Video problem, take a look at the screenshot. Ideas?

Cubase
#1

Here’s a screenshot. At the far right is the monitor with the video window opened to full screen. At first I couldn’t import. Then I could import but only got a black screen. Now, I can import and get an image but, well, it’s not really the image that it’s supposed to be. Thumbnails show up fine and audio plays fine but no usable image. FWIW, I followed this tutorial in the hopes of solving the issue:

http://www.stephanroemer.net/newsblog/files/tutorial-how-to-encode-videos-for-cubase-5-5-nuendo-5-in-handbrake.html

Video drivers are proper, latest QT is installed, and video plays fine outside of Cubase. I’m at a loss.


Thanks for the insight, as always.




Cubase Video Engine by optofonik, on Flickr

#2

What codec did you use for this? Can you write specification of this video (frame rate, codec, compression, large…)?

#3

Thanks for the reply. Not being at my workstation at the moment, this is what I recall but I’ll double check in the morning.

Video Codec is H.264 (x264)

Frame rat is 29.97

I tried both constant an average bitrate

I don’t know what you mean by “large”.

The link I supplied has a full description of the process I used.

#4

Size. How large is the video, 640 by 480, 1600 by 1200?

#5

Sorry it’s taken so long to get back to this.

704x480, 6459kbps, audio is 48k 158kbps

Would anyone be willing to let me download a small video file that they can play in Cubase on their x64 Win7 system so that I can try playing it on mine?

#6

After a phone conversation with tech support I’m disappointed. The end result was no result. Even after explaining what I’ve done to troubleshoot and that the video plays back fine in QT outside of Cubase, support basically said they can’t help. The overall tone was rather dismissive.

After having a few interactions with Toontrack, Rayzoon, and as unbelievable as this may sound to many; Native Instruments, in order to sort out some things with their products during this same period, I have been made painfully aware of Steinberg’s deficiencies. They have clearly grown so large that they can afford to lose a few customers. I wonder if Hans gets the same treatment?

Unfortunately my budget is shot so I’ll be using Cubase in spite of this. If I have a chance to talk to one of the composers at work maybe they can point me to an independent tech that is actually tech savvy. That is really my issue. If I set aside a part of my day for a phone appointment for technical assistance I expect to be addressing a professional whose knowledge exceeds my own, someone who takes pride in their ability to solve technical problems and doesn’t hide their inability behind none too subtle condescension.

Yes, I’m PO’ed.

#7

Not sure I can help (32bit only here…) but I am curious…

How did the conversation go with the tech help…? (i.e. what was he asking you to try/what did he try…?)
He wasn’t seeing any problem his end of course…?
Did he ask for a sample file to try at his end

Why not upload the file (or small sample that still shows the problem) somewhere where you can invite others to d/load and test on their systems…?
Despite your conversion (via Handbrake) does the resultant file play ok anywhere else i.e. VLC mediaplayer…? If it plays in the QT player, it doesn’t mean its a guaranteed safe/sound/robust/fully bonafide .MOV file conversion.

What other (H.264 encoded) .MOV files have you tried…?

Dunno - just putting a few thoughts down…


Bob

#8

Bob, I appreciate the thought but I’ve been troubleshooting for some time now with my files, files from Steinberg, third party file, the works. They all play back fine in QT and, on my “unsupported” XP partition they all play back in Cubase. I started this upgrade/rebuild in October of last year. Throughout the process I’ve run diagnostics and troubleshot certain things down to the sample level. Day one after upgrading the CPU, memory and bios I was running Prime95. Everything progressed accordingly from there to analyzing the aliasing in prospective processor plugins and more. The last thing on the list of testing and troubleshooting was the MIDI timing of my various interfaces which is documented in another post.

Finally, after researching and wrapping up the last installs (an aside: the full compliment of Toontrack drum products and Jamstix Studio is turning out to be a very promising combo), I decided to revisit the one area where I needed help from Steinberg. I’m very self sufficient so I don’t make such requests lightly in part because it’s rare that I find a technician that isn’t a freelance professional who shares my level of troubleshooting and research skills; it’s a very large part of what my career is based on. When I find an employee at a corporation who is as tenacious or more than I am at troubleshooting it’s a godsend. When I find someone who isn’t particularly interested in their work or simply isn’t very good at it, it’s frustrating. The former more than the latter because I understand how long it takes and how difficult it can be for some people to develop professional level troubleshooting skills (a touch of OCD is probably not such a bad thing here) and realize not everyone has the aptitude or patience for it. I don’t understand, however, not wanting to rise to a challenge and stick to it until the problem is solved; especially when working with someone paid to do so.

