Hi-quality Color Conversion

[Dragoneer]

I've tried using Windows Movie Maker to fix the red over-saturation of a large wmv file that I downloaded from a paid website. The file was composed from a DVD. Unfortunately, I can't find a program that can fix it while keeping the high-quality of the oriiginal file. I'm wondering if the problem may be a conflict issue. I recently tried the latest Nero program too, no luck.
I currently have these possiblly related programs installed:

Intervideo WinDVDCreator------CAME WITH COMPUTER---Best program I could find that appends/joins wmv files, and has excellent wmv to mpeg 2 conversion for making a DVD, but does not have color correction capabilities. Tried their upgrade to make chapters from wmv files, but it would lock-up. Did fine with making chapters from VHS to DVD.

Super DVD Creator-------------BOUGHT PROGRAM--------Only program I could find that can make chapters once the files were appended/joined by WinDVD Creator without locking-up. No color correction capabilities.

Windows Movie Maker----------CAME WITH COMPUTER---Has color correction capabilities, but quality of conversion is poor.

ArcSoft Showbiz---------------CAME WITH COMPUTER---Has color correction capabilties, but quality of conversion is poor. Shows ffdshow "not in blacklist or whitelist" notificatoin when opened.
Tried the feature to use ffd, but it didn't help. Don't know if the correct codecs were used, and don't know to force it to select a particular codec. Also, I don't know if the version I have can't make a hi-quality file. There is an upgrade, but it costs too much just for me to use for this reason, and doesn't have a trial version.

ffdshow rev-1860--------------FREE DOWNLOAD---------Codecs

Super-------------------------FREE DOWNLOAD---------File Convertor

1Click DVD Convertor----------BOUGHT PROGRAM

Easy MP3 Sound Recorder------FREE

Record Now!----------------- -CAME WITH COMPUTER

Nero Smart Start--------------RECENTLY BOUGHT EXTERNAL DVD DRIVE, IS THE SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH THE DRIVE



I have 2 text files generated by Sherlock, one for Video codecs, and one for Audio codecs installed on my computer. To whom should I send it to have it analyzed to see if there is a way to use the codecs installed to keep the color corrected file hi-quality? And, if there is a conflict with the codecs and/or programs. Probably not that important, Sherlock reports I have one broken Divx Decoder Filter. It states the driver was not found, & was probably uninstalled incorrectly.

Lastly, does anyone know of a program or additional codecs that can accomplish this? Preferably a free one.

[Guest]

I've tried using Windows Movie Maker to fix the red over-saturation of a large wmv file that I downloaded from a paid website. We're a little careful about helping with downloaded files. What was the movie and where did you download it from? I give you the opportunity to clarify it, while I could just close the thread per forum rule 6 and the announcement in the Newbies forum.

[Guest]

[The poster has shown in a PM that the file is legit, so we may try to assist him.]

What format are you trying to end up with? Generally, the quality can be preserved pretty well if you use approproate settings for your encoder. But to advise you, we need to know what format you are trying to encode to.

[Dragoneer]

I'm trying to keep it as a WMV file, but if it has to be converted to something else that's fine. I should be able to view and further edit the file with the programs available to me, or use a another program suggested by you or someone else that can accomplish everything.

Dragoneer

[Guest]

Are you looking for a 1-click solution or are you willing to go pedal-to-the metal?

[Blue_MiSfit]

I think AviSynth and VirtualDub in combination would work pretty well. You're going to have to re-encode no matter what path you choose, so you could do an Xvid AVI or an x264 MP4 / MKV.

Virtualdub has a pretty good color correction filter, and this whole workflow is free.

Basically:
Install said programs
Write a simple script like this:

DirectShowSource("movie.wmv")

Drop script into Virtualdub, and play with color correction filter
Re-encode to whatever format you want.
~MiSfit

[Dragoneer]

neuron 2, as I am the owner of 1970 Nova with 400+ HP, I'm inclined to say yes, pedal to the metal! But I'm going to say so with caution as I'm delving into largely uncharted waters.
If there is a large difference between the quality of the two that's worth the blood, sweat & tears I may be facing, I'll go for it.


Blue_Misft, I'm totally green on this sort of thing. You'll have to walk me through it. For example, I don't know how to open VirtualDub to enter the info you gave, or how to make a particular program use a non-defaulted codec, or how to tell which codec(s) to use for a particular type of editing/conversion with ffdshow.
I have VirtualDub and AviSynth installed via ffdshow, but I don't think they're activated. The only reason I saw these sort of codecs was because some time ago I installed and regularly use Real Alternative w/MPC, and as you know, you need ffd for it to work.

