ffmpeg Invalid data found when processing input h264 to h265

Question

I want to convert video files from h264 to h265.

The command I use worked for many files so far, but now I get an error for some files:

 # ffmpeg -i rst.mkv -vcodec hevc -x265-params crf=28 -sn -acodec copy -map 0  out.mkv
ffmpeg version 2.8.6 Copyright (c) 2000-2016 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 4.8.5 (Gentoo 4.8.5 p1.3, pie-0.6.2)
  configuration: --prefix=/usr --libdir=/usr/lib64 --shlibdir=/usr/lib64 --mandir=/usr/share/man --enable-shared --cc=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc --cxx=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-g++ --ar=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-ar --optflags='-O2 -pipe -march=core2' --disable-static --enable-avfilter --enable-avresample --disable-stripping --disable-indev=v4l2 --disable-outdev=v4l2 --disable-indev=alsa --disable-indev=oss --disable-indev=jack --disable-outdev=alsa --disable-outdev=oss --disable-outdev=sdl --enable-bzlib --disable-runtime-cpudetect --disable-debug --disable-doc --disable-gnutls --enable-gpl --enable-hardcoded-tables --enable-iconv --disable-lzma --enable-network --disable-openssl --enable-postproc --disable-libsmbclient --disable-ffplay --disable-sdl --disable-vaapi --disable-vdpau --disable-xlib --disable-libxcb --disable-libxcb-shm --disable-libxcb-xfixes --enable-zlib --disable-libcdio --disable-libiec61883 --disable-libdc1394 --disable-libcaca --disable-openal --disable-opengl --disable-libv4l2 --disable-libpulse --disable-libopencore-amrwb --disable-libopencore-amrnb --disable-libfdk-aac --disable-libopenjpeg --disable-libbluray --disable-libcelt --disable-libgme --disable-libgsm --disable-libmodplug --disable-libopus --disable-libquvi --disable-librtmp --disable-libssh --disable-libschroedinger --disable-libspeex --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --disable-libzvbi --disable-libbs2b --disable-libflite --disable-frei0r --disable-libfribidi --disable-fontconfig --disable-ladspa --disable-libass --disable-libfreetype --disable-libsoxr --enable-pthreads --disable-libvo-aacenc --disable-libvo-amrwbenc --disable-libmp3lame --disable-libaacplus --disable-libfaac --disable-libsnappy --enable-libtheora --disable-libtwolame --disable-libwavpack --disable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --disable-libxvid --disable-x11grab --disable-amd3dnow --disable-amd3dnowext --disable-avx --disable-avx2 --disable-fma3 --disable-fma4 --disable-sse3 --disable-ssse3 --disable-sse4 --disable-sse42 --disable-xop --cpu=core2
  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, matroska,webm, from 'rst.mkv':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : libebml v1.0.0 + libmatroska v1.0
  Duration: 00:21:22.28, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 11533 kb/s
    Chapter #0:0: start 0.000000, end 159.784000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:00:00.000
    Chapter #0:1: start 159.784000, end 642.266000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:02:39.784
    Chapter #0:2: start 642.266000, end 1225.641000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:10:42.266
    Chapter #0:3: start 1225.641000, end 1254.878000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:20:25.641
    Chapter #0:4: start 1254.878000, end 1282.281000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:20:54.878
    Chapter #0:5: start 1282.364000, end 1282.281000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:21:22.364
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1920x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 47.95 tbc (default)
    Stream #0:1(ger): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 384 kb/s (default)
    Stream #0:2(eng): Audio: dts (DTS), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 1536 kb/s
File 'tbbt-s07e02.mkv' already exists. Overwrite ? [y/N] y
x265 [info]: HEVC encoder version 1.9
x265 [info]: build info [Linux][GCC 4.8.5][64 bit] 8bit+10bit+12bit
x265 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.1 Cache64
x265 [info]: Main profile, Level-4 (Main tier)
x265 [info]: Thread pool created using 4 threads
x265 [info]: frame threads / pool features       : 2 / wpp(17 rows)
x265 [info]: Coding QT: max CU size, min CU size : 64 / 8
x265 [info]: Residual QT: max TU size, max depth : 32 / 1 inter / 1 intra
x265 [info]: ME / range / subpel / merge         : hex / 57 / 2 / 2
x265 [info]: Keyframe min / max / scenecut       : 23 / 250 / 40
x265 [info]: Lookahead / bframes / badapt        : 20 / 4 / 2
x265 [info]: b-pyramid / weightp / weightb       : 1 / 1 / 0
x265 [info]: References / ref-limit  cu / depth  : 3 / 1 / 1
x265 [info]: AQ: mode / str / qg-size / cu-tree  : 1 / 1.0 / 32 / 1
x265 [info]: Rate Control / qCompress            : CRF-28.0 / 0.60
x265 [info]: tools: rd=3 psy-rd=2.00 signhide tmvp strong-intra-smoothing
x265 [info]: tools: lslices=6 deblock sao
[matroska @ 0x1b09450] Codec for stream 1 does not use global headers but container format requires global headers
[matroska @ 0x1b09450] Codec for stream 2 does not use global headers but container format requires global headers
[matroska @ 0x1b09450] Invalid chapter start (1282364000000) or end (1282281000000).
Output #0, matroska, to 'out.mkv':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Lavf56.40.101
    Chapter #0:0: start 0.000000, end 159.784000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:00:00.000
    Chapter #0:1: start 159.784000, end 642.266000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:02:39.784
    Chapter #0:2: start 642.266000, end 1225.641000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:10:42.266
    Chapter #0:3: start 1225.641000, end 1254.878000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:20:25.641
    Chapter #0:4: start 1254.878000, end 1282.281000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:20:54.878
    Chapter #0:5: start 1282.364000, end 1282.281000
    Metadata:
      title           : 00:21:22.364
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: hevc (libx265), yuv420p, 1920x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=2-31, 23.98 fps, 1k tbn, 23.98 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      encoder         : Lavc56.60.100 libx265
    Stream #0:1(ger): Audio: ac3 ([0] [0][0] / 0x2000), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), 384 kb/s (default)
    Stream #0:2(eng): Audio: dts ([1] [0][0] / 0x2001), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), 1536 kb/s
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 (native) -> hevc (libx265))
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)
  Stream #0:2 -> #0:2 (copy)
Could not write header for output file #0 (incorrect codec parameters ?): Invalid data found when processing input

encoded 0 frames

The files in question are playable by for example mpv, so they are not corrupt.

Solution

I would start with the first error.

[matroska @ 0x1b09450] Codec for stream 1 does not use global headers but container format requires global headers

Try including the following to correc that: "-flags +global_header".

And to convert an h264 to h265 you can use the following command with a standard FFmpeg install (assuming input.mp4 is a valid h264 file). Not sure if there are any unique flags required for an .mkv file but give that a try.

Command I use for .mp4 files:

ffmpeg -i /path/input.mp4 -c:v libx265 -c:a copy -flags +global_header /path/output.mp4

Comments

[ddio]

The error Codec for stream 1 does not use global headers is now gone, but the invalid chapter start still appears. Do you know how to remove chapters(I don't need them)? Your ffmpeg options gave the same error.

[ddio]

-map_chapters -1 worked, -map_metadata -1 unfortunately not.

[iangetz]

Ah. Yes. That makes sense. Glad you figured it out. Cheers.