Again, I appreciate your offer but it’s time to lock down my DAW and start exercising the other side of my brain. The DAW is how I wind down from work and take a break from troubleshooting so it needs to start serving that purpose again. I’ll try rendering everything and importing the files into Cubase on the XP x86 partition if I need video but don’t need the extra RAM. I don’t know how well that’s going to work, it’s a cludge, but it’s time to move on. At some point I’ll just hire someone and get the issue solved in Cubase x64. Or, maybe, by then DP will finally be out for the PC.

Sorry for the long post, I needed to vent.

Thanks Bob.

#9

No, no… glad you did; quite what I was curious for - a bit of insight/background…! You are a man after my own heart. I spent 10 years in QA/Customer Support for a medium sized global software house (print/imaging industry). Got nicknamed ‘the Rottweiller’ for being one to not let go of a problem/issue/concern until satisfactorily resolved for my customer(s). Had a fantastic time there; learnt a lot and loved the job, until the politics (and global downturn) got the better of the situation…

Okay… so, sounds like yes, for you it is time to get on with some music…! As you say, maybe another set of eyes/skills being brought to bear may prove fruitful, when you get a chance to revisit.

Just finally - one crucial point; is nothing importing/playing back/displaying correctly inside Cubase 6.x on W7 x64…? Even the files sent from SB, which play ok (presumably inside C5.x) on the XP partition…? Don’t need a big answer, just a quick response.

Anyhow, good luck. :slight_smile:

#10

the short answer is…Cubase is really a dog with video.

your problem is…H264. convert anything you have video-wise to avi. this way cubase doesnt have to deal with a codec. it just aint cut out for it. definately one area that needs LOTS of improvement.

with avi files…problem solved. do your audio production/creation…render an audio file…then use other 3rd party software to add it back to your original H264 file.

Cheers,
Blackout

#11

You are correct, XP with C6 is fine. I even tried rolling back my video card drivers; tried every version published since WinXP x64. I can’t overstate how tedious a task it was but it’s what needed to be done.

EDIT

Oh, and to answer the first part of your question, no, nothing plays in Cubase 6.x on W7 x64. I can play everything fine in QT and even VLC player (I love VLC player).

#12

If it’s any consolation, I’ve found the support on these forums to be way better than the tech support group.

I downloaded the Cubase 6.5 full trial prior to buying it just to make sure everything worked fine with my laptop, and unforunately it was bluescreening on me nearly everytime I used it (and I’ve never had a bluescreen on this laptop, including playing games and other audio software). I called/emailed tech support and explained that I just need them to help me figure out what it is and I’ll purchase Cubase. They were unable to do anything and just blew me off saying “it’s a hardware issue and I need to reformat.” I explained that my machine was very clean, up-to-date on all drivers (especially sound card/chip), and that I agree that it is some hardware/driver issue but the crash minidumps were pointing to something in Cubase and only happening when Cubase is run (I’m a programmer by the way, not your average computer user). No offense to the whole tech support group in general, but the “technicians” I spoke with didn’t seem very experienced, especially with Windows machines; it was kinda embarrassing :unamused:.

In the end it turned out to be the default ASIO driver that comes with Cubase. There must be some incompatibility (or bug) with it and my sound card. I had to find this out myself by analysing the minidumps and guessing. I finally downloaded/installed ASIO4All and used that and have not had a single bluescreen since then. ASIO4All has worked perfectly for me and I’ve tried to push Cubase to see if I can get it to crash, without success thankfully.

So… sorry to say this, but no thanks to Cubase tech support on that one. I sent them a description of what it was for future users.

Thanks to all of you guys/gals on these forums!

#13

Hello!

I don´t know if this will resolve your problem, but I faced a similar issue some weeks ago.
The issue was quite similar to your problem. Sorry if this answer has already been given, I´m too lazy to read the long posts :wink:. We could resolve it the following way.

Nuendo was opening in 32 bit, by default, while the videofile was about 31 GB (it was for a TV station). But as there is a 2 GB limit for every file inside a 32 bit application, the video actually played fine in QuickTime Player natively in Mac, but not inside Nuendo, although showing thumbnails and the thumbnail creation progress.

The solution is to switch Nuendo to 64 bit. Now video runs fine, we are using a BlackMagic card to play out video to an external monitor etc. Everything works as it should.

Hope this helps.
All the best.

Roger