Promo Only, Rock America and even a "Best Of Bob Marley" Dvd (vob to mp4 conversion using Mediacoder/latest build with Mizu's Serato Profile 2) ripped videos and they seem to be about 1-2 frames behind (but it is not very noticable).

As A Swift stated, I too have noticed the playing deck jump a few frames when loading a new mp4 into the non playing deck. The video jumps, but not the audio. Its minor and happens 9 out of 10 times.

I am using a Pioneer DJM 800 and the M Audio Uno USB to MIDI. I have had zero issues mapping the MIDI. Assigned crossfader and both channel faders, and it worked the very first time, every time.

I will be testing thru-out today, and report anything else that I have not posted in this post.
D-Twizzle 4:48 PM - 25 February, 2009
wrong forum
skinnyguy 7:10 PM - 25 February, 2009
showoff =P
eye357 8:05 PM - 25 February, 2009
bastard!!!!!!!
nemix 8:22 PM - 25 February, 2009
lol
cmcknite 8:25 PM - 25 February, 2009
How do I gain access to the 1.1 beta forum? I got 2 machines ready to test on!!
VJ Justin Allen 8:50 PM - 25 February, 2009
Wow, I didn't get picked for the best testing?
Millz 8:53 PM - 25 February, 2009
Neither did I. Well I did, but didnt?
itchie 10:16 PM - 25 February, 2009
1st rule of FightClub...
DJ-Phat-AL 10:26 PM - 25 February, 2009
Quote:
1st rule of FightClub...


+1
matt212 10:59 PM - 25 February, 2009
note to self...never rob a bank with Millz. lol
PopRoXxX 11:10 PM - 25 February, 2009
Attn Serato Moderators & Rane Support:

If you're looking for more testers. Send it on my way!

Dell XPS
Windows Vista 32-Bit
4GB RAM
Intel Core Duo 3GHz
NVIDIA 9600 GTX 512MB
750GB Hard Drive
1TB External Hard Drive (Firewire)

Toshiba P305D-S8818
Windows Vista Premium 32-Bit
4GB RAM
AMD Turion 64 X2 2.1GHz Dual Core
ATI Radeon Mobility X1250 (Chipset)
250GB Hard Drive
1TB External Hard Drive (Firewire)

Ready to test!
VJ Justin Allen 11:10 PM - 25 February, 2009
I guess I'm just not part of the "in" crowd.
skinnyguy 11:55 PM - 25 February, 2009
don't worry justin, you're not alone.
djcrap 2:48 AM - 26 February, 2009
+1
Joshua Carl 3:56 AM - 26 February, 2009
Curious.
whats "Mizu's Serato Profile 2"

i went back and forth with the mediacoder people coming up with what we seemed to think was an Ideal Setup:

To: MP4

Container: MP4
Video Codec(Format): H.264
Bitrate: 3500 kb/s
Audio Codec(Encoder): FAAC/AAC
Audio Bitrate: 160 kb/s
Many other settings

