Racerender suddenly doesn't recognize HEVC codec

[Womac911]

Suddenly RaceRender doesn't want to import any video from a Gopro, (9) or anything I've rendered using Vegas Pro.

I've uninstalled, reinstalled RR, as well as the MS HEVC Video extension multiple times, and rebooted multiple times.

Nothing. Any thoughts on what happened? It was working not too long ago. I have play HEVC on everything else.

I normally use RR to do a PIP with a green screen as the main screen, render, and import to Vegas Pro and chroma key it out leaving only the gauges for super easy track-sliding time alignment using audio markers on the audio tracks.

racerender.JPG

[HoboBob]

Maybe there was some sort of Microsoft update that has introduced some compatibility issue?

I've generally found H.265 support in RaceRender to be hit or miss... (see here and here). I've had much better luck converting the H.265 videos back to H.264 MP4 files using Davinci Resolve (but I'm sure Vegas Pro could easily handle that too). It would be an extra step and extra file to store, but it should hopefully make the RR piece work much better.

[Womac911]

Maybe there was some sort of Microsoft update that has introduced some compatibility issue?

I've generally found H.265 support in RaceRender to be hit or miss... (see here and here). I've had much better luck converting the H.265 videos back to H.264 MP4 files using Davinci Resolve (but I'm sure Vegas Pro could easily handle that too). It would be an extra step and extra file to store, but it should hopefully make the RR piece work much better.

Could be. I found a workaround... I rerendered by base green screen some other rendering option in Vegas.
Luckily RR doesn't have a problem with the A/V captured in TrackAddict.

[Karsten]

Suddenly RaceRender doesn't want to import any video from a Gopro, (9) or anything I've rendered using Vegas Pro.

I've uninstalled, reinstalled RR, as well as the MS HEVC Video extension multiple times, and rebooted multiple times.

Nothing. Any thoughts on what happened? It was working not too long ago. I have play HEVC on everything else.

I normally use RR to do a PIP with a green screen as the main screen, render, and import to Vegas Pro and chroma key it out leaving only the gauges for super easy track-sliding time alignment using audio markers on the audio tracks.

racerender.JPG

I noticed the same problem today as well! Last month i had no problem rendering videos from my go pro in Race Render. Today, black screen... I converted it, but it was all quite messy... Hope someone finds what changed/a workaround!

Karsten

[ja3678]

Same here. No GoPro videos will load as of just recently. If I open a previously saved project, only the audio shows in the Input Files section. Wasted $1 installing the Microsoft HEVC extensions, with no change.

[Dime8902]

Hi, I bought the software yesterday and also get the same errors. I am using Windows 10 and bought the 1€ Microsoft HEVC Extension... I really wanted to use the software but am regretting it right now.
It would be great if the Admins could check in and maybe help us out.

[vblackwing]

Hi, I bought the software yesterday and also get the same errors. I am using Windows 10 and bought the 1? Microsoft HEVC Extension... I really wanted to use the software but am regretting it right now.
It would be great if the Admins could check in and maybe help us out.

Same issue, used to work, now it doesn't. Hopefully they can fix it otherwise this software is useless.

[HoboBob]

Same issue, used to work, now it doesn't. Hopefully they can fix it otherwise this software is useless.

Useless is pretty harsh. You can still convert back to H.264 to have everything work like it should. Not having H.265 support is a bummer, but the rest of the software should still work the same as it ever did.

[vblackwing]

Useless is pretty harsh. You can still convert back to H.264 to have everything work like it should. Not having H.265 support is a bummer, but the rest of the software should still work the same as it ever did.

Will you lose the GPS data from it if you do that?

[HoboBob]

Will you lose the GPS data from it if you do that?

If you're extracting GPS data from the video itself, unfortunately yes you would lose GPS data if you keep recording the videos in H.265.

However, it's pretty easy to change the settings on a GoPro to record using H.264 for future videos though which would allow you to still use the GPS data and have much better compatibility in RaceRender. On my GoPro Hero 8 Black, it's under Preferences > General > Video Compression > H.264 + HEVC (as opposed to just HEVC), but I assume it would be similar for other models too. This will make the videos themselves slightly larger in size, but I think that tradeoff is worth it for the ability to use it in RaceRender without any HEVC issues.

[vblackwing]

If you're extracting GPS data from the video itself, unfortunately yes you would lose GPS data if you keep recording the videos in H.265.

However, it's pretty easy to change the settings on a GoPro to record using H.264 for future videos though which would allow you to still use the GPS data and have much better compatibility in RaceRender. On my GoPro Hero 8 Black, it's under Preferences > General > Video Compression > H.264 + HEVC (as opposed to just HEVC), but I assume it would be similar for other models too. This will make the videos themselves slightly larger in size, but I think that tradeoff is worth it for the ability to use it in RaceRender without any HEVC issues.

Ok, lets me hop in my time machine, back 3 months when the problem didn't exist and retake the video. Yea, you solve the issue going to H.264 for the future, but not the past. I'm just glad GoPro is releasing their new software which will be able to do for the most part what RaceRender did.

