2.4.1.0 Preview layer break buggy

[JohnnyBob]

I just upgraded from 2.4.0.0 to 2.4.1.0 today and found this apparent bug...

 

The Preview layer break operation doesn't work right in 2.4.1.0. I like to use the single left wedge control (<) to scroll a little before the layer break, then play from there, to judge how good that choice of layer break will be. But that doesn't work right in 2.4.1.0. The "<" control freezes (stops) at the LB and will not scroll to a prior point in the video! The double left wedge control (<<) scrolls to a point before the layer break, but then the playback is apparently incorrect. It looks like some playback glitches, things are left out or introduced, or something is very wrong here!

 

I tried this on two different long movies (7G+) intended for burning to a DL disc, same thing. Then I reverted to 2.4.0.0, and everything is OK again with the Preview layer break feature.

 

I burned one of those movies with 2.4.1.0 and it verified OK. I haven't tried to play it yet to check how the the layer break works. However the resulting disc scanned reasonably OK with Nero CD-DVD Speed.

 

I'm running Windows XP SP2, and used a Lite-On DH20A4P 9P59 for the above observations.

[Cynthia]

I don't have any problems with the playback if I use the << to get prior to the LB and then start the playback. It pauses one second at the LB by design.

 

Is this in Build mode or the ones under Tools?

[JohnnyBob]

I don't have any problems with the playback if I use the << to get prior to the LB and then start the playback. It pauses one second at the LB by design.

 

Is this in Build mode or the ones under Tools?

 

 

I click the "Write files/folders to disk" option when I first start ImgBurn. That puts it into Build mode, Device output. Does that answer your question?

[Cynthia]

Yes.

 

What do you mean with this:

 

but then the playback is apparently incorrect

[JohnnyBob]

Yes.

 

What do you mean with this:

 

but then the playback is apparently incorrect

 

There's something strange about the 2.4.1.0 LB preview playbacks. After going to a position prior to the LB using >> (because > doesn't work), some image-sequences (video images or clips maybe only 1/10th second long) appear in the playback that are not supposed to be there, and/or some are absent that are supposed to be there. It's as if a bit of scrambling has happened, foreign images inserted where they're not supposed to be (obviously out of place). This becomes particularly apparent when compared with 2.4.0.0 which offers the same LBs, and plays their previews back correctly and smoothly, as did prior versions of ImgBurn.

[blutach]

@JohnnyBob

 

There is a tiny bug in the Preview if you click < across a non-seamless cell - it does nothing (if the cell is seamless, it works fine!). The preview, which is based on PgcEdit preview has not been updated for this as the bug was only just discovered the other day. I can confirm the PgcEdit prevew has fixed this bug and it will be passed to LUK! when ready.

 

I expect you'll get an update in the next version. Till then, use the << or just go back one cell and view it - it shows the last 10 seconds and then plays cell 2.

 

Regards

[JohnnyBob]

Thanks for the info. I've reverted to 2.4.0.0 and will stick with it til this is fixed.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I would think the fixes in the actual program far outweigh that you can't rewind by pressing a button in a 3rd party tool?!

 

What's wrong with using the slider?

[JohnnyBob]

I would think the fixes in the actual program far outweigh that you can't rewind by pressing a button in a 3rd party tool?!

 

What's wrong with using the slider?

Thanks, but no thanks. I've been using the < preview control since I first started using ImgBurn. It scrolls smoothly (or did, in prior versions) past the layer break in the reverse direction. Then upon playback I can see exactly which prior scene will be used for the LB. Nothing else is quite as satisfactory. The << jumps too far in reverse, and I can't remember exactly where the LB starts. I've never used the slider bar, which would probably also be imprecise. This outweighs everything else, for me. At least half of my burns are to DL media, so it's very important to me.

[Cynthia]

You'll see when the cell number is changed - both in the box and in header - and the 1 second paus.