[Guest]

Blue_Misfit, I'm totally green on this sort of thing. You'll have to walk me through it. There are many, many guides to using these programs available and easily findable with Google. We're not going to repeat that excellent material here again for you.

Just as you would read the Chilton's manual for your Nova, you need to do your video homework. If you run into a specific issue you can't get past, then post about it.

[Dragoneer]

neuron2, what happened? I thought at very least since I'm not worth the headache (because of my ignorance) to explain the now assuredly complicated method of the "pedal to the metal" way, you would have given me the 1 click solution. I'm assuming you didn't mean the 1ClickDVD Copy company.

[Guest]

Don't jump to conclusions, friend. The method I had in mind was already described by Blue_MiSfit.

[sidewinder711]

Dragoneer,
no mercy for newcomers ;) ... go here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=115727&highlight=duncan) for a start. I went through all of this a few months ago. It's worth to go for it... at the end you'll have mighty tools to improve your videos!

Greetz

[Guest]

That may confuse him, as his source files are WMV.

But jeez, just google "virtualdub guide". Is it so hard?

[Dragoneer]

Yes, it is hard. I’ve now spent about 12 hours (since my last post) of researching material and programs to figure out how to accomplish this color correction and have gotten nowhere.
What’s really starting to bother me is the cryptic nature of all of the information. It’s like visiting a foreign country you know very little about and everyone is expecting you to give a speech. Learning how to do such a simple task has turned me into feeling like a dog chasing their tail.
Is there a way to simply say for example, install X program>to open X program, click on A>click on B> after clicking B>enter XYZ, click D to close> click E to open area to change color to remove red> click F to change blue>click on G to select W filter…? I haven’t seen anything that explains how to do it this way.
I even found and downloaded a trial version of a program that purports to be able to do it simply and effectively, but the problem with the trial version is that it won’t allow you to see the change while you’re correcting the color which makes the whole process useless. You have to change the setting, close out that area, THEN go to another area to see the change.
With Windows Movie Maker, I can make the color correction in about three minutes because I can see what it’s doing. I spent 3 hours guessing at the right settings and then ran into a problem. I started the conversion and luckily decided to stop it after 5 minutes to see the results. I was shocked to see that it cropped the top and bottom , obviously I fooled with the wrong thing.
I started over and then had a new problem of the correct codecs/filters being able to convert the file even though I installed a codec/filter pack of 20 that was recommended with the program. On the site, it also gave a list of more than one-hundred codecs/filters that can be installed to work with it, all of which need to be installed one at a time! How the heck I’m I supposed to figure out which one works with what? I understand with this thing there is some trial and error involved but …over 100? You would think there would be a combo guide that would say for example, if you use X filter, don’t use Y, etc.
After all of this, I’m just about ready to give up on the whole thing.

[Guest]

We suggested VirtualDub, not Movie Maker. What problem are you experiencing in using VirtualDub to accomplish your task?

[Dragoneer]

I mentioned Movie Maker only to illustrate the difference between the ease of use with it and the trial version of Video Enhancer. I haven't used it since before my first post.
Now with Vdub. I downloaded 1.7.8 and Extracted All. The problem I now faced was that it has several Installers, VirtualDub, vdub and auxsetup. I think I chose auxsetup. I went back to see what would happen if I tried to use the other 2, and they both showed a message that read it already had the file installed.
What I am left with is another set of Installers with the same names, but the icons are a cog with filmstrip around it.
I opened auxsetup. I was too afraid to fool around with Install handler, so I clicked on Run VirtualDub which as you know is the same as clicking on the VirtualDub cog>click File on Toolbar>Open Video File>browsed for file>had to change File Types to All types>Open>I then got error message: ASF files are not supported.
I don't know how to use the Command Line Script. I suppose the command line that was given earlier should work, but HOW does it work? How does it link to the file and where do you work on the file? Does it work through another program? I have ffdshow installed and it already has vdub but isn't enabled. I have AviSynth also, via ffdshow. I think at least some of AviSynth is enabled. I read somewhere in my research that AviSynth was better at color correction than Vdub.
I'm also guessing that AviSynth procedures are exactly the same or at least similar to vdub.

[Southstorm]

Open up Notepad, then type DirectShowSource("Your movie here.wmv") save as Test.avs, then open that file up in VirtualDub. Then go to filters...

[Guest]

Now with Vdub. I downloaded 1.7.8 and Extracted All. The problem I now faced was that it has several Installers, VirtualDub, vdub and auxsetup. Those are not installers and VirtualDub does not need to be installed in the conventional sense. Just unzipping it to a directory is all that is needed. Then, to start VirtualDub, you execute VirtualDub.exe.

Then do as Southstorm advised.

[Dragoneer]

AWESOME!! It worked!! Thanks guys for all of your help. I can't believe how easy it was to use the utility, how fast it processed the whole file, and with excellent color correction! Now I have only two questions.

