Sage TV problems playing MPG files edited with Womble

[snipeman]

I'm running SageTV 1.41 with a Haup350, WinXP.

I've recorded shows, and they play back fine. Sage runs fine.

If I take the shows (or ANY video) and edit out commercials or start/end frames, and try to play it in Sage again, at some points in the show, Sage will freeze.

For similar shows, the freeze point is in EXACTLY the same spot. For example: An edited version of a Monk episode freezes at the 32:08 point, on several different recordings and episodes.

Sage never freezes at any other point. I can play these MPG files with PowerDVD or NeroShowtime perfectly.

I'm editing with MPEG-VCR 3.14. What could this Womble be doing to these files that would freak out SageTV?

I tried playing the files with a different video decoder in Sage, same results.

Help!

Thanks,

Andy

[snipeman]

Anyone have any ideas?

Does anyone play Womble edited video via SageTV?

[olyar15]

I do, and they work perfectly on Sage. Have you tried different decoders? I use the default Hauppauge decoders (Intervideo Non-CSS).

[gplasky]

What rate are you recording at? You may want to record in one of the DVD rates if you are not already. Try this and then edit that file. You shouldn't be having this issue-many people use and swear by that program.

Gerry

[snipeman]

I am using the Hauppage decoder (Intervideo Non-CSS).

I am recording at DVD Standard (3.25GB / hour).

The problem is really baffling to me. The ONLY thing I'm doing in Womble is cutting commercials and start/end frames. Nothing weird.

When you play the files in sage, they will "lock up" at the same exact frame every time. For example, in the episode of Monk, at EXACTLY 32:08 Sage will freeze with the same frame on the screen. The Sage clock / slider bar will contintue to increment, but the video is frozen, and the sound ends.

If you try and do anything in Sage, it won't respond. Your only real option is to CTRL-ALT-DEL end Sage process and restart.

I'd really like to keep my files in Sage and play them from there. The library and the overscan features are useful. This is a very frustrating issue that I didn't expect to encounter.

What else about my system/config could cause this problem when others aren't having it?

Thanks,

Andy

[boris]

I would make sure that the GOP check is run. Also Instead of cutting the commercials out, cut out the segments you want to the clip board and then reconstruct. I find this meathod better, especially to avoid gradual out of sync issued in long movies.

Boris

[snipeman]

OK I tried what Boris suggestions with no luck.

I ran a GOP check on about 8 of the files that freeze, and all pass with 0 errors.

I also edited a new file by cutting out the clips I wanted to the clipboard and saving it out as a new file, and this file STILL freezes.

One clue, Sage quits accessing my media server to read the file on the "freeze". The Sage bar and timer keep counting, but the network access ends. Sage is no longer reading the actual MPG file.

Any other ideas?

Andy

[snipeman]

OK I did some more tests:

When I create a file via the GOP Trim button, it plays in Sage. Sage however thinks it's a 0 min file, and won't let me navigate the file. I have just put the output of Womble "test1.mpg" in my SageTV's video library directory. I'm not trying to keep EPG data.

When I cut a video clip and output it via Womble's Save file button, the output freeze's in Sage 1.41.

Any idea why this would be?

Any idea how I can make a file with a 0 min length show up correctly in Sage? This is not an EPG issue.

Thanks,

Andy

[carlgar]

The 0 min file is a fairly common problem. When it show 0 min, the skips will not work until you get the length correct. To correct, make sure the file is in your Video Library. Then you can try sleeping SageTV and waking it up to see if the actual length has been calculated. If not, then try a complete restart of SageTV.

[snipeman]

I've done that for the 0 len problem about 20 times.

The files are in my video library, and if I exit or sleep and come back, they are always 0 min.

[ToxMox]

I have fixed the 0 min problem on a lot of mpeg1 files in my library by using the Mpeg header corrector. It may help with your files as well...worth a shot.
link:
http://www.vcdhelp.us/index.html?htm...html~mainFrame

[snipeman]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

Andy

[snipeman]

I tried the program, and Sage not only shows the file as 0 min long, but won't even play it at all.

I get a Directshow error inside of sage.

Andy

[aksong]

I'm having the same problem. Did you ever find a solution?

[snipeman]

No, I never found a solution. I just gave up playing my edited files in Sage. I play them with PowerDVD and they work fine. In retrospect, I've saved way too many files to keep them all the the Sage libraries. I just use the Windows directory structure and have PowerDVD associated with them. Click and play.

Andy

[dpothier]

It's a shame this thread ended. I am having the same problem using the same (Womble) editor. I am running the 2.2.6 RC of Sage.

I have tried all possible combinations of video settings in Sage with the same results. No non-edited files have this problem. Edited files always have the problem.

Anyone ever solve this?

[JREkiwi]

Just to add another me too to this thread.

Me too. Tried everything,but files will only have this problem when played in Sage.

John

[mayamaniac]

How about editing with something else besides womble? OR submit this as abug to Frey and see if they find the cause?

[spacegoat]

I'm having the same problem too. I convert my edited files to XVID though. I figured it was a problem with the conversion, but now I'm not so sure.

[snipeman]

I think it is a Sage issue, I don't think Womble does anything illegal to the files.

Sage can't tell their length of time after a Womble edit. I think this has something to do with it.

As stated months ago, I just gave up playing edited files in Sage. I burn them to DVD and play them with PowerDVD or TheaterTek. I have no real advantage to keeping 100's of files in the Sage library anyway. Also, I'd just run out of space on my media server. DVD+R is a cheaper way to do.

Andy