No video output in H.264 and Black Screen after H.265 import?

Artist3d wrote on 8/18/2021, 12:21 PM

I recently updated to MEP 2021 and when I try to output my videos in H264 the video itself goes through the time to compile but comes out without any video image. Also when I import my H.265 videos, they are just black? I have looked for updates and tried changing settings like the video renderer to VideoForWindows but am at a loss that the update is giving me grief. I have not experienced problems before with just outputting a finished product. My system has not changed, I admit to running Win10 GTX 970 older card, did I upgrade one generation too far for my system perhaps? If nothing else, it would be nice to be able to import my older mp4 Output configuration files so I could know I am using settings I am confident work.

Comments

CubeAce wrote on 8/18/2021, 2:22 PM

@Artist3d

Hi It's possible the hardware is not coping. To check, try exporting a file but do not have any hardware acceleration boxes ticked in either the export boxes or program settings. The render will take longer but may give you a video output. Also choose to use the Video for Windows option in the program settings.

It would help if you put your complete system sec into your signature. It would be of more use than you describing what you do.

Ray.

Artist3d wrote on 8/18/2021, 7:42 PM

Thank you Cubebase for the quick response, I had a chance to double check my system, the H.265 mp4 loaded fine into Da Vinci Resolve and ACDSee, so the codec works on my current system configuration, As you suggest I need to provide more details about my system. I have a system analysis program somewhere that I will run and perhaps we can sort this out because I way prefer Magix MEP and I have gotten to know it over these last couple decades, might try a reinstall too, it is weird the way this version 2021 Plus did not seem to take as all other versions have reliably. I am working in 360 at high resolutions like 4608 x2304 so that might not be supported by MEP. Thanks again for your suggestion.

CubeAce wrote on 8/19/2021, 1:26 AM

@Artist3d

As far as I'm aware, only the paid for Pro version of Da Vinci Resolve uses any hardware acceleration whereas the free version does not. MEP needs both the Microsoft decode HEVC codec and the Magix bought encode HEVC codec to handle H265 fully if you wish to both import and export in that format. You only need the Windows codec for importing if you are exporting to say mp4 instead.

The requirements to run MEP or VPX increases with the increased resolution of any project. Ideally for handling 4K footage you need a minimum of 8GB or ram and a 2GB video graphics card capable of handling Direct X 11 but preferably Direct X 12.1 as well as an Intel chip with an inboard HD 520 capable graphics card for a smoothest trouble free user experience.

The specs page for MEP is very sketchy to my mind on requirements for such processing and not as solid a set of information as the requirements set out on the Vegas pages for their products that seem more accurate based on my experiences.

360 4K footage is supported by MEP but not some HEVC files that are recorded at a variable frame rate by some cameras. They would first have to be converted to a constant frame rate using Handbrake or similar software first.

Ray.

Artist3d wrote on 8/19/2021, 1:50 AM

Thanks again, I did install the Microsoft HEVC and it works well in compiling a series of 11400 png, 360 screen captures from within Unity3D, alternatively the H.265 mp4 video created from within the program is a constant bit rate, so that is not a problem. I uploaded one directly to YouTube and it did not turn out too badly, just can’t see it in MEP, I have a VR capable computer, certainly 8 gigs mem and 4 gig on the GTX970. From my experience Magix asks for payment to use mp4s and it must have asked me for HEVC when I selected it, but not sure now whether it just sent me Microsoft… I installed something but it is still coming up black. I will look again at your recommendations.

johnebaker wrote on 8/19/2021, 3:37 AM

@Artist3d

. . . . I have a system analysis program . . . .

This will most likely provide you with much more data than we need - please filter the data to remove items like Device Id etc, which are unique identities to your system, for security purposes.

See this topic and @CubeAce and my signatures for examples of what is required.

John EB
Forum Moderator

CubeAce wrote on 8/19/2021, 6:35 AM

@Artist3d

Hi.

This would be an unusual question to ask but because none of us here that tend to reply use 3D footage to my knowledge, can I ask what CPU your system has?

I ask because it may be that without a suitable Intel GPU embedded in a CPU that in this instance it is not showing an image in the monitor of MEP. The nvidia card in this instance may not being used I think all be it a very capable card in other respects for use within the program. This is pure conjecture on my part.

Another possibility is what is the monitor set to show?

Last but not least you could send us a short clip via Google drive, Dropbox, or One Drive for us to test to see if we can find a problem with it. Web video hosting sites will not do as the source files will have been re-encoded.

Ray.

Artist3d wrote on 8/19/2021, 1:34 PM

Ray, not 3D, I am referring to 360 spherical video, equirectangular footage. Thanks for the cautionary note John, I ran an analysis and here are some configuration stats for my current system. I realize now that I have recently updated to a 4K monitor which has caused some minor overhead issues with running MEP at a larger display but

Windows 10 Home (x64) Version 2009 (build 19043.1165)

4.00 gigahertz Intel Core i7-4790K
256 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
8192 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (4 total)
Hyper-threaded (8 total)

16334 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 [Display adapter]
Philips PHL 276E8V [Monitor] (27.2"vis, s/n 1059, December 2020)

Board: Z97 GAMING 5 (MS-7917) 1.0

Above is a screenshot of a typical export MP4 (not HEVC) just your typical 4K export in version 2021 made up of a series of single frame captures (11400) and no video or audio is being output despite it showing in the preview to the right. The resulting video after processing = 0megs. This is the most basic settings I have never had a problem with in previous versions. I can output this same setup using HEVC @ 4608 X 2304 which is my preferred resolution for 360 video watched in a VR headset. But normal mp4 nothing. I have not done a MEP re-install yet but that may be next option. These two problems exporting basic mp4s and seeing H.265 mp4s remain elusive. Thanks for any further hints guys. Did a dxdiag, some final details.

