Avid Quicktime Reference files

[Gunther2019]

Dear Ghtais,

thank you for your answer.
I tried different things without success (manual audio mixdown before the QTref export, export with wave audio / export with aiff-c audio, different bit-depth, different sample rates...).

I also tried different project framerates (1080i50 or 1080i59,94) to check if there is a bug with QTSource working on PAL-area framerates... I am quite convinced that it has to do something with the Custom avi synth script or the QTsource. Because here I have still and ooooold Procoder 3 who still can work with QTref files from avid mediacomposer and when I throw in the same QTref in both machines, the Procoder3 creates a file with correct sound and the ffastrans creates a file with the audio glitch at the end of the file. Even if I playback the original qtref in Quicktime Player or import it back into avid mediacomposer, everything is fine with the audio.

So I copied in here my avid synth script in hope that someone of you can point me to some stupid beginners failure I made there:

# m_clip = The last returned AviSynth media

LoadPlugin("%s_ffastrans_dir%\Processors\AVS_plugins\qtsource\QTSource.dll")
m_clip = QTInput("%s_source%", audio = 2, color = 2)
# Please visit http://avisynth.nl/index.php/QTSource for more info on how to use QTSource.

# The following MUST be the last line of your script
Return m_clip

The checkbox with "set as 64 bit AviSynth" is unchecked, because otherwise the encoder fails with an error like "cannot load a 32bit dll in a 64bit avi synth"

I set color = 2 because otherwise encoding was much slower with nothing there or 1 or 0. But 1 and 0 also create the glitch.
I tried quality = 100 but it didn´t change anything concerning the audio glitch.
I tried audio = 1 and audio = 0 but with 1 it was the same problem and with 0 there was obviously no audio. So also no glitch but that is a bad solution

Any further advise? I run the ffastrans on a win10pro 64bit machine.

Thank you all,
best,
Gunther

[Ghtais]

I have exactly the same script and it works.
Color must be set to "2" to deal with AVID video.

best

[Gunther2019]

Ok, thanks for the info.
I will try to test further, with the x86 version instead of the x64, on a windows7 system....

Could you please post your versions? So which FFastrans-version (x64 or x86), latest patch applied?, which quicktime version, which avid mc version used for creating the QTref.

My setup:
FFastrans version 0.9.4.0
workflow manager 0.9.4.59
workflow processor 0.9.4.35
rest-api service 0.9.4.35
I applied the patch from 21.01.2019

I use FFASTRANS in local mode, x64
Quicktime 7.79.80.95
avid mc 2018.12
windows10 pro x64 (version 1803)

QTref from project 1080i50 with avid codecs checked (same results if avid codecs unchecked), wave (or aiff-c, same results), 48kHz (also 44,1kHz checked, same results), 16 bit (24bit also checked, same results)

The source QTref plays/transcodes fine in procoder 3, quicktime player and also if imported back into avid mediacomposer, no glitch in sound.
The glitch also occurs if I just throw in a wave or any other file into a workflow that contains the custom avisynth script for enabling qtref / QTsource.

Thanks,
Gunther

[Ghtais]

I use last FFtrans version 0.9.4.0 with last patch (but it works with earlier version) in local mode
Windows 7 pro 64 bits
tested media composer 8.5.5 / 2018.1 / 2018.11
Quicktime 7.76.80.95
Project 1080i50

attached is my h264 setup processor

[Gunther2019]

Dear Ghtais,

thank you for your system specs, that helped me to narrow down the source of evil...

Tried older Quicktime version -> same results, audio glitch. I couldn´t get my hands on a genuine QT 7.76.80.95 version but I checked with 7.78.80.95 and after that with 7.60.92.0. Both resulted in the glitch

Then I applied the "compatibility mode windows 7" profile to all *.exe files I could get my hands on in the FFASTRANS folders, meaning FFAStrans.exe; exe_manager.exe; rest_service.exe; ffmpeg.exe; ffplay.exe and ffprobe.exe

Now the tool starts and works/transcodes REALLY slow but SUDDENLY the audio glitch is gone
It only cuts of maybe the last few frames / milliseconds of audio but this is way more convenient than a hardcore glitch / distortion sound on maximum volume, killing my ears, like it was before

So I will have to further investigate tomorrow which *.exe finally caused the glitch but I would say at the moment that the reason for the audio problems has something to do with the windows 10 OS.

Well, that is sad but that can besolved, either by someone finding a fix for this behaviour or by me dumping the win10 os and going back to an oldschool win7 OS on this particular transcoding machine.

Thanks and best,
Gunther

[Ghtais]

Hi Gunther

happy to see that you are on the way to solve your sound issue.
I'am not surprised for windows 10. it always gives a lots of bug in broadcast application. I only use windows 7 (Old school but very strong ) for AVID, ADOBE, etc ...
bye

[crazytiger]

Hi,

A further query on Quicktime References - is there a way to use a conditional to identify a Quicktime Reference file.

I want to build a workflow, where you can submit either Quicktime reference files, or normal video files, and it still runs the process.

I tried to identify a parameter within the file using MediaInfo, but can't find any that are specific to QT References.

Or is there a way to do it without using conditionals?

Mant thanks,

[momocampo]

Hello Crazytiger,
Well, you can use a conditional and specify a file size. I think a QT ref file for a 2Hrs movie should be less than 2Mb. So, if a file size is under 2Mb (%source_size%) then this is a QT ref file, otherwise this is not


B.

[emcodem]

@crazytiger
it might depend on the file itself, maybe it is good if you share one ref file.
If your Files in Mediainfo show the "Source" Property, just as marked yellow here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=193#p1136, then the following assumption should be true: Only in QtRef files, the "Source" Field exists in the audio and Video streams.
Again, if that is true, you could use the conditional the following way:

Code: Select all

IF "" = $jsonget("%s_info_mediainfo%","media.track[1].Source")

Above Checks if the "Source" Property of the first stream (typically video) is NOT set, so if the condition check succeeds, you do NOT have a ref file, otherwise you do have a ref file.

Of coruse in theory first check if the container is quicktime in order to avoid detecting other ref files than quicktime, e.g. op1b.

[Ghtais]

Hi all

I'am stiil having trouble with with this quicktime reference workflow, maybe you can help
Strange issue : I have a workflow that works fine with this aviSynth script and an H264 encoder. If I remplace the H264 encoder with the Xdcam encoder the status monitor indicates "verifying AvidSynth scripte... (TTL:22945)" " and it doesn't want to go foward.

Do you have an explanation ?