Adobe Media Encoder CS4 crashes with big files

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Media Encoder CS4 crashes with big files

Posted by Terry Hahin on January 30, 2009 at 8:27 pm

Hello,
There isn’t a forum for the Adobe Media Encoder, so I thought this would be a good spot. I am an after effects and Premiere user who likes the idea Adobe seems to have of using the media encoder to cover all my encoding needs.

My typical workflow, especially since these days I’m doing more shorter form animations, is to render out to a Quicktime Animation codec file as my main archive file. From there, output all the various different web versions, flv, etc from that core archive file. Since my projects usually aren’t running more than 5 minutes, this leaves me with a nice 3 – 7gig file.

Problem: I’m running CS4 and the media encoder crashes when I input files that are in this file size range. The program locks up when I push start que, and then eventually crashes. Works fine with smaller size files that are about under a gig.

I can run a render out of after effects, which seems to be more stable. But I’d love to be able to use this great new tool.

Here’s my machine specs if it helps:

PC
Intel Quad Core Q9550 @ 2.83 ghz
4gB RAM
Windows Vista 64 bit ultimate

All updates current for CS4 apps as of 01/30/08

Running Adobe Media Encoder V 4.01.078

Hard drives are nothing special. 7200 rpm western digital internal and external. I’ve tried all sorts of hard drive configurations, where the input is coming from, where it’s going, etc. No difference.

I have been experimenting with using Lossless AVI’s as my “uncompressed” archive file. Works well, but same crashing with the Media Encoder.

Also tried experimenting with frame size alterations during encoding, no difference there. Also, whatever the output codec is, be it FLV, H264, etc. no difference.

Anyone have any thoughts or have experienced similar issues? I hope all my MAC friends aren’t right, seems like all my attempts to streamline my workflow with this CS4 and beefy PC combo are crashing and burning.

Anyone else feeling this pain, or have recommendations?

Thanks,

Terry Hahin

Designer and Editor
terryhahin.com

Terry Hahin replied 17 years, 2 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
2 Replies

Mike Cohen
January 30, 2009 at 9:26 pm

CS4 Media Encoder seems to work best when it is the only thing running. On a dual core under XP, Premiere becomes unasably sluggish if Media Encoder is running.

Can you set the processor affinity in Processes tab of Task Manager, so Premiere and Media Encoder are using different cores and see if that helps?

I may be crazy, but when Media Encoder is doing the dynamic link when you import a project, if I click back and forth between media encoder and Task Manager, it seems to speed up the import.

Try importing the Premiere or AE project from Media Encoder, that way Media Encoder is the only thing running.

Other threads have raised this issue of slow dynamic linking.

Or are you exporting an uncompressed file from AE and importing that into AME?

Mike Cohen
Terry Hahin
February 24, 2009 at 4:52 pm

hi Mike,
thanks for you input. Sorry about my very slow response, had a project and didn’t have the time to deal with this anymore.

I was receiving crashes when doing uncompressed exports from AE, and then importing that into the AME. No dynamic link. I found out that it had to do with Pixel Aspect Ration metadata on the Quicktime (animation codec) file. My project was a 16×9 AE comp. Something about the pixel aspect ratios just screw up AME.

But I’m still experiencing problems with the AME, but new ones now. It is sluggish, finicky, and unfortunately completely necessary for a CS$ Video package user. Very frustrating.

Anyway, thanks for you time.

Terry Hahin

Designer and Editor
terryhahin.com

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