1. Does it matter where the destination is of the unzipped file is? Will it still work, will it affect speed, and quality? I'll clarify my question. At first I made a typo (which I didn't realize at first) and again got an error message similar to my previous post. I thought maybe the problem was because my file is on my external hard drive and I unzipped on my C drive. I then retyped the instruction and placed everything in the same folder on my external hard. After doing so is when I realized the typo. Since everything was there already I continued. This was just an afterthought about the file and destination locations, and made wonder if having everything in the same folder makes any difference.

2. Where can I get a list of or learn commands for using this highly powerful tool?

Again, thanks very much for helping and I'm sure that I'm now not the only one that's grateful!

[Guest]

It doesn't matter where you place the VirtualDub directory.

As I said before, just google "virtualdub guide".

[Dragoneer]

Cool, I'll get right to it. It should be easier for me to comprehend now that I know and understand the steps.

[sidewinder711]

Dragoneer,
congrats... don't give up! :)

Maybe these links are of help for you... at least they were for me very useful at the beginning.
Link1 (http://forums.virtualdub.org/)
Link2 (http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=14396)

Greetz

[Dragoneer]

In my exuberance over the ease of use, speed, and color correction quality of the output file using Vdub, I failed to notice one little, no, I should say…LARGE problem! The LARGE problem is file size,. The size of the input file is 284MB. The size of the output file?…19.8GB! No wonder the quality was excellent. Now it was back to the drawing board so I began researching again to find a way to compress the file. I found some info that said once you open VirtualDub you click on Video>Compression>select Divx filter>Configure.
I tried this on the 19.8GB file, but after several attempts after about 5 to 6 mins of conversion I kept getting an error message that reads: Audio samples 14817600-14835886 could not be read in the source. The file may be corrupted.. I then went offline shut down my anti-virus/anti-spyware program, Set Point which is for my Logitech wireless mouse and keyboard, and some other running programs to free up the RAM and prevent any possible conflicts.
By the way, I didn’t use the command line because I assumed that it was only designed for a wmv file and not an avi file. I didn’t want to try to guess and make my own. I thought about simply replacing .wmv with .avi, and enter: DirectShowSource ("my file name .avi") in the command line but decided I better ask first. Would that work if you input an avi file? PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO ANSWER THIS.
I then decided to start over and color correct and compress at the same time. This worked, but the quality was good, not excellent, and surprisingly the file size was only 250MB. I tried several filters that were listed but either they resulted in poor quality or the quality was really good to excellent, but the file size was far too large.
So I went back to using the Divx filter Community Codec v.6.8 and decided to play with the quality settings and came up with one that was somewhat acceptable. After clicking on Configure>move slider as far right as possible>change Rate control Mode pull-down to, 1pass-quality based, and right next to it, change Target Quartizer to 2. I left the default setting of Home Theater Profile under Certification Profile. This took approx. 45mins to convert and the resulting file is 501MB. The quality was to my liking but I wish I could find a way to have a smaller file size with a faster conversion time.
My question is, is my method the wrong way to accomplish getting an excellent result with the color correction quality, speed and file size, or did I figure the out the best solution to accomplish this? Is there a specific filter that I should be using, or command line along with the one I’m using?
I’ve done a lot of research and trial and error and this is the best I’ve come up with.


EDIT: P.S. sidewinder711, didn't notice your post because it was on the next page and thought mine was the last. Thanks, will check them out.

[Guest]

If you want to load an AVI file via Avisynth, then use this:

AVISource("file.avi")

You're right to just start over though.

WMV compresses more than DivX, so you will have a larger file than your input file with equivalent quality.

You have the option to encode back to WMV or perhaps H.264. It depends on your requirements.

[Dragoneer]

I think I should clarify more precisly what I did. I just re-read my post and I noticed that it may be misinterpreted the way I stated it. When I said that I started over I meant that I used the original 284MB wmv file, not the converted 19.8GB avi file to get my results. I was never able to get a completed conversion using the avi file.
Thanks Neuron2, another piece of valuable info enabling me to eventually pull myself out of the mire!

[Guest]

I think I should clarify more precisly what I did. I just re-read my post and I noticed that it may be misinterpreted the way I stated it. When I said that I started over I meant that I used the original 284MB wmv file, not the converted 19.8GB avi file to get my results. That's what I thought you meant.

[Dragoneer]

Big problem. I installed AviSynth_070919 but couldn't find a way to open it the way Vdub is opened. I entered the comand line AVISource("name of file.avi")
into Notepad with the target filename, then the file turned into a 26byte file that Properties shows as a Video Clip that displays a wmv icon that won't play with either WMP or MPC.
Is the file now permanently corrupted, or can it be reversed and worked on again?
What did I do wrong? What do I do to remedy this problem?

