Yes, I bought it through Humble Bundle. No updates included, I guess. :(

The issue is not the length of time it takes to export, it's the fact that it hangs (freezes / crashes) when trying to export.

Thanks for your help, here you go:

General
Complete name                            : D:\Videos and Pictures\Similan Islands February 2021\IMG_1545.MOV
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : QuickTime
Codec ID                                 : qt   0000.00 (qt  )
File size                                : 368 MiB
Duration                                 : 1 min 7 s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 45.4 Mb/s
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-02-11 00:59:39
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-02-11 01:00:48
Writing library                          : Apple QuickTime
com.apple.quicktime.make                 : Apple
com.apple.quicktime.model                : iPhone 12 mini
com.apple.quicktime.software             : 14.4
com.apple.quicktime.creationdate         : 2021-02-11T07:59:39+0700

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L5.1
Format settings                          : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP                     : M=1, N=15
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 1 min 7 s
Bit rate                                 : 45.1 Mb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 29.970 (29970/1000) FPS
Minimum frame rate                       : 28.571 FPS
Maximum frame rate                       : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.181
Stream size                              : 366 MiB (99%)
Title                                    : Core Media Video
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-02-11 00:59:39
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-02-11 01:00:48
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 1 min 7 s
Source duration                          : 1 min 8 s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 192 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 1.58 MiB (0%)
Source stream size                       : 1.59 MiB (0%)
Title                                    : Core Media Audio
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-02-11 00:59:39
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-02-11 01:00:48

Other #1
Type                                     : meta
Duration                                 : 1 min 7 s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant

Other #2
Type                                     : meta
Duration                                 : 1 min 7 s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant

Other #3
Type                                     : meta
Duration                                 : 1 min 7 s

Wayne might not have an iGPU but that export looks like it's flying to me. I note that VPX is "hardware encoding".

@Wayne-McIlvaine @emmrecs @AAProds

Hi Wayne.

Yes the file is a variable frame rate file. This does pose a problem to a lot of video editing programs as the program does not have instructions as to which frames to duplicate when the frame rate slows down or which frames to drop it it goes over the stated frame rate for the export. The coding is to reduce storage on smart phones and can be turned off on some phones. The alternative is to convert existing VFR clips to constant frame rate using the free Handbrake program. VPX tries its best but can be tripped up by sudden drops or increases in frame rates.

A lot is not known about the RTX 3080 for processing video as yet as it is a new card in short supply. I think you are the first here to show one in your Signature. I'm assuming because it can crunch the 3D graphics very easily it is allowing your CPU to run much better than it would without it. The CPU itself is a beast even without an inboard Intel GPU and the program is capable of making use of all its cores and raster ram frequency capabilities.

I'm hoping that at some point variable frame rate files will be able to be used without additional steps but at present is not a reality. I'm not sure if this is a Windows limitation of a VPX one. (You can edit such files on Macs but there are not many cross platform editing packages out there). We have not heard much from Magix to date about this problem although I'm sure they know.

Ray.

@Wayne-McIlvaine, @AAProds

Hi

. . . . hanging every single time . . . .

Do you mean the export rate drops dramatically rather than VPX truly hanging necessitating using Task Manager to kill the program?

. . . . Format profile                           : QuickTime . . . Codec ID           : qt   0000.00 (qt  ) . . . .

Do you have Quicktime for Windows installed?

. . . . Frame rate mode                          : Variable . . . .

VPX, like several other video editors, does not like Variable frame rate video - Constant Framerate is the preferred framerate mode.

The Media Info data only shows us the range of framerate for that particular clip, if there are others where the range is much wider ie the mimimum framerate is much lower, then this could be a contributing factor in the hanging.

You could try convert the videos to CFR using Handbrake.

. . . .  might not have an iGPU but that export looks like it's flying to me. I note the VPX is "hardware encoding" . . . .

It is flying, however we need to see the activity charts in Task Manager, Performance tab for the RTX 3080 and the CPU to determine what is happening.

Which drivers are you using for the RTX - the gaming Drivers or the Studio drivers ?

If you do not game then the Studio Drivers are the ones to use.

Note: the forum is going to be offline Tuesday 27th morning for maintenance - see this message from Magix

John EB

@AAProds @Wayne-McIlvaine @johnebaker

I note the VPX is "hardware encoding" . . . .

It shouldn't be without an IGPU. We need to se the Task Manager Performance Tab Graphs during the encode, as John has requested.