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<MediaCoderPrefs><node key="overall.ui.mode" value="Advanced"/><node key="overall.ui.optionTab" value="5"/><node key="overall.ui.param" value="807,713,876,216"/><node key="overall.ui.noWelcome" value="4106"/><node key="overall.task.destdir" value="D:\Temp\"/><node key="overall.task.tempdir" value="D:\Media\"/><node key="overall.audio.source" value="FFmpeg"/><node key="overall.audio.encoder" value="FAAC"/><node key="overall.video.mode" value="Two-Pass"/><node key="overall.video.bitrate" value="3500"/><node key="overall.video.quality" value="100"/><node key="overall.video.source" value="FFmpeg"/><node key="overall.video.encoder" value="x264"/><node key="overall.preview.render" value="false"/><node key="audioenc.faac.mode" value="Bitrate"/><node key="audioenc.faac.bitrate" value="160"/><node key="videoenc.x264.profile" value="Baseline"/><node key="videoenc.x264.level" value="30"/><node key="videoenc.x264.keyint" value="12"/><node key="videoenc.x264.keyint_min" value="12"/><node key="videoenc.mencoder.options" value="-deinterlace"/><node key="videoenc.ffmpeg.keyint" value="12"/><node key="videoenc.ffmpeg.options" value="-deinterlace"/><node key="audiofilter.resample.samplerate" value="48000"/><node key="audiofilter.volume.clipping" value="true"/><node key="videofilter.scale.enabled" value="true"/><node key="videofilter.scale.width" value="640"/><node key="videofilter.scale.height" value="480"/><node key="videofilter.frame.fps" value="30000"/><node key="videofilter.frame.fpsScale" value="1001"/><node key="videofilter.eq.contrast" value="60"/><node key="videofilter.eq.saturation" value="120"/><node key="videofilter.postproc.deint" value="YADIF mode 0"/></MediaCoderPrefs>
Millz 4:53 PM - 26 February, 2009
Do you have a profile XML file for that? Ive been doing encoding tests all morning
Joshua Carl 6:34 PM - 26 February, 2009
here ya go
rapidshare.com

id be intrerested to see how it matches up.

I know it performs well.
dj lad 7:36 PM - 26 February, 2009
Josh, I wouldn't use that FAAC/AAC encoder for the audio since you're only getting 160 kbps sound. You can use the Nero Encoder to get up to 320.
Millz 7:38 PM - 26 February, 2009
Lad, can you send me that nero encoder? And thank you Joshua.
Joshua Carl 9:06 PM - 26 February, 2009
Oooooooooooh, shit...I totally forgot to mention that one I uploaded back in like december...since then I have changed the setting to 320.
(in media coder goto audio, slide bar to 320)

thanks for reminding me.
(sadly a good handful of the music video I had were all 192, so you can only polish tird so much.... but going forward I stick at 320)
Millz 9:31 PM - 26 February, 2009
In my mediacoder, it only goes to 256.
Joshua Carl 9:48 PM - 26 February, 2009
You are totally correct, I dont know how I convinced myself I was at 320, maybe I was in the Nero encoder tab.

Then I did some digging...

serato.com
Shaun from rane says the AAC 160 is the same as a 320 mp3

and I thought they "preffered" AAC audio in their containers...
Joshua Carl 9:50 PM - 26 February, 2009
even though now I have it at AAC 256....cant hurt, Im just wondering how much it might slow down conversion times
Millz 11:07 PM - 26 February, 2009
well, I have noticed some SOUND QUALITY issues with mediacoder. ONLY at the beginning of video tracks. Pops, pink noises. At least 1 out of 10 has this issue. my settings were @ 256 ACC. Anyone else have this issue? If your going to test, try testing on an extended video mix and (please) let me know your results.
Millz 11:11 PM - 26 February, 2009
like withing the first 5 seconds...bass hits with pink noise the length of the bass hit sample, first beat of a video mix being doubled, etc.
Joshua Carl 11:17 PM - 26 February, 2009
hmm... I had been at 160 I think...I thought I had kicked it up.

but I certainly dont experience any of that...
most videos have a -2 second blank intro...so I wouldnt see it there.
and I have some LONGER ones (like 3x blends megamixes (Usually around 8/9 minutes) and I looked, I didnt notice anything...

maybe thats becuase of 256? I dont know.

how far into the songs is this happening?
Millz 11:23 PM - 26 February, 2009
from 0 up to 5 seconds. I know its not my mixes (mpeg2) cause they all work fine, but some are coming out of mediacoder mp4 with those pops/pink noises. The audio is @ 256.
Millz 11:24 PM - 26 February, 2009
Maybe i can make a video of it with my camera and upload it so you guys can see what im talking about. Give me a few momentos
Millz 11:38 PM - 26 February, 2009
www.mediafire.com

I think that link will work, its 11mb so it should not take long to download.
Joshua Carl 11:47 PM - 26 February, 2009
wow... that is messed up.

