Could not find codec parameters for stream 0

Question

When I run this command:

ffmpeg -y -i ./in.mp4 -c:v png -f image2pipe -thread_queue_size 1024 -r 25 -t 186.75 -i - -filter_complex overlay=0:0 -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart ./out.mp4 < ./out.png

I get an error:

(git)-[master] 
ffmpeg version 2.8.11-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2017 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 5.4.0 (Ubuntu 5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) 20160609
  configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=0ubuntu0.16.04.1 --build-suffix=-ffmpeg --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --cc=cc --cxx=g++ --enable-gpl --enable-shared --disable-stripping --disable-decoder=libopenjpeg --disable-decoder=libschroedinger --enable-avresample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzvbi --enable-openal --enable-opengl --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libiec61883 --enable-libzmq --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-libopencv
  WARNING: library configuration mismatch
  avcodec     configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=0ubuntu0.16.04.1 --build-suffix=-ffmpeg --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --cc=cc --cxx=g++ --enable-gpl --enable-shared --disable-stripping --disable-decoder=libopenjpeg --disable-decoder=libschroedinger --enable-avresample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzvbi --enable-openal --enable-opengl --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libiec61883 --enable-libzmq --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-libopencv --enable-version3 --disable-doc --disable-programs --disable-avdevice --disable-avfilter --disable-avformat --disable-avresample --disable-postproc --disable-swscale --enable-libopencore_amrnb --enable-libopencore_amrwb --enable-libvo_aacenc --enable-libvo_amrwbenc
  libavutil      54. 31.100 / 54. 31.100
  libavcodec     56. 60.100 / 56. 60.100
  libavformat    56. 40.101 / 56. 40.101
  libavdevice    56.  4.100 / 56.  4.100
  libavfilter     5. 40.101 /  5. 40.101
  libavresample   2.  1.  0 /  2.  1.  0
  libswscale      3.  1.101 /  3.  1.101
  libswresample   1.  2.101 /  1.  2.101
  libpostproc    53.  3.100 / 53.  3.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from './in.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    creation_time   : 1970-01-01 00:00:00
    encoder         : Lavf52.99.1
  Duration: 00:03:06.75, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 538 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 480x320 [SAR 1:1 DAR 3:2], 465 kb/s, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 50 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 1970-01-01 00:00:00
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 67 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 1970-01-01 00:00:00
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
[image2pipe @ 0x15f7200] Could not find codec parameters for stream 0 (Video: png, none(pc)): unspecified size
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options
pipe:: could not find codec parameters
Input #1, image2pipe, from 'pipe:':
  Duration: N/A, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #1:0: Video: png, none(pc), 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
[buffer @ 0x15e2620] Unable to parse option value "0x0" as image size
[buffer @ 0x15e2620] Unable to parse option value "-1" as pixel format
[buffer @ 0x15e2620] Unable to parse option value "0x0" as image size
[buffer @ 0x15e2620] Error setting option video_size to value 0x0.
[graph 0 input from stream 1:0 @ 0x15e23e0] Error applying options to the filter.
Error configuring complex filters.
Invalid argument

Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options pipe:0: could not find codec parameters

What am I missing in my setup?

Solution

I had the same problem once when trying to do a backup with dvdbackup and then converting the video. Pretty much everything on the dvd was broken, probably on purpose. To circumvent corrupt audio or video streams, skip the first few seconds with the -ss parameter. I had success after skipping 40 seconds:

ffmpeg -i VTS_09_1.VOB -c:v copy -map 0:1 -map 0:3 -ss 40 fixed_1.VOB

-map selects:

• 0:1 a video stream. 0:0 was some navigation stream
• 0:3 an audio stream (my native language)