VirtualDub2 BD capture settings tweak #1

[Coaster Master]

I'm in a quest to find the best custom settings for specific sources, starting with computer animation from a 23.976 fps BD via composite capturer.

Given the framerate, I tried setting such 23.976 fps, but found interlaced and audio ralentized result, so I retried with 29.97 and plan to deinterlace, or better, perform Inverse TeleCine if a tool for this is found, I really don't know yet if I should round the capture framerate to 30 fps. Asking for any help with this.

VirtualDub2 is almost untouched, I only adjusted the capture format to 720x480 thinking it's the best for DVD as destination. I can hardly wait to find more settings to customize (i.e. where to set 16:9 instead of 4:3), if this results in better clips and time/space/resources saving. Thanks for any comment!

[Emulgator]

If you really must use SD analog capturing and composite output, then 30000/1001 = 29,97fps.

But you got a BD disc, so would suggest to rip the BD using makemkv,
then process from there to your desired delivery format.

[Coaster Master]

Thank you Emulgator, I decrypted that BD a while ago, I just wanted to know what would it look like when using my Pinnacle capturer. I ignore the background behind the 30000/1001 quotent, but I found perfect sync only when 29.97 so I kept it.

I processed with TMPGEnc Video Mastering Works 6, where I combined the 24 fps Motion Prioritized Deinterlace Mode with the Inverse Pulldown Method for a 23.976 result with 0 combing effect, given the footage is really a movie instead of interlaced material.

So I post this MPEG with 16:9 flag which was set at the AVI->DVD conversion time for all technical critics to make comments, which I thank with gratitude beforehand.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xyo...ew?usp=sharing

[Coaster Master]

1.- VirtualDub2_43786\VirtualDub64.exe (should I use another version for capture with an i5-2410M @2.3 GHz?)
2.- Is Options->Preferences->Video compression threads=1 correct for such a processor?
3.- LordSmurf from the Digital FAQ promotes VirtualDub 1.9.1.1 32-bit with preloaded filters, and says: "Do not use VirtualDub filters during capture. Not ever. VirtualDub hooks into your capture device's software and can link you to its proc amp settings. The only adjustments you should use during capture are Brightness and Contrast. They are used for setting input black levels and white levels and can be checked with VDub's capture histogram. Filtering, denoising, color, etc., are processed after capture. Always. Read more: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...#ixzz6HcurVk2f How to adjust such Brightness and Contrast variables (if this is righteous)?

Any help is highly appreciated.

[Emulgator]

I still would suggest to just decode the .m2ts from the BD, not capture it in a lossy way.

If that would be for a capturing exercise, well:
In your upload Black values are lifted, compression artifacts introduced.

I wouldn't consider any further work on that file.
Maybe the pinnacle box introduced that, maybe the later reencoding...

Once you decide to capture a HD source with a SD capturer: you lose quality.
If the capturing device uses lossy codecs: you lose quality again.
I once had a Pinnacle DV box: this one introduced compression artifacts at the block borders.
Any MPEG2 capturing box I tried from 2002 to 2004: useless, video was damaged.
Still I got a Canopus ADVC300 : this went ok for VHS to DV quality.
And recently a Blackmagic Decklink: Finally 10bit 4:2:2 uncompressed, good enough for all VHS sources.

HD capturing: I would say once it is digitized, take it from there, not capturing again.
Maybe for better understanding you could upload your BD source sample ?

[Coaster Master]

Please forgive me about taking so much time to upload the comparative materials, I was trying platforms where you could play the m2ts & avi files without needing to download, but failed miserably. I picked 5 m2ts and captured them too with all default settings except for 720x480 resolution. I hope you don't mind downloading a few to compare the capture to the rip and guide me with enhancing tips. The mpeg you've already saw corresponds to 00014.m2ts -> 00014.avi

To clarify, this is of course a capture excercise (though must), and part of an experiment at the same time, since I plan to capture the DVD version of the same movie, which I have also, waiting. I'm just pretending as if the input to the Pinnacle came from analog source and learning tools usage in the process. I shall pass to VHS like sources capture right afterwards, hoping to enter with a couple of skills at least, since it must be a more complex world. I guess if the goal was changing the format to transcode would be the key.

Now that original m2ts and its avi capture are provided it must be easier to discover, if the compression artifacts at mpeg came right from the re-encoder, or already were into the avi at its input. Whatever the cause, there are still the lifted black values to fight. I located the brightness and contrast controls, and the capture histogram too, gathering some info... any help regarding their use is highly appreciated.

Special Thanks Emulgator

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OO...oph-nYzi8VaRGc

[Emulgator]

Your sources:
00013.m2ts is FHD 30000/1001fps TFF
00014.m2ts is FHD 24000/1001fps PROG
00020.m2ts is SD 720x480 30000/1001fps TFF
00042.m2ts is FHD 24000/1001fps PROG
00054.m2ts is FHD 24000/1001fps PROG

What you captured:
00013.avi is YUY2-SD 720x480 30000/1001fps TFF, downscaled, blacks lifted
00014.avi is YUY2-SD 720x480 30000/1001fps TFF, downscaled, blacks lifted, telecining introduced
00020.avi is YUY2-SD 720x480 30000/1001fps TFF, downscaled, blacks lifted
00042.avi is YUY2-SD 720x480 30000/1001fps TFF, downscaled, blacks lifted, telecining introduced
00054.avi is YUY2-SD 720x480 30000/1001fps TFF, downscaled, blacks lifted, telecining introduced

The downscaling is to be expected, since (I guess) you decided to capture from your Blu-ray player's yellow cinch jack (CVBS), and so it can only be SD.
The telecining of 23.976p sources is to be expected since your Blu-ray player's yellow cinch jack (CVBS) can only output interlaced, so the 2:3 pulldown has to be applied by your blu-ray player.

How the lifted blacks have been introduced I can only guess from here (PAL-Land)
Some NTSC countries have different black pedestals.

IIRC:
USA (NTSC-M) -> 7,5 IRE
Japan (NTSC-J) -> 0 IRE

Brazil (PAL-M) with NTSC timings and resolutions, but PAL carriers is differing again from that...
I remember to have seen even paler blacks with mismatched footage from there.
Guess this was while being misinterpreted as 0 IRE while being +7,5 IRE.

In your capture box's GUI look for some tickbox that says 0 IRE / 7,5 IRE or such and change that setting.
It should be +7,5 IRE for a genuine NTSC signal.

I guess your capture box silently sits at 0 IRE assuming japanese NTSC-J and so does not stretch the NTSC +7,5 down to Y=16, but to Y=32.