Is it possible to improve on Zulu using filters etc (sample and sceen shots included)

[demonicos]

Ok so how do i get it to work i should have masktools-v2.0a28\mt_masktools.dll loaded is their another dll or .avs i need

[Boulder]

Did you put it in the Avisynth plugins folder? What's the error message? You have to be more specific so that we don't have to guess or ask everything.

[demonicos]

Sorry as far as i know i have all my filters in the plugins directory in their own subfolders

My script is now as follows BTW Telecide TFF works a treat and look a bit better

SetMemoryMax(768)

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\DGMPGDec\DGDecode.dll")

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\Decomb.dll")

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\chromashift27\ChromaShift.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\MaskTools-v1.5.8\MaskTools-v1.5.8\MaskTools.dll")
Import("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\FixChromaBleeding.avs")

loadplugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\fft3dfilter.dll")

loadplugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\RemoveGrain\Repair.dll")
loadplugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\RemoveGrain\Removegrain.dll")
loadplugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\Vaguedenoiser\vaguedenoiser.dll")
import("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\seesaw.avs")

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\DeGrainMedian\Degrainmedian.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\masktools-v2.0a28\mt_masktools.dll")
Import("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\LimitedSharpenFaster\LimitedSharpenFaster.avs")
Import("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\Soothe_MT2.avs")

LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\AddGrain\AddGrain.dll")

mpeg2source("C:\DVD\Rips\ZULU_VTS_01_PGC1\ZULU.d2v")

AssumeTFF().Telecide()
#FieldDeinterlace()
(Im still playing with this)

crop(16,114,694,344)

LanczosResize(544,256)

FixChromaBleeding()

FFT3DFilter(sigma=3,plane=3,bw=32,bh=32,bt=3,ow=16,oh=16)

a = last
b=a.degrainmedian(mode=2).VagueDenoiser(threshold=0.8, method=1, nsteps=6, chromaT=0.8)
SeeSaw(a,b, NRlimit=6, NRlimit2=7, Sstr=1.5, Slimit=5, Spower=5, SdampLO=6, Szp=16)

dull=last
sharp=dull.LimitedSharpenFaster(SMode=4,LMode=3,Strength=1000,wide=true,soft=75)
Soothe(sharp,dull,30)

c=last
GrainU=c.UtoY().AddGrain(1,0,0)
GrainV=c.VtoY().AddGrain(1,0,0)
Return ytouv(GrainU,GrainV).MergeLuma(c).AddGrain(5,0,0)

ok my error is as follows

Avisynth open failure:
Script error: there is no function named "mt_edge"
(C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\LimitedSharpenFaster\LimitedSharpenFaster.avs, Line 68)
(C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\Test.avs, Line 43)

[Boulder]

Why not place all the plugins in the plugins folder. They will be autoloaded.

[demonicos]

They will? what so no need to manually load anything in the script, just the .dll or all the other stuff as well

[Boulder]

Yes. They just cannot be placed in any subfolders though.

Scripts can be automatically imported if you rename the extension .avs to .avsi and put the script in the plugins folder.

[demonicos]

Just one question regarding this with plugins like masktools etc that have alot of H, OBJ and RC files do i just disregard them or are they all needed

[foxyshadis]

All you need is the dll and the .html (which is the doumentation). Everything else is for developers.

[demonicos]

Cool but im still getting the same error for "mt_edge" im guessing i need more plugins

Here it is again
Avisynth open failure:
Script error: there is no function named "mt_edge"
(C:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\AviSynthPlugins\LimitedSharpenFaster\LimitedSharpenFaster.avs, Line 68)
(C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\Test.avs, Line 43)

[Boulder]

Are you sure that the MaskTools v2 alpha dll is in the plugins folder?

[demonicos]

Yeah ive got masktools-v2.0a28

[demonicos]

I finally sorted it all out the problem was with limited sharpenfaster i needed to use limitedsharpen and also soothe_MT2 i had to use soothe maybe i got the wrong masktools.dll for modded plugins i do not know maybe someone could shed some light on to this problem but its working with the original limitedsharpen and soothe

BTW as you all said it will be very hard to improve this well you were right but the crash course in filtering is greatly appreciated and is becoming very beneficial

[laserfan]

demonicos if you could would you please PLEASE post the "after" frames that result from your filtering.

I have an old-but-classic movie that I wish to attempt to sharpen myself; if you can improve Zulu, or not, that would be very helpful to know.