[mmalves]

Take ImgBurnPreview.exe from v2.4.0.0 and drop it in the folder of ImgBurn v.2.4.1.0, overwriting the one there. That way you'll be using your preferred previewer while also using the latest ImgBurn program

[LIGHTNING UK!]

jeanl gave me the fix so please try this one... (after reinstalling 2.4.1.0 of course)

 

(attachment removed)

[JohnnyBob]

jeanl gave me the fix so please try this one... (after reinstalling 2.4.1.0 of course)

 

(attachment removed)

Your new version of ImgBurnPreview.exe (from the attached .rar file) fixes the freeze/stop, so that it is possible to scroll in reverse past the LB using the < control. However something is still wrong. There is pixelation and a strange shift of the video at the start of the preview, from the upper left towards the middle of the preview window. I tried this with several different long movies (7GB+) that are stored on my hard drive with the same result.

 

I also tried mmalves' suggestion to use 2.4.0.0 ImgBurnPreview.exe with the 2.4.1.0 installation, but that is refused. When I attempt to Preview Selected Cell is says: "You need a newer version of ImgBurnPreview to use this feature. Version Required: 1.1.1.0+. Version Installed: 1.0.2.0. Please visit http://www.imgburn.com/ to get the latest version. OK"

 

So at this point the 2.4.0.0 installation is still the only one that works right with the preview LB feature.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Are you talking about when it plays from the VERY beginning or just if you stop + start it anywhere?

 

I don't know if it's possible to get a screenshot / video of what you're seeing but it might help.

[Cynthia]

Curious.

 

Do you also get choppy playback if you change this setting to enabled:

 

Tools -> Settings -> tab 'General' -> 'Don't Enable Sound'

 

[blutach]

However something is still wrong. There is pixelation and a strange shift of the video at the start of the preview, from the upper left towards the middle of the preview window. I tried this with several different long movies (7GB+) that are stored on my hard drive with the same result.

You are most likely starting on a B frame, which is not being properly decoded. This has nothing to do with the preview.

 

Regards

[JohnnyBob]

Using the 2.4.1.0 installation with your new version of ImgBurnPreview.exe (v1.1.2.0, from your attached .rar file):

 

(1) run ImgBurn

(2) click "Write files/folders to disc"

(3) check the Auto box in lower right corner

(4) browse and select a long movie on my hard drive that will require a layer break

(5) a list of possible layer breaks is automatically displayed

(6) click to select one of the layer breaks then click the Preview Selected Cell button

(7) just as the video begins to play, the *glitch* happens immediately, for perhaps 1/5th second something strange shows in the preview window

(8) then if I use the < key control to scroll backwards to a point before the layer break, then press the Play button, the *glitch* does not reappear.

 

I've done this a lot of times with different movies. I'm pretty sure now that the *glitch* is the correct video but it's frozen for perhaps 1/5th second at the outset, and shifted upwards and to the left in the preview window. For example a table lamp which should normally appear in the lower right of the screen, appears near the top left of the screen during the *glitch*. Then the video centers itself properly and plays normally from that point, except... Some small white or light-colored boxes appear occasionally in the video during the playback, which I interpret as pixelation.

 

I tried with Irfanview but it won't capture anything on my screen from the video. All I get is a black box. Sorry I'm not familiar with any other graphics software to do that sort of thing.

 

To satisfy Cynthia's curiosity, checking the "Don't Enable Sound" settings box has no effect. Same things happen. However I will note that 2.4.1.0 is the first version where I've heard any sound in the LB previews, prior versions were mute.

 

blutach's comment about starting on a B frame and improper decoding is beyond my knowledge. I'll just note that this glitch happens with all of the movies I've tested (about a half dozen). It only happens in ImgBurn 2.4.1.0, not in 2.4.0.0 nor prior versions of ImgBurn that I've used in the past.

 

Now I must bid you all a good night. Maybe tomorrow... Thanks for responding.

[Cynthia]

(7) just as the video begins to play, the *glitch* happens immediately, for perhaps 1/5th second something strange shows in the preview window

I get something similar. It happens every time I restart the playback. It's a black 'thing'.

