“could not create image buffer” Failed QT export

[Kevin Camp]

if you watch your ram usage as you render, and it hits the maximum ram cache that you set and quits (default is 60%, i think you set to 100%), setting the purge ram to even fewer frame will most likely help.

pre-comping some of the layers in your comp that are using more effects and then pre-rendering those pre-comps with a post-render action of import and replace usage, can also help to lighten the render demands on the final comp.

also you mentioned ‘export’ as opposed to ‘render.’ i would recommend that you use ‘add to render queue’ function in the compostion menu rather than export. you will have more render options available, more output options (like straight with alpha) and the post-render options i mentioned earlier. in addition, if your render fails at some point, it will create a new render with all the same settings but it will start at the point that the other render stopped. you can then put the 2 (or more) clips together and render the full clip, if needed.

Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Xxmontyxx]

That’s great info Kevin. I too have had this problem time to time. Never saw this before AE 7. Is this a new bug?

[Redrobot]

Thank you. All I had to do was add it to the render que. I feel like an idiot, but I appreciate the help.

[Kevin Camp]

i’ve found a lot of people export rather than render, i think its from working with other software that doesn’t need to render.

there are times when you may need to export. i’ve worked on some machines that require dv but don’t work with quicktime dv files and you have to export as a dv stream.

as far as ae7 issue… i can’t say that i remember encountering the image buffer wall previously, but i just recently started working in hd resolutions since ae7 came out… so it may be that the demands of hd and the limitations of 32 bit addressing are creating the problem. maybe when everything is 64 bit this will go away.

Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Chortorn]

I’ve encountered the error in both AE6.0 and AE6.5.1. Changing the Max mem.usage and the RAM cache usually solves the problem, but once I made a comp with some layers, and one of those was corner pinned to 6000 px wide or more, which caused it to fail (naturally). Rendering in several steps solved the problem.
However, I still only have 2GB RAM and I’m considering buying more, but I have some questions:

Will my old dual RAM’s BUSspeed (of 533) be limiting my new dual RAM?
Is it at all wise to have two sets of dualRAM, which are different?
Where can I find the plugin, which makes the 3GB (I think) boundary disappear?

Chortorn