[Brendon]

Suddenly have the same problem after many years of using H.265.
Unfortunately H.264 + HEVC is not an option on my hero 8 black as it regularly corrupts my SD cards. After changing to H.265 only have not had that issue.

Edit: I attempted to import some old files from projects that previously worked. They have the same error. The old project opens with black instead of the video. Other elements are all there.

Edit: Link to another thread with same problem
https://forum.hptuners.com/showthrea...&highlight=265

Edit: This works ok for me because I am only using small files, Takes about 4x the video length in time to convert for me. May be faster or slower for you.
Sorry I wont be go into fully how to use the windows command prompt and FFMpeg. You'll need to figure that out elsewhere if you dont know how to.

Use Racerender to extract the data file from the original clip. data file is then saved in the same location as the original file.

Download and extracted FFMpeg.exe to C:\FFMpeg\

Open cmd
use CD to change to the directory / folder where your video file is located

Used FFMpeg to convert the video from H.265 to H.264
Example of the line i used: which is almost visually identical output.
C:\FFMPeg\ffmpeg.exe -i GXAF4052.MP4 -x265-params crf=18 output2.mp4

Then used the output file with the data file in RR and works as normal.

FFMpeg can combine multiple files but one at a time was enough to get done what I needed to do.

[jarosoup]

I'm running into the same problem with GoPro and Iphone videos in TrackAddict recently. I've been using RR for awhile now and made some videos a month ago without issue, now getting the HEVC codec error. I've previously purchased the HEVC extensions from the Microsoft Store.

[TheJorma]

Started happenig to me too. Worked 7 days ago. Last windows updates were installed 10 days ago.

[Larry R]

Ok, lets me hop in my time machine, back 3 months when the problem didn't exist and retake the video. Yea, you solve the issue going to H.264 for the future, but not the past. I'm just glad GoPro is releasing their new software which will be able to do for the most part what RaceRender did.

I searched for any info about upcoming Gopro software with overlay, I found nothing.

It seems unlikely when the Gopro 12 discontinued GPS altogether.
My guess is that the demands of GPS and HEVC at 5k were too much for the battery and overheating.
So, they bagged the GPS to stop the complaints about overheating.

I searched using my Gopro 11 in h.264 mode rather than HEVC, unfortunately it's not possible.

I used handbrake to convert a Gopro 11 HEVC file to h.264 this morning.

My Racerender now seems to work ok with the h.264 version.

Unfortunately, my desktop isn't a powerhouse at rendering.

30 minutes to convert a 12 minute clip from HEVC to AVC (best option for youtube 4k) is too long.

So, outlier fringe case that I am, I'm going to move over to telemetry overlay.
I need that horizon lock offered by the Gopro11.

Wanted to say thanks for all the tips from everyone, Racerender has been great to me for many years.

I'm surprised I lasted this long. If Microsoft updates are an issue, I'm swimming over to the shallow section where I belong.

I did the same thing moving from Dashware to RR and it's been a great ride.

I wish I had the chops to help fix things.

Here is what MediaInfo says about my attempt to convert to h.264.

handbrake.png

[Brendon]

Racerender is now working properly again.
Success, if only temporary, Lets see.
I did a windows roll back. Control Panel / Recovery. Open system restore. I went back to 11 May 24.
Do a backup first as this may damage your system.

[Brendon]

Started tinkering and found what caused it.
In the windows store I had previously installed "HEVC Video Extensions from the Device Manufacturer"
Racerender was working properly.
I updated the HEVC Video Extensions from the Device Manufacturer and it killed it again.
Still trying to figure out a solution.

[HoboBob]

Started tinkering and found what caused it.
In the windows store I had previously installed "HEVC Video Extensions from the Device Manufacturer"
Racerender was working properly.
I updated the HEVC Video Extensions from the Device Manufacturer and it killed it again.
Still trying to figure out a solution.

Excellent find! Please keep us updated so the rest of us will know how to deal with it...

I was seeing the same "No video detected" issue with h.265 files, but my Davinci Resolve rendered h.264 files are all still working fine for me.

[Brendon]

Progress is slow and difficult.
I ran system restore again and captured the information of the working codec then it automatically updated and I was back to the error again.

I don't know how to make a backup of the working one.

This is how to get the list of packages installed so you can then see what version you have installed.

Open windows power shell

Get-AppxPackage | select Name,PackageFullName,NonRemovable

Look for the lines that contain HEVC

Working version 2.0.61931.0_x64
Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension_2.0.61931.0_x64__8wek yb3d8bbwe

Broken version 2.1.1161.0_x64
Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension_2.1.1161.0_x64__8weky b3d8bbwe


Edit: adding removal instructions
To remove the package use the following depending on the version you have installed.
Remove-AppPackage Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension_2.1.1161.0_x64__8weky b3d8bbwe
Remove-AppPackage Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtensions_2.1.1162.0_x64__8wek yb3d8bbwe

[Brendon]

Found an archive of the working codec.
I tested it and it worked.
Use at your own risk.
I downloaded the zipped file. unzipped it and clicked on the package. It installed.
I also ran a virus scan on https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload and that came up clean.
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/...9804d273defe90

https://archive.org/details/microsof...8bbwe_20231114

Make sure to turn off updates in the windows store
DisableUpdates.jpg