CubeAce wrote on 8/19/2021, 2:52 PM

@Artist3d

My Bad. Should have put 360 not 3D. Still the rest of my reply stands.

As to your processor specs. It uses an HD Graphics 4600 chip and may not meet the requirements for MEP 2021.

Graphics card: Onboard, min. resolution 1280 x 1024, 512 MB VRAM and DirectX 11 support

(recommended: Intel Graphics HD 520 or better for MPEG2/AVC/HEVC)

INFUSION Engine 2 supports video acceleration for AVC and HEVC on Intel, NVIDIA or AMD GPUs with 1GB VRAM or higher Example: Intel Graphics HD 630, NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1050, AMD Radeon RX470

My original recommendation of turning off all hardware acceleration within the program still stands to try out if you didn't try.

Also supplying a short clip for us to try out rules out a problem with the video clips if we can get exports to work.

Ray.

Scenestealer wrote on 8/19/2021, 4:08 PM

@Artist3d @CubeAce

The resulting video after processing = 0megs.

Is it possible you have selected to use the Mainconcept (instead of the Default Intel) mp4 codec with Hardware Acceleration selected?

This will result in a 0 MB file and is a known bug!

Peter

johnebaker wrote on 8/19/2021, 4:11 PM

@Artist3d

. . . . The resulting video after processing = 0megs. . . . .

This is what I would expect to see for MP4 h.264/AVC export if you have hardware acceleration turned on and are using the MainConcept encoder.

If so then as @CubeAce has commented turn off the Hardware Acceleration options.

The HD4600 cannot accelerate video resolutions above 1920 x 1080, the processor will be used for rendering for higher resolutions.

. . . . I realize now that I have recently updated to a 4K monitor which has caused some minor overhead issues with running MEP at a larger display . . .

The PC is very much on the edge with 4K video, this was one of the reasons I had to upgrade my laptop - working with 4K video was virtually impossible if any effects etc were used.

Can you put your computer spec in your signature - omitting the lines:

256 kilobyte primary memory cache to Hyper-threaded (8 total) inclusive - this is superfluous data.

This will make it easier for us to see what you have without having to ask again or search for it.

John EB

Artist3d wrote on 8/19/2021, 7:43 PM

I AM BACK IN BUSINESS!!! I thank everyone here for helping me sort through this, lots of clues of places to look was what I needed. I was starting to think I upgraded one too many times with Magix MEP 2021, that I was going to be forced to buy a new computer! But Johnebaker and Scenestealer mentioned something I had no idea about this "MainConcept" which I had no clue was selected in my settings(?), as I was looking for how to turn off Hardware Acceleration which always worked before, I saw that little dropdown to default mp4s and OMG all my .pru settings that I thought I had lost from years of customizing my output for 3D and 360 were BACK!!!! Suddenly I am able to output my 4608 X 2304 360 footage again without having to resort to HEVC h.265 which seems laggy in playback on my system -- Those HEVC265 files I have needed to create as a workaround to get the resolution I wanted, they are still coming in Black but I don't need that format anymore. The default mp4s are so nice and smooth. THANK YOU thank you thank you all. In case you are curious about the work I do in 360, here is a link (VR headset of course highly recommended) but it scrolls in 360 so you can see what I am up to.

CubeAce wrote on 8/20/2021, 1:00 AM

@Artist3d

Hi Paul.

Main concept has to be selected in MEP 2021 and is not the default setting. HEVC needs much more processing power than H264 and is normally only used for reducing file size for a given resolution due to more advance nature of the logarithms used. As John has mentioned, the HD Graphics 4600 chip in your Intel processor is not capable of processing those clips at 4K . You may want to consider not doing any future upgrades of MEP until you get a newer Intel chip with inboard graphics as processing requirements seem to go up with each new released version.

Ray.

Artist3d wrote on 8/20/2021, 2:25 AM

Ray, good advice, I am so glad to have the program running as I remember, and indeed must be careful not to update software past my computer’s ‘Peter Principle’ ;-)

johnebaker wrote on 8/20/2021, 2:42 AM

@Artist3d

Pleased to here you are back in business.

The video is so surreal, it must takes ages to export the images. from the animation software - which one are you using?

John EB

Artist3d wrote on 8/20/2021, 10:45 AM

@Artist3d

, it must takes ages to export the images. from the animation software - which one are you using?

When building virtual reality worlds, Unity3D is a powerful engine where you can assemble the components, skybox, lighting, landscape, models and animations. True enough a 6:30 VR video X 30 FPS = over 11,000 360 degree equirectangle frames - 4608 x 2304 lossless png format. Magix MEP can then load them frame by frame and output a beautiful mp4 video, now that we have figured that out 🤗 👍

Takes a few hours to capture, load and make the final edit. Sometimes I set it up and go to bed and work on it in the morning if all goes well.

johnebaker wrote on 8/20/2021, 3:21 PM

@Artist3d

Thanks for the information, looks interesting.

John EB.