Encoding cuts of first 0.5-1.5 seconds

[TM2-Megatron]

I've gone through a couple e-mails with the Slysoft tech support team about this a few weeks ago, but haven't heard back about my most recent reply in a bit... so now that these forums are open and Slysoft representatives post here I figured I'd try here; perhaps also see if anyone else has experienced this.

Basically, the problem is this: I'm encoding files for my iPod video (late 2006 model), or what CloneDVD mobile refers to as "5. gen (hires)". Originally, I was encoding the videos at the highest resolution (generally 640xsomething, depending on the original video's aspect ratio) and with the highest quality setting. I'm running the most recent versions of AnyDVD and CloneDVD mobile. I've tried encoding the video through various methods... straight from the original DVD... ripped to the hard drive, alternatively with CloneDVD and DVDShrink and then encoded... and every time, I had the same issue.

Essentially, the encoding seems to cut off the first 0.5-1.5 seconds of the video... I haven't measured it precisely. I'm not even sure whether or not it occurs on every video that I encode, since some of them begin with enough of a black lead-in to make it impossible to tell. Also, sometimes when it does this and the video begins on an actual frame instead of just black, the first frame or two (literally only the very first frame or two) of the video has a slight pixelation which then immediately vanishes and the video plays normally.

The real kicker is that I've since tried the same tests on my grandfather's computer (a newer system than mine), and the same thing occurs... so it's hard for me to believe it's an isolated problem with my system alone. I've also done a clean windows install in the time since first noticing the issue, and took advantage of that to re-test... and it still occurs.

The last e-mail from Slysoft asked me to try encoding the videos with lower quality settings, which I did, and it still occured. I replied back to tell them this, but haven't heard back in about a week; so I decided to try here. Some of the titles I've noticed it on so far have been:

"Jack-Jack Attack" (from 'The Incredibles' 2-disc set, region 1)
"Crazy" music video (from Deluxe Ed. of 'St. Elsewhere' album)
"Luxo Jr." (from 'Toy Story 2', region 1)

As I've said, it may occur on everything and just be difficult to detect on many. I'm also not sure whether or not it occurs when encoding in other formats, for other types of devices than the iPod. Also, around half a second (or even a full second) isn't the kind of thing everyone would notice. However, it does seem to be happening. I'm hoping others will be able to post here if they've noticed this as well (or noticed it after reading this post). And perhaps Slysoft can come up with some kind of resolution.

[Scarpad]

Happens to me as well I do alot of TV DVD's and if the episodes star faitly quickly you'll get what appears to be a frozen pixelly frame and then the show starts. It does'nt happen on all encodes, but most of them.

[TM2-Megatron]

It's good to know that I'm not the only person having this trouble, and that I'm not just going crazy.

I hope someone from Slysoft has noticed this thread, and put this issue on the agenda to be dealt with.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Scarpad

Happens to me as well I do alot of TV DVD's and if the episodes star faitly quickly you'll get what appears to be a frozen pixelly frame and then the show starts.

Snap, I get that too.

[pawtracks]

I see this same issue:

Working right now on converting my season 1 Prison Break from DVD to iPod.
-Ripped each episode using AnyDVD 6.1.1.4 & DVD Shrink to a folder (Video_TS)
-If I play the ripped episode it shows 100% of the file (just like on the DVD)

When I shrink the file for my iPod using CloneDVD mobile it cuts off the first second (maybe even more) of each file

Dvd file is nice looking, starts with a black screen
CloneDVD mobile just jumps right in to a blurry image
Hopefully this issue can be addressed.

If the developer needs more data, please let us know how we can help.

[leigh]

I do get that too..I have nothing worry about it

[TM2-Megatron]

This is a pretty good result so far... if all of us have noticed this, the odds are the issue exists on most (if not all) systems, but most people simply haven't noticed it.

Could anyone from Slysoft possibly post in this thread, and say whether there's been some investigation into this problem; or plans to look into it in the near future?

[pawtracks]

I posted a tech support question about this last week and I DID get an email response from someone. He asked me what quality settings I was using. Before I responded I tried encoding the same original file 3 times using 3 different quality settings on 2 different computers.

It didn't matter, all three cut off the same amount from the front end of the file.

No other response from anyone yet. No official acknowledgement that the bug exists (from our posts here I would say it definitely does)

I'm sure they are busy working on ANYDVD HD.
Hopefully we will see some fixes soon

[gianluca]

I see this problem as well.
I use all the default quality settings, and the first 1/2 sec, or so, gets chopped off, and the first frame is always a badly pixellated.
-Gianluca.

[TM2-Megatron]

Hopefully someone from Slysoft will post in here eventually, to at least let us know the issue is being looked into... perhaps after they're finished perfecting AnyDVD HD.

It's good to know it isn't just a problem isolated to my own videos, though.