What to do about File Too Short?

[fbacher]

I see that quite a bit has been written about "File Too Short" but I can't tell what someone experiencing this problem should do about it. Should 1) hang tight, use 2.5 until there is a fix 2) try to fix in my source files 3) send in some samples to help debug.

This occurs on all of my .ts files recorded from NextPVR using SageDCT from a Ceton InfiniTV. They are noisy 1080i mpeg-2 files that VLC nor xbmc will play unless I first run them through Ts4NP or ProjectX (although sometimes ProjectX gags on them). Windows Media Center plays them fine.

Anyway, I have run them through Ts4NP & ProjectX (yeah, both) and I still get "File Too Short." I don't know what tools I can use to examine or "fix" the timestamps. The timestamp in the play window of Avidemux seems to progress as expected, so I guess the problem is in the other timestamp (decoding or presentation).

[mean]

a source sample  + what you do would help

[fbacher]

Input file is 1080i .ts file produced by NextPVR using SageDCT from a Ceton InfiniTV PCIe card. The .ts file was first run through ts4np because VLC, NextPVR, XBMC & Avidemux have great trouble reading it

Test 1. Copy video & audio to .ts works
Test 2. Audio copy, Video Mpeg2 (ff) to Mpeg-PS Muxer (ff) Default configuration, No filters
Bad Height/Width for DVD.
Test 3. Same as Test2, but selected "Non compliant stream" in the muxer. Works

Test 4. Same as Test3, but added a crop filter using auto crop size. Works

Test 5. Same as Test3, but added Decomb Telicide. Works

Test 6. Same as Test 5, but added Decomb Decimate. Crash!!! Avidemux hung at this point. I relaunch Avidemux and Select Advanced -> Log and it crashes again.

Test 7. Same as Test 6, but only using Decomb Decimate (No Telicide). Crash.

Test 8. Same as Test 7, but with a .ts file containing first five seconds of movie. "Too Short" message. I tried several times to get the crash again, even with the original file, but I did not. If this is important I'll try harder.

I have attached the admlog.txt for the 5 second run and "Too Short" message.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

dvd video has a very strict format:

The following formats are allowed for H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2 video[7][better source needed]:
At 25 frames per second, interlaced (commonly used in regions with 50 Hz image scanning frequency):
720 Ãâ€" 576 pixels (same resolution as D-1)
704 Ãâ€" 576 pixels
352 Ãâ€" 576 pixels (same as the China Video Disc standard)
352 x 288 pixels
At 29.97 frames per second, interlaced (commonly used in regions with 60 Hz image scanning frequency):
720 Ãâ€" 480 pixels (same resolution as D-1)
704 Ãâ€" 480 pixels
352 Ãâ€" 480 pixels (same as the China Video Disc standard)
352 x 240 pixels

The following formats are allowed for MPEG-1 video:
352 Ãâ€" 288 pixels at 25 frame/s, progressive (Same as the VCD Standard)
352 Ãâ€" 240 pixels at 29.97 frame/s, progressive (Same as the VCD Standard)

some notes from avidemux wiki on converting to dvd

Kindly provide following samples, 20 MB or 5 seconds would do:
a original recording by NextPVR using SageDCT from a Ceton InfiniTV PCIe card.
a ts4np modified previous original recording.
Upload both samples to Rapidshare (or similar webservice) and provide a link to these.
If needed: how to cut ts sample
the avidemux wiki

[fbacher]

A 5 second clip that has been processed by ts4np is at http://feuerbache.us/data/Holiday 5 seconds.ts

I will post the original clip this evening.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

Not available in europe?

Network problem

You tried to access the address http://feuerbache.us/data/Holiday, which is currently unavailable. Please make sure that the web address (URL) is correctly spelled and punctuated, then try reloading the page.

[fbacher]

Sorry, file path had spaces that did not work so well with the link.

I had already deleted the pre-ts4np version of the file, so I now use the movie Citizen Kane. Avidemux hated the .ts file that the InfiniTV produced. It would not even open the file. It did accept the ts4np version. As you suspected, conversion to x264 in an mkv container worked fine. But when I tried to encode as an Mpeg2 (ff) in with Mpeg-PS Muxer(ff) with "Allow non compliant stream" checked, then it failed with the "Too Short" message.

