Video missing in imported MP4 H.264 10bit clips Resolve

Some H.264/MP4 clips are not recognized correctly by Resolve and contains only audio when imported.

Problem is described in detail in this thread.

Reproduction
On Panasonic GH5 record a clip in MP4, 4K (3840x2160,25.00p) 422/10bit/LongGOP 150Mbps.

The file can be played in VLC. When imported in Resolve the clip has no video - audio only.

Information, using MediaInfo:

Code: Select all

General
Complete name                            : J:\DCIM\107_PANA\PANA7221.MP4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42 (mp42/avc1)
File size                                : 97.0 MiB
Duration                                 : 4 s 800 ms
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 169 Mb/s
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-25 18:10:39
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-25 18:10:39
PANA                                     : ÿóÿÿßÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿïÿÿßÿÿù×ý½ûþ·ýóÛ×ÿÿÿïÿßÿÿÿÿÿûÿÿÿÿÿþ}í¿öÿwÿ¿~ß·ÿ{ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ×ïÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÝë×ûïïûÿÿüÿ÷{û¿¿ÿ÷ÿûÿßà¢

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High 4:2:2@L5.1
Format settings                          : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP                     : M=1, N=12
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 4 s 800 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 150 Mb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 180 Mb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS
Standard                                 : Component
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:2
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.724
Stream size                              : 85.9 MiB (89%)
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-25 18:10:39
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-25 18:10:39
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Using HandBrake or another tool the file can be converted to H.265 10bit. 10 bit import is not limited to Studio version, this new file can be imported correctly in Resolve.

MediaInfo after my convert

Code: Select all

General
Complete name                            : J:\DCIM\107_PANA\Pana7221-1.m4v
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42 (isom/iso2/mp41)
File size                                : 11.0 MiB
Duration                                 : 4 s 822 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 19.1 Mb/s
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-25 21:40:54
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-25 21:40:54
Writing application                      : HandBrake 1.3.1 2020010400

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L5@Main
Codec ID                                 : hvc1
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                                 : 4 s 800 ms
Bit rate                                 : 19.0 Mb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.091
Stream size                              : 10.9 MiB (99%)
Writing library                          : x265 3.2.1+1-b5c86a64bbbe:[Windows][GCC 9.2.0][64 bit] 10bit
Encoding settings                        : cpuid=1111039 / frame-threads=3 / numa-pools=8 / wpp / no-pmode / no-pme / no-psnr / no-ssim / log-level=2 / input-csp=1 / input-res=3840x2160 / interlace=0 / total-frames=0 / level-idc=0 / high-tier=1 / uhd-bd=0 / ref=3 / no-allow-non-conformance / no-repeat-headers / annexb / no-aud / no-hrd / info / hash=0 / no-temporal-layers / open-gop / min-keyint=25 / keyint=250 / gop-lookahead=0 / bframes=4 / b-adapt=0 / b-pyramid / bframe-bias=0 / rc-lookahead=15 / lookahead-slices=8 / scenecut=40 / radl=0 / no-splice / no-intra-refresh / ctu=64 / min-cu-size=8 / no-rect / no-amp / max-tu-size=32 / tu-inter-depth=1 / tu-intra-depth=1 / limit-tu=0 / rdoq-level=0 / dynamic-rd=0.00 / no-ssim-rd / signhide / no-tskip / nr-intra=0 / nr-inter=0 / no-constrained-intra / strong-intra-smoothing / max-merge=2 / limit-refs=3 / no-limit-modes / me=1 / subme=2 / merange=57 / temporal-mvp / no-hme / weightp / no-weightb / no-analyze-src-pics / deblock=0:0 / sao / no-sao-non-deblock / rd=2 / selective-sao=4 / no-early-skip / rskip / fast-intra / no-tskip-fast / no-cu-lossless / no-b-intra / no-splitrd-skip / rdpenalty=0 / psy-rd=2.00 / psy-rdoq=0.00 / no-rd-refine / no-lossless / cbqpoffs=0 / crqpoffs=0 / rc=crf / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpstep=4 / stats-write=0 / stats-read=0 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30 / aq-mode=2 / aq-strength=1.00 / cutree / zone-count=0 / no-strict-cbr / qg-size=32 / no-rc-grain / qpmax=69 / qpmin=0 / no-const-vbv / sar=1 / overscan=0 / videoformat=5 / range=0 / colorprim=1 / transfer=1 / colormatrix=1 / chromaloc=0 / display-window=0 / cll=0,0 / min-luma=0 / max-luma=1023 / log2-max-poc-lsb=8 / vui-timing-info / vui-hrd-info / slices=1 / no-opt-qp-pps / no-opt-ref-list-length-pps / no-multi-pass-opt-rps / scenecut-bias=0.05 / no-opt-cu-delta-qp / no-aq-motion / no-hdr / no-hdr-opt / no-dhdr10-opt / no-idr-recovery-sei / analysis-reuse-level=5 / scale-factor=0 / refine-intra=0 / refine-inter=0 / refine-mv=1 / refine-ctu-distortion=0 / no-limit-sao / ctu-info=0 / no-lowpass-dct / refine-analysis-type=0 / copy-pic=1 / max-ausize-factor=1.0 / no-dynamic-refine / no-single-sei / no-hevc-aq / no-svt / no-field / qp-adaptation-range=1.00
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-25 21:40:54
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-25 21:40:54
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC

