Installing Huffyuv -- Should this be here???

[calberga]

Running WinXP-Pro.

I have some AVI files which are overflowing my disk space. I thought I would try using Huffyuv on them and downloaded the programs. I followed the installation instruction (right-click Huffyuv.inf and select "install", but it doesn't seem to have done anything.

Should I copy the huffyuv.dll to either the VirtualDub or AviSynth plugin sub-directories? Or what SHOULD I do?

Cyril N. Alberga

PS -- should I move this query to another sub-forum, or to another venue entierly?

CNA

[jggimi]

Huffyuv is a lossless compression codec used in analog video capture and digital video editing. It is not an appropriate tool to use to on already lossy-compressed .avi such as XviD or DivX content to attempt to reduce capacity requirements.

You can confirm if HuffYUV is installed by seeing if it is in the list of VfW codecs in a tool such as Vdub.

[JohnnyMalaria]

I followed the installation instruction (right-click Huffyuv.inf and select "install", but it doesn't seem to have done anything.

You can check to see if it is correctly installed for the OS by doing the following:

1. Open Control Panel->Sounds and Audio Devices
2. Select the Hardware tab
3. Scroll down and highlight Video Codecs
4. Press the Properties button
5. Select the Properties tab

You will see a list of all installed Video for Windows video codecs on your system.

[calberga]

Yes, it is installed, I hadn't closed and reopenned VirtualDub! I didn't realize that it set up its list of codecs on "open", not on the fly.

As to the appropriateness, the AVIs I'm working with are from miniDV tapes, and are currently in uncompressed form. I don't intend to re-compress them until I am ready to write DVDs from them. Since Huffyuv is lossless I don't see why it shouldn't be used to reduce the disk space while I am editting the files. If I'm wrong in this, could you kindly elucidate the problems?

Thanks for the replies,

Cyril N. Alberga

[JohnnyMalaria]

The AVIs I'm working with are from miniDV tapes, and are currently in uncompressed form.

If you simply transferred the DV video via Firewire, the AVIs will be in DV format. This is a compressed format and it is best to leave it as-is. Huffyuv won't help you.

If you aren't sure, you can tell by the size of the file. DV format uses about 2GB for every ten minutes.

[calberga]

Well, the original files (and the "clips" I cut them into) seem to be about 2GB/10 min, as you say. But, I'm doing a fair bit of processing and am keeping the intermediate files in uncompressed form. The miniDVs are from converted 8mm home movies, and the speed is incorrect, so I am extracting the original frames, making the 16fps, and then, after editing, converting them to ~30fps, correctly this time.

So, should I still avoid Huffyuv?

CNA

[JohnnyMalaria]

Personally, I'd just keep everything in DV format.

[calberga]

I think I'm still missing something -- remember, I'm pretty new to this world.

The processing I'm doing involves decompressing the files. If I then indicate that the output file is to be returned to DV (compressed) mode, am I not losing data on each pass through VirtualDub? I mean, my first pass uses the following:

AviSource("B1R1.avi")
assumebff()
ConvertToYUY2()
telecide(0)
decimate(3)
assumefps(15.964)

The convert (if nothing else) must operate on uncompressed images. The second pass (after editing) uses:

AviSource("Input.avi")
ConvertToYUY2()
leakkernelbob(0)
assumefps(31.968)
changefps(59.94)
separatefields()
selectevery(4,0,3)
weave()

[and, yes, the Convert may be extranious, I can probably keep thing in YUY2 -- I'll look after I get back from an imminent shopping trip.]

As to why I'm doing this, that is long tale, but I have to run now.

CNA

[JohnnyMalaria]

Oh - OK.

If you are performing multiple passes on the video a separate times, then a lossless intermediate may be advantageous. It will certaintly help vs. having to keep fully uncompressed files around.

[calberga]

Thank you for bearing with me. Now, back to the mines.

CNA

[jggimi]

Yes, HuffYUV was designed for video editing/processing, which is what you are doing. It is lossless, so there will be no generational quality degredation.

DV is a lossy compressed format. Just not as compressed as any of the MPEGs.

We have a DV forum, too, if you'd like more information and background on DV.