I have uploaded the following into http://feuerbacher.us/data/
admlog.txt
Citizen_InfiniTV.ts (the original capture from the Ceton InfiniTV card using NextPVR & SageDCT)
Citizen_ts4np.ts (Citizen_InfiniTV.ts processed with ts4np)
Citizen_Decimate.mpg (The file produced giving the "Too Short" message)
Citizen_Decimate.mkv (The file produced without error using x264)

[fbacher]

Dang. There are problems encoding to Mpeg4AVC (x264).mkv with Decomb Telicide + Decomb Decimate. You have to use both Decomb filters for it crash (lock up).  Everything else was set to the default.

I am using 2.6.0 on Windows 7-64.

Crash File, 25M test input, etc. at http://feuerbacher.us/data/mkvCrash/
Holiday_short.ts (25M sample file produced by InfiniTV -> SageDCT -> NextPVR -> ts4Np)
Holiday_short.ts.idx2
admlog.txt
crash.py

[blinkky]

same issue here

a 22 minuts mpeg-ts file create with videoredo. source come from nextpvr.

encoding it with decomb telecide+decimate filter to mkv x264 = too short error message

encoding it with decomb telecide+decimate filter to avi = result done in 1 second (no error message). but a 33kb file.......

without the decimate filter = no problem !!

any news about it ??

can i replace the decimate filter set to cycle 2 (this resample from 60 to 30fps) with the resample filter ?

Is it better ?

Thanks

[Jan Gruuthuse]

I have a suspicion that these filters don't work on virtual/pseudo frames from mpeg-ts containers in avidemux 2.6.4. (not a frame editor). Could be wrong on this.
I don't use ntsc <-> pal conversion or change to film fps. All software/hardware players here support original playback of original content.

[mean]

Telecide & friends are incomplete and are not working well

[blinkky]

ok.... thanks for the info.

so wich filter(s) should i use to reduce fps

all my source ts files are at 60 fps and i've to reduce them to 30fps some times and 24 the other times.

thank

[Jan Gruuthuse]

There are 2 filters: in Video: Filters: Transform: Change FPS or Resample FPS, use one minute sample to test what works best for you.

[blinkky]

i tried the resample fps and it seems ok.

do you know if i have to also use a interlace/desinsterlace filter ? like telecide or yadif ?

or if, only a resample fps is ok to encode it in a standard x264 mkv file (with crf20) ?

here is a media info of my source. just said if it's better to put a 5-10 seconds example. Thanks a lot for your help!

Format                                   : MPEG-PS
File size                                : 2.79 GiB
Duration                                 : 22mn 32s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 17.7 Mbps

Video
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)
Format                                   : MPEG Video
Commercial name                          : HDV 720p
Format version                           : Version 2
Format profile                           : Main@High
Format settings, BVOP                    : Yes
Format settings, Matrix                  : Custom
Duration                                 : 22mn 32s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 17.0 Mbps
Maximum bit rate                         : 17.2 Mbps
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Active Format Description                : Letterbox 16:9 image
Frame rate                               : 59.940 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.307
Stream size                              : 2.67 GiB (96%)

Audio
ID                                       : 189 (0xBD)-128 (0x80)
Format                                   : AC-3
Format/Info                              : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                           : CM (complete main)
Muxing mode                              : DVD-Video
Duration                                 : 22mn 32s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 384 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 61.9 MiB (2%)

Text #1
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)-608-1
Format                                   : EIA-608
Muxing mode                              : A/53 / DTVCC Transport
Muxing mode, more info                   : Muxed in Video #1
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Stream size                              : 0.00 Byte (0%)

Text #2
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)-1
Format                                   : EIA-708
Muxing mode                              : A/53 / DTVCC Transport
Muxing mode, more info                   : Muxed in Video #1
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Stream size                              : 0.00 Byte (0%)

[Jan Gruuthuse]

I'm not that expert user. If it looks good for you, should be ok not? Think those where more intended for lower resolutions and from analogue days?