 

[weisborg]

Just curious, but if he says it works with the previous version and he was willing to go back to the previous then seeing the post with just a new preview exe got me thinking...why not go back to the previous and grab that previewer and then install the new ImgBurn and copy the old Previewer over the new? Better than losing all the fixes and enhancements of the whole app isn't it?

 

I'm amazed that the previewer works as good as it does, much better than the useless/buggy thing in DVDFab...it doesn't even have sound and sometimes has issues stopping! Nero's has sound, but sometimes the sound doesn't work right either. That it even shows video I'm happy with. The whole point is to just see where it is that you are putting the break. If I want to watch the video I use PowerDVD.

[blutach]

I echo weisborg's comments. What we have to remember is that this is a previewer, not a DVD player - it's a tiny little app, not some bloated commercial software player. It's there simply to preview your layer break and see if that is OK by your standards. The addition of audio greatly helps with that, IMO.

 

Quite frankly, I can't see the problem going back a few more frames or using a slider. I also don't see the issue if there are "0.2 second glitches", decoding errors on starting/stopping or whatever. The main thing is to preview the chosen layer break cell (at the cell boundary) and decide if that one is the best one for you.

 

I'm not being dismissive of JohnnyBob, but really, we must ask ourselves, does the preview do its job? I reckon it sure does.

 

Regards

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Having captured a few videos of me pressing the play / stop button a few times and examining the output frame by frame, I don't think there's much to worry about.

 

*sometimes* the 1st frame (or 2nd/3rd) will be a bit blocky but it's like a 1 in 10 thing (if that).

 

The problem with the black bar appears to come from the audio drop down box. Notice how in Cynthia's screenshot it's directly in line with it? Well these screens show that even more clearly...

 

(This is me single frame stepping btw)

 

 

 

 

I also have to say that I agree with weisborg and blutach, I think you're examining things too closely. The previewer does its job just fine.

 

Hopefully the combobox issue will be fixed and it might even turn out that it's the only flaw you're seeing. I sure didn't notice the picture not being in the correct place when I was stepping frames in my captured video.

[dontasciime]

ummmm doughnuts

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I made a little change to the combobox code that'll hopefully stop it drawing itself over the screen when you click play.

 

(attachment removed)

[Cynthia]

Works nice. The black 'thing' is gone and also no problems/disturbances at all in the picture when the playback starts for the first time.

 

[JohnnyBob]

I made a little change to the combobox code that'll hopefully stop it drawing itself over the screen when you click play.

 

That fixes the pixelation I was seeing during the preview playbacks. No more little white/light-colored boxes in the video! Thanks.

 

However the *glitch* still happens, for me... For the first 1/5th second (approximately) after pressing the Preview Selected Cell button, the video is frozen and shifted towards the upper left. Approximately 80-90% of the screen is black, with just the upper left portion showing a partial video. Then it centers itself to occupy the entire screen, plays smoothly thereafter, and does not reappear if I rewind the film with the < control or use the slider.

 

I tried about 6-8 long movies that require a LB, involving 20-30 total LB tests, and my observations were the same. They all showed the initial *glitch* as described above.

 

The audio works correctly during the previews, most of the time. There was one instance where it was mute during playback after a rewind with the < control. But on subsequent tries, it worked OK with that cell too. So that was a temporary error of some kind. It works OK 95%+ of the time.

 

I judge that I can now use the 2.4.1.0 installation with your latest preview file. Since I know what is happening and what to expect, the *glitch* can be ignored. Of course I won't know for some time whether this somehow affects burning/playback of the DL discs at the layer break, i.e. my confidence is somewhat lowered by the *glitch*. I always prefer perfection.

 

weisborg & blutach: Again (see prior posts in this thread) it does not work to drop the 2.4.0.0 previewer into the 2.4.1.0 installation. The 2.4.1.0 system refuses to accept it, giving an error message when a LB preview is attempted.