NS_E_NO_TWOPASS_TIMECOMPRESSION (0XC00D1BD8) Fix

Cause #1: Two-Pass Encoding + Time Compression Don't Mix

This is the one that trips up most people. You're encoding a video in Windows Media Encoder 9 Series or Expression Encoder 4, you set it to two-pass encoding, and then you turned on time compression (sometimes called "bitrate peak limiting" or "constrained VBR"). The encoder just says nope.

The real fix is simple: two-pass encoding is built to analyze the whole video file before the actual encode kicks in. Time compression tries to squash the bitrate spikes after that analysis. The two systems fight each other. So you've got two choices:

• Switch to single-pass encoding — time compression works fine here.
• Turn off time compression — then two-pass runs without the error.

Here's the step-by-step for Windows Media Encoder 9:

1. Open your session in Windows Media Encoder.
2. Go to the Session menu, then Properties.
3. Click the Compression tab.
4. Under Encoding mode, you'll see either "Two-pass" or "Single-pass". If it's set to Two-pass, change it to Single-pass.
5. After you change it, click Apply. You should see the encoding mode update in the summary panel.
6. Click OK and try encoding again. The error should be gone.

If you really need two-pass for quality (like for archiving or broadcast), then you'll have to turn off time compression. Here's how:

1. In the same Compression tab, look for Time compression settings. It's usually a checkbox labeled "Enable time compression" or "Use constrained VBR".
2. Uncheck that box.
3. Click Apply. The time compression option should gray out.
4. Click OK. Encoder should run without the error now.

Note: If you're using Expression Encoder 4, the same logic applies but the menus are a bit different. Go to Encoding > Video > Advanced and look for "Two-pass" dropdown and "Time compression" toggle.

Cause #2: Corrupted or Mismatched Encoder Profile

Sometimes the error isn't from your settings — it's from a corrupt encoder profile file (.prx or .xml) that has time compression enabled and two-pass set at the same time. This happens a lot when you import a profile from an old project or download one from a forum.

The fix: create a fresh profile from scratch.

1. In Windows Media Encoder, go to Session > Properties.
2. Click the Compression tab.
3. Click Edit next to the profile name. This opens the Custom Encoding Settings dialog.
4. On the General tab, make sure Two-pass is unchecked (if you want time compression), or check it if you're turning off time compression.
5. Go to the Bit Rate tab. Look for "Time compression" or "Peak bitrate" settings. Set them to your desired values, but remember: if two-pass is checked, time compression won't work.
6. Click OK on the settings dialog, then Apply on the main properties window.
7. After you save the session, the profile should be clean. You should see the encoding mode and time compression settings reflected in the summary.

If you still get the error after rebuilding the profile, the profile might be saved with a bad default. Delete the profile file from C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows Media Encoder\Profiles and start again. I've seen this fix work when nothing else did.

Cause #3: Using Third-Party Encoder Plugins or Scripts

This one's less common but real. If you're automating Windows Media Encoder with scripts (VBScript, PowerShell) or using third-party encoding tools that wrap around WME (like Expression Encoder SDK or FFmpeg with the WMV encoder), the error can pop up because the script passes conflicting parameters.

The script might set VBRMode = 2 (two-pass) and EnableTimeCompression = True in the same encoding job. The encoder sees that combination and throws the error.

To fix it, you'll need to edit the script or the tool's settings:

1. Open the script file (usually a .vbs or .ps1) in Notepad or your text editor of choice.
2. Search for EnableTimeCompression and VBRMode.
3. If VBRMode is set to 2 (two-pass), change EnableTimeCompression to False, or change VBRMode to 1 (single-pass) if you need time compression.
4. Save the script and run it again. The error should not appear.

For Expression Encoder SDK, check the VideoProfile object — make sure TwoPass and TimeCompression aren't both set to true. If the third-party tool doesn't let you control these individually, you might be stuck. I'd recommend switching to a different tool that gives you that control, like HandBrake for H.264 or FFmpeg with the x264 encoder — those don't have this limitation.

Quick-Reference Summary Table

Most people hit Cause #1. Fix that first, and you'll save yourself a lot of headache. The error code 0XC00D1BD8 is Windows Media Encoder's way of saying "you asked for something I can't do." Listen to it, adjust your settings, and you're golden.