So basically Resolve should be able to detect the original clip correctly even if it's a Studio feature.

That format is not supported by the free version on PC.

That format is not supported by the free version on PC.

This is also an issue in the other thread. Resolve should be able to prompt the user that Studio version is required if that is the case.

Yes, it should.

Why complain on this on free version?? It's not a bug. Its working damn good! Support BMD and buy studio. It's only $299 and worth much more.

It's not simply that you converted to H.265 that made it work. The chroma subsampling has been changed from 4:2:2 to 4:2:0 (the format profile/level has been changed as well).

Why complain on this on free version?? It's not a bug. Its working damn good! Support BMD and buy studio. It's only $299 and worth much more.

It's not a complaint about Resolve/Studio fee/non-free.
Somebody previously wrote 10 bit was Studio exclusive but it's not. Right now users will think their clip is garbage or there's a bug in Resolve. There's no way to know if it's a paid feature and I haven't seen anybody explicitly confirm that it's working in Studio.

As for Studio license I'm quite sure I'll get this for 'free' in a bundled hardware package compatible with all my MFT lenses

It's not simply that you converted to H.265 that made it work. The chroma subsampling has been changed from 4:2:2 to 4:2:0 (the format profile/level has been changed as well).

Yes, I also noticed that but I don't know much about these technical detalis in the format. So where is the limitation of Resolve? H.264 10bit 4:2:2 doesn't work but H.265 10bit 4:2:0 does. So is the issue 4:2:2 instead of the 10 bit?

H.264/H.265 aren't traditional color grading post production formats so I assume that's why it's not 100% clear what is supported. The issue is complicated by the varying hardware support as well.

Then again, it is clear if it's supported or not once you try a file in Resolve.

There's no short answer and it's different for different platforms. BMD have hinted that more documentation is on the way.

Anything the GH5 shoots does work in the Studio version of Resolve. BMD have been very active in supporting as many file formats as possible.

I’m pretty sure the free version uses Microsoft codecs for h264/265, and these codecs do not support 422, but only 420 video. The Studio version uses its own codecs.

I have the same H.264 issue.

Project shot on Sony A7S3
- XAVC S 1080 HD - H.264 10bit 4:2:2 - 24p - Slog3
- Editing with Resolve 17 “Free" version
- New MacBook Air M1 with 16GB RAM

The weird thing is that I had NO issues importing and editing XAVC HS H.265 4K 10bit 4:2:2

So is it only a h.264 issue?

I posted a comment on a topic similar with it.

I've edited with 10-bit 422 H.264 MOV for months with my Mac Pro M2 on the FREE version of Davinci, and it worked perfectly, but now that I changed my Mac to a older one(but with more RAM), the same files are not working on Davinci. It says Media Offline and only plays audio.

The only thing that im afraid of is that if I buy the Studio version, which I never needed, and the problem still continues, since NOBODY could figure out this.