[demonicos]

Using the settings Chainmax gave me for a 2cd Xvid at 1300kbps gave the following results

Before Filtering


After Filtering


im gonna try to tone them down a bit tomorrow and see how it goes it shoulld be able to get a bit better than it is

For reference i did change the script experimenting but for this screenshot i use what chainmax suggested except order of resizing

tfm(d2v="C:\DVD\Rips\ZULU_VTS_01_PGC1\ZULU.d2v")

crop(16,114,694,344)

LanczosResize(544,256)

FixChromaBleeding()

FFT3DFilter(sigma=3,plane=3,bw=32,bh=32,bt=3,ow=16,oh=16)


a = last
b=a.degrainmedian(mode=2).VagueDenoiser(threshold=0.8, method=1, nsteps=6, chromaT=0.8)
SeeSaw(a,b, NRlimit=6, NRlimit2=7, Sstr=1.5, Slimit=5, Spower=5, SdampLO=6, Szp=16)

dull=last
sharp=dull.LimitedSharpen(SMode=4,LMode=3,Strength=1000,wide=true)
Soothe(sharp,dull,30)

c=last
GrainU=c.UtoY().AddGrain(2,0,0)
GrainV=c.VtoY().AddGrain(2,0,0)
Return ytouv(GrainU,GrainV).MergeLuma(c).AddGrain(10,0,0)

[Boulder]

If it gets that bad after filtering, I would not filter at all

[Chainmax]

First of all, does the "after" screen come from viewing the script in VDub or from the encode itself? If it's the latter, then it might be that the bitrate you used just isn't enough. In any case, I'd suggest you to do the filtering in the order I recommended, or at the very least put the FixChromaBleeding and FFT3DFilter lines before the resizing. In addition, try replacing this;

LanczosResize(544,256)

with this

GaussResize(544,256,p=100)

and substituting this

dull=last
sharp=dull.LimitedSharpenFaster(SMode=4,LMode=3,Strength=1000,wide=true,soft=75)
Soothe(sharp,dull,30)

with this

LimitedSharpenFaster()

And keep the AddGrain settings I suggested, they are meant to cover up the lack of detail that will become painfully evident after sharpening such a smooth source.

[demonicos]

Originally Posted by Chainmax

or at the very least put the FixChromaBleeding and FFT3DFilter lines before the resizing.

Oh ok i didnt realise that made a difference ill give it a try in the morning, Just one thing with cropping is that done before or after FixchromaBleeding/FFT3DFilter as when i had them seperated it gave me errors

example

crop(16,114,694,344)
FixChromaBleeding()
FFT3DFilter(sigma=3,plane=3,bw=32,bh=32,bt=3,ow=16,oh=16)
LanczosResize(544,256)

Gave errors

crop(16,114,694,344)
LanczosResize(544,256)
FixChromaBleeding()
FFT3DFilter(sigma=3,plane=3,bw=32,bh=32,bt=3,ow=16,oh=16)

Worked fine

This is why i changed the order what should have i done to get around the error

Error is
Avisynth open failure
ConvertToYUY2: Image width must be even. Use crop!
(C:\Program Files\AviSynth 2.5\plugins\FixChromaBleeding.avs, Line 14)
(C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\Zulu.avs, Line 16)

[foxyshadis]

That's a quite amazing result, very similar to what the Deconvolution method I mentioned earlier does but far quicker. I'm surprised SeeSaw and LimitedSharpen could bring that out, I must study it more! Once you have that you can use a fancy deblocker to clean up some of the revealed artifacts.

[laserfan]

I agree w/foxyshadis, that is actually quite a promising result.

Thanks demonicos, I'm looking forward to your further efforts!

[Chainmax]

Originally Posted by demonicos

...
This is why i changed the order what should have i done to get around the error

Error is
Avisynth open failure
ConvertToYUY2: Image width must be even. Use crop!
(C:\Program Files\AviSynth 2.5\plugins\FixChromaBleeding.avs, Line 14)
(C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\Zulu.avs, Line 16)

I don't know why that happens, but it might be because neither 694 nor 344 are MOD16 sizes. Try slightly increasing the cropping numbers so that you end up with a frame size of 688x336 and see what happens. By the way, what is the DAR (display aspect ratio) of this movie? It should be indicated in the back of the DVD case, saying something like 1:2.35, 1:1.85, 1:1.33 or similar.