Peter

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Wayne, I'm very interested in how/why your machine is encoding as well as it is. Would you be able to post a screenshot of the task manager performance tab so we can see what is doing all the hard labour, your CPU or GPU or both?

@AAProds

Hi Alwyn.

You should also take a good look at the motherboard specs.

I would think this system is hardly being pushed and ticking over nicely during an export. The power consumption of this rig though would be enormous compared to earlier systems.

Ray.

Thanks to everyone for your help! I was unable to log in yesterday, but here is an update on my issue:

I disabled hardware encoding in the various areas of the app and encoder, and that does seem to have reduced my hanging incidence rate to less than 100%, but it is still about 50%. I suspect, as you all say, that it is a VFR issue, and I will attempt to use EaseFab (according to my quick recent research, it should work much better than HandBrake) to transcode my source videos to CFR and try that, but thankfully, after about 15 failed attempts last night, I was able to successfully export my full, finished video (yay!), so I'll have to try on the next video to see if this solves my problem.

As a strange aside, in attempting to repro the issue again to provide the information requested in this thread, I re-enabled hardware acceleration / encode everywhere I could find it in the program and encode settings, but VPX will no longer attempt to use hardware encode no matter what I do. Strange.

As such, I don't have any task manager performance tab pictures to share, because, as you can expect, the CPU is doing 100% of the work now. In my previous hangs / screenshots, you can see VPX was hardware encoding, but I don't have task manager perf tab screenshots to share from that, and I am unable get VPX to use hardware encode again.

I think it's safe to say that disabling hardware acceleration has helped my stability when exporting with VFR sources, but I am still hanging on export about 50% of the time. Hopefully switching to CFR and software encode will get me close to 100%, but SW does of course lengthen the encode time.

As soon as I start working on my next video (in the next few days) I will report back on my findings using CFR, HW&SW, and studio drivers. Until then, thanks for all the help!

Responding to John's questions:

Do you mean the export rate drops dramatically rather than VPX truly hanging necessitating using Task Manager to kill the program?

VPX hangs completely, does not respond to any interaction, and must be killed with the task manager.

Do you have Quicktime for Windows installed?

No. Should I? I didn't think it was supported on Windows 10.

Which drivers are you using for the RTX - the gaming Drivers or the Studio drivers ?

I am currently using the Game Ready drivers. I will try the studio drivers, thank you.

Thanks all!

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi Wayne.

Once you enabled hardware acceleration again did you check your program settings to see if your nvidia card was present and active again?

Ray.

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Wayne, another thing that would be interesting would be the render speed now that you've disabled HW accel.

The render speed in your earlier screenshot looks like about 2x ie 4 minutes for an 8 minute video.

Could you do a short export test of say a 5 minute range and see how long it takes to render/encode (using same parameters as you used before obviously).

Thanks!

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi

. . . .  I will attempt to use EaseFab  (according to my quick recent research, it should work much better than HandBrake). . .

I would recommend using Handbrake it has a long and stable history - the program you are suggesting is less than a year old and of relatively unknown history.

John EB

OK, I am starting my next video and I tried converting from VFR to CFR with HandBrake, setting everything to max quality, and the resulting video clips looked AWFUL! Completely unusable. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for any tips!

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi

For the conversion from VFR to CFR try the following:

Load the video into Handbrake - ensure the output format is set to MP4 and specify the destination + file name

Select Save as new preset and save giving it a meaningful name.

Change the width and height to the appropriate resolution

Change the video settings to those shown below - do not modify the Optimise video settings at this stage

Change the audio settings to those shown below - the Codec should be AAC and the Samplerate must be 48kHz for maximum compatibility.

From the Handbrake menu select Presets , Update selected preset and save the preset for future use.

Export the video.

HTH

John EB

I'll throw this into the ring with the big caveat that I haven't tested the audio sync after the process.

MKVToolnix will smart-render a VFR file into a CFR MKV file. Multiple files can be processed at the same time.

For a single file, simply drag it onto the MKVToolnix window then click Start Multiplexing.

Mediainfo reports the file is now CFR.

I will do a proper test of this, the trick being to get a big variation in framerate, which means filming inside and out.

Anyway, for you experimenters out there, you may already have good candidate files to try.

The best part (if the sync holds) is that it does not re-render the video.