def gotta be something in the coding,
seeing how you went through the trouble of posting a link and a vid, Id go post it here:
forum.mediacoderhq.com

the guys on mediacoder's forums were very helpful to me when I first started coding.

heres a few ideas
*but, maybe just try kicking it down to 160aac, see what happens
*was it a batch convert, or just 1 file..try one file.
try the nero @ 320, see what happneds, that way you can narrow it down to the aac if thats the case...
Millz 11:49 PM - 26 February, 2009
can u send me a link to the nero 320?
Millz 11:50 PM - 26 February, 2009
it was done with a batch.
Millz 11:53 PM - 26 February, 2009
Ive come to the conclusion that Im going to acually delete about 2tb of encoded vids and re incode them (thanks mizu). But I wanna make sure the audio is going to be right be4 I start this 2 week process over again....
Joshua Carl 12:20 AM - 27 February, 2009
The nero encoder is the next tab on the "audio" section of mediacoder.

unless you are talking about a whole separate application
FunkyRob 2:09 AM - 27 February, 2009
I'd love to be a tester too.

I already bought the plugin, just waiting for the update.
Joshua Carl 3:05 AM - 27 February, 2009
Rob, the next batch of testing will be registered owners of the VSL plugin.

2.Owner-only Public Beta
This will be publicly accessible and linked from the Video-SL general discussion area but to join the group you'll need to already be an owner of Video-SL.
Those involved in this stage will need to have a serial number registered against their name."

it cant be too long now
DJ MV 3:15 AM - 27 February, 2009
sweet
skinnyguy 5:23 AM - 27 February, 2009
ooh...guess i should register mine...
nemix 6:22 AM - 27 February, 2009
just did mine a few days ago hoping id get that invite soon lol
Millz 2:23 PM - 27 February, 2009
Joshua,

I am going to be running some encoding tests here today with the Nero encoder @ 320. Ill keep you posted on the results.
Millz 2:25 PM - 27 February, 2009
Does anyone that uses MediaCoder...Have you ever chose or clicked DeBlocking Horizontal and Vertical?
Millz 2:37 PM - 27 February, 2009
Im definitly getting better looking videos with deblocking on both horizontal and vertical (viewing thru quicktime) in mediacoder.
Joshua Carl 9:39 PM - 4 March, 2009
Quote:
Im definitly getting better looking videos with deblocking on both horizontal and vertical (viewing thru quicktime) in mediacoder.



hows that working for ya?

is it effecting playback or anything? my playback is money.
but Im still trying to get the quality up even MORE.
Im on the fence on clicking those.
Millz 2:16 AM - 5 March, 2009
I gave up on mediacoder. Its causing audio artifacts on the first beat of 90% of my mixes.
Joshua Carl 2:34 AM - 5 March, 2009
what cha using now?
Millz 2:35 AM - 5 March, 2009
TMPGEnc 4.0X-press. It seems to be working, but there are alot of settings Ive been messing with. Im getting perfect audio quality, but im tryin to get the video quality up. Im not having any issues with interlacing, but im having a few issues with motion bleeding (if that makes sense)?
Joshua Carl 3:16 AM - 5 March, 2009
keep me posted man...Im always looking for the best solution
Millz 3:27 AM - 5 March, 2009
I wish vsl supported mpeg2
Funkytownstopsix 5:21 AM - 5 March, 2009
Mpeg2 could be good but bad as well. Good as no converting and videos look as they came,,,,,,,,bad becasue of the space needed 500gig laptop drive wont hold shit...So Mp4 is a good thing only if you can get good videos. I have been using mediacoder for the past year never had any problems and now I will have to try deblocking ver and hor next batch that I encode....
dj lad 8:11 AM - 5 March, 2009
Millz, that was happening to me too - the problem was normalizing the audio - that's what was causing it.
Millz 11:04 AM - 5 March, 2009
what did u do to correct it?
dj lad 9:05 PM - 5 March, 2009
I had to re-encode videos that I had chosen to normalize. Normalize the audio in MP3 Gain, then remux it.