Encoder output video is blank, but with sound.

[Oversat]

I have read a hundred different versions of this thread, and I still am having issues with my output file.  Here is what I have tried:

• In After Effects, exporting my composition to Media Encoder using H.264 with Bitrate set to VBR, 2-Pass
• In After Effects, exporting my composition to Media Encoder using H.264 with Bitrate set to VBR, 1-Pass
• In After Effects, exporting my composition to Media Encoder using H.264 with Bitrate set to CBR
• Rendering in After Effects and getting an AVI file (which works), but has an exclamation icon over the file in File Manager (I have yet to figure out why this happens, as no error is recorded). Then using Media Encoder to create the MP4 file using the three settings above.
• Rendering in After Effects and using the AVI file in Premier Pro and exporting to file.
• Rendering in After Effects and using the AVI file in Premier Pro and exporting to Media Encoder using the three different settings.  This one produces an error and stops the encoding process.

I am at the end of my rope, here.  Someone please help!

[kglad]

[moved from Adobe Creative Cloud to After Effects]

[imeilfx]

Ok. That great that you tryed so many ways before you asked - that is really great because that mean that yo really try to resolve your issue. But tell us and show us some specs:
- what OS
- what AE version
- screenschot of your final comp that your rendering
and anything more that can show us the issue.
What do you mean blank? There is no video or you have white/black screen or some test patterns or what. And how do you try to play those videos - on what player?

[Oversat]

Windows 10 is the OS, AE, Premier, and Media Encoder are all 2019 CC.

The screen is black (and sometimes green) on VLC Media Player.  Windows Media Player won't play the video(s) at all.

[imeilfx]

Ok. Your AE and PPro are 2019 but in newest versions (december update) or earlier? If earlier - please update to newest versions.
After Effects 16.0.1
Adobe Premiere Pro 13.0.2

and

Adobe Media Encoder 13.0.2

after that - try to render your files.
You can also look there: Image quality changes after saving the project. Green/pink haze on video. 

And for rendering your mp4/h264 use preset "Match Source - high bitrate.

Let us know if that helped.

[Oversat]

I made sure everything was updated.  I went back in to AE and saved the project to make sure any affect the updates might have had would be saved.  I did the same with Premier, and then I used Media Encoder to finalize.  Here are my settings in Encoder:

I still got a messed up file.  This time, it blacked out my whole computer screen after a few seconds, and then I couldn't even shut it down with CTRL+ALT+DEL!  What in the world is going on?  I can play other MP4 videos just fine, so its not VLC or Windows Media Player.

[Oversat]

I followed the link; my drivers are up-to-date and I tried rendering using Mercury Playback Engine Software Only.  Still no good.

[imeilfx]

Oversat  napisał(-a)

I still got a messed up file.  This time, it blacked out my whole computer screen after a few seconds, and then I couldn't even shut it down with CTRL+ALT+DEL! 

It blacked out your computer how? You opened that file in what payer? What did you had to shut down?

Did you try to make any other composition/new project - even simplest animation of moving solids or text being writen and render it? If no - try to do that and let us know if that composition was rendered correctly. Or try to pou any video file into AE and export - render it as mp4.
That will help us to understand if there is something wrong with AE/AME or that exact composition.

[Oversat · Accepted solution]

Nothing wrong with anything Adobe.  It turns out that using a Hewlitt Packard is the worst idea possible.  Since my first few iterations in trying to render the file, I stopped trying to playback the video on both VLC and Windows Media Players.  I started trying only VLC since that is what is set to automatically open media files.  After double-checking Windows Update, Adobe Updates, driver updates, I rendered one more file and decided to try Windows Media Player. 

THE FILE FREAKING WORKED!

I tried opening it in VLC, and green screen!  So I hopped on VLC's website...turns out, HP and VLC doesn't always get along. 

I just wanted to say thank you for all your help.  You probably solved this issue a week ago.  Because of all the crap I went through, and all the various settings I had to learn about, I actually reduced the time it is going to take for me to create videos!  Have a Happy New Year!

[Oversat]

I am not quite sure why this was marked as helpful.  I still can't get an .MP4 file created.

[Oversat]

So it has been a week and nothing...so here is a screenshot of my attempt to create an .AVI through Premier Pro CC 2018:

[Oversat]

Using Premier Pro 2019, I was able to remove the .AVI file, import the After Effects sequence, and then export to a final .AVI file.  I succeeded, but the finished product was not of very good quality.  I am now attempting to use the Premier sequence in Media Encoder, create a good .AVI file, and just use a 3rd-party application to convert to .MP4. 

I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Oversat]

Here are the settings on Media Encoder as I attempt to create the completed video .AVI file.

[Oversat]

So after all this, I can get the 30 GB .AVI file exported.  It even works!  But no matter what I use to convert it to MP4, I get a green/blank screen on the video and only the sound.  Do you or anyone else have any ideas???