Batch process;

1. Open MKVToolnix
2. Multiplexer>Close (closes the interface)
3. Drag the files to be converted onto the MKVToolnix window
4. Click "Create new multiplex settings for each file" > OK. This will open each in a separate tab
5. Multiplexer (top menu) > Actions for all tabs > start Multiplexing
6. Wait for it to finish (MKV files go into the same folder)
7. Clear all tabs: Multiplexer > Action for all tabs > Close.
    

@johnebaker @Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi

If the quality is not optimal, change the Constant Quality setting to 20 - you should not need go above a value of 22 - this setting is very sensitive.

You have that the wrong way around John. A lower number produces higher quality (and larger files).

Wayne can you post another Media Info of the HB converted file please.

 Hopefully switching to CFR and software encode will get me close to 100%, but SW does of course lengthen the encode time.

What would be interesting is to try encoding to HEVC / H.265 in VPX where it will use GPU hardware acceleration (Nvenc) on the Nvidia 3080. This may well stop the crashing and should be very fast.

Peter

Yeah, I had noticed that the lower the value for Constant Quality, the higher the quality of the transcode, but setting it to 0 was what made the quality so poor in my initial tests. Setting it to 2 seems to work much better, thanks.

What would be interesting is to try encoding to HEVC / H.265 in VPX where it will use GPU hardware acceleration (Nvenc) on the Nvidia 3080. This may well stop the crashing and should be very fast.

Peter

Thanks Peter. Are you saying that if I choose HEVC and H.265 as my export setting in VPX I might not / would not need to transcode the source video clips to CFR prior to editing?

Thanks everyone!

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi Wayne.

Doubtful on the not converting files to constant bit rate. Apple ditched using nvidia a while back and it's doubtful that it can decode apple sourced files that well either. Apple is still trying to be an enclosed working system. Apple media files only being best processed by Apple products. Not impossible, just a very messy workflow. Same with their repair policies. Some Apple iPhones have had the ability to record constant frame rate files in the past but not at Pro res resolutions as it is too processor intensive, even for an iPhone. Even some Android higher end phones now use similar codecs. It's becoming a PITA.

Then again, the 3080 is an unknown quantity in ability at present, so who knows?

Ray.

@Scenestealer

Hi Peter

. . . . A lower number produces higher quality . . . .

Well spotted - post modified.

Thanks

John

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Well the suggestion others made that VFR might be causing the encode to crash could still be a factor, but just spreading the encoding load on to the Nvidia GPU might help the crashing problem.

Peter

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Well the suggestion others made that VFR might be causing the encode to crash could still be a factor, but just spreading the encoding load on to the Nvidia GPU might help the crashing problem.

Peter

Thanks again! I am doing a test right now, exporting in HEVC without transcoding to CFR, and will reply back with the results, but this brings up three more questions that might now fall outside the original scope of this thread. Hopefully folks can help, but if I should refer to an existing thread for these questions, or post a new one, please let me know.

If exporting in HEVC and using my GPU to help encode helps me reduce / eliminate the crashing upon export issue I am having with VPX:

1. Will I have any issues uploading to YouTube / Vimeo, and will the final result on these services -- on the full range of their supported devices (PC browsers, tablets, phones, TVs, consoles, etc.) -- be of lower quality vs. AVC/VP9/H.264?
2. If this workflow (Apple iPhone 12 VFR sources, HEVC, GPU-accelerated) works fine, should I be switching to HEVC when shooting on my iPhone, or is that additional, unnecessary compression / loss of quality?
3. Should I be shooting with HDR on my iPhone 12, or will this cause problems / poor results on the vast majority of devices that do not support HDR?

Thanks!

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi Wayne.

My take on your questions. Other opinions may vary.

1: I have no problems exporting HEVC material to YouTube and getting the encoder at that end to use VP9.

2: Depends.

Can you see a difference?

No two people have the same setup, equipment or ability to colour calibrate their monitors so what you see will undoubtedly be different to what anyone else sees.

You may be the only person to see it in its full glory. Sad but possibly true.

This is why some cinemas eventually got certified to exact standards for Lucas Films, so that everyone had the possibility of sharing the same experience, not accounting for individual hearing of visual impairment problems.

3: See above.

Ray.

@Wayne-McIlvaine

Hi

My take on your questions is:

1. Whatever you do, YT is going to re-encode to various resolutions as low as 240p for depending on the viewers device and Internet connection speed plus what @CubeAce has said.
    
2. See answer 1, and record in the highest quality you can, and CFR if possible.
    
3. See answer 1. In addition HDR crushed to a 'normal colour space' can look artificial.

HTH

John EB