[Southstorm]

The file you save from notepad should always have an .avs extension.

[Dragoneer]

Southstorm, I changed the extension to .avs and tried it on other converted to avi iles also, but nothing happened. I copied and pasted the command line given by neuron2 which had .avi, so I'll see what solution he can come up with.
What is supposed to happen once the Notepad file is saved with the .avs extension? I even tried to use VDub to open it, but it doesn't see it, and if I change it to All types so it sees it, I get an error message that it cannot detect the file type.

[Guest]

Go to www.avisynth.org and follow the beginner instructions.

Could be that your editor is saving as RTF or something.

You should have installed Avisynth. It sounds to me like you haven't done that. Explain what you did to install Avisynth.

Then make a text file called "version.avs". In it is one line:

Version()

Then open VirtualDub and use File/Open video file to open the version.avs file. Tell us what happens.

[Dragoneer]

When I installed AviSynth_070919, I left it on my C drive and the file on my External Hard Drive. There are some options that I did not check while going through the installation process. They are as follows:
Associate AVS with Media Player 6.4 (play)
Add AviSynth Script to New Items menu
Select Extra Files. >Next>Install.
I then went to All Programs and looked for a way to open it, but there isn't a way to open anything resembling VDub.
Was I supposed to check these? I will wait for your answer and proceed with the last command line you posted.

Neuron2 you stated: In it is one line:

Version()

I don't understand what you mean.

[Dragoneer]

I entered "version.avs" into Notepad with quotations, saved it then opened it with VDub and got an error message: AviSynth open failure: The script's return value was not a video clip.

[Guest]

I entered "version.avs" into Notepad with quotations Read what I wrote again and try to follow the directions.

Your script file's name is version.avs. The contents of that file is a single line:

Version()

Is it so hard to understand?

[Dragoneer]

AviSynth 2.58, build:Sep 19 2007 [22:10:51]

[Guest]

Ok, so now you know how to use Avisynth.

Now make a new script that contains this:

AVISource("myfile.avi")

Open that script in VirtualDub and you should see your video. What happens?

[Dragoneer]

This is exactly what I entered into Notepad, AVISource("Test BQ.avi") and Saved As, Test BQ.avi. It generated a 29 byte video file with the wmv logo. I opened

Vdub and entered that file and it gave an error message: Cannot detect type of file of... I sent the file generated by Notepad to my Desktop, and the avi file is

on my external hard drive.

Shouldn't it make a Avisynth Script file like it did when I made the color correction (and the Version Script file) before it changed to an avi file?

Does it matter what the file name is for this script? Of course Test BQ is name of the file which is a slight variation of the original name (Test) from which I made

many test files to get the best quality and file size.

[Guest]

This is exactly what I entered into Notepad, AVISource("Test BQ.avi") and Saved As, Test BQ.avi. Are you saying you saved the script from Notepad to a file name "Test BQ.avi"??? Haven't we told you several times that you have to use the extension 'avs'? So you have to save it as "Test BQ.avs".

Does it matter what the file name is for this script? Is "the extension must be .avs" not clear enough?

Make sure you have Windows configured to show file extensions, so that you can be sure your script file has the AVS extension. Some stupid editors can put an unexpected extension and you don't see it because Windows hides it.

[Dragoneer]

Actually I did try the .avs extension for the file name, but for some reason it didn't work. I have restarted my computer since that time. Maybe it was locked in

the wrong extension mode after I entered it incorrectly.

Thanks, it now works. Now that we finally have that issue out of the way, now we can move on to the step we are after. I thought I would see a setting to

change it back to wmv as you proposed in an earlier post. How is that is done via VDub/AviSynth, or is that not possible?

[Guest]

You can't encode WMV from inside VirtualDub (that I know of). You need the encoder:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx

Are you sure you need WMV? Because this is not an easy thing and you've already demonstrated that you are at an early phase of the encoding learning curve. Can you live with DivX? If not, what exactly is your end goal and why?

[Dragoneer]

The point of changing back to wmv after the color correction was to reduce the file size. If you remember some of the previous posts, a major concern to me is the quality, speed and size of the completed file. I used the DivX Community Codec v.6.8 filter to compress the wmv file while color correcting with the HSV adjust filter at the same time. What I got with a lot of trial & error was a 501MB avi file with very good quality that took about 45mins to convert from a 284MB wmv file.
Also, if you remember you stated:

WMV compresses more than DivX, so you will have a larger file than your input file with equivalent quality.
You have the option to encode back to WMV or perhaps H.264. It depends on your requirements.

If it's too difficult and not worth the hassle, I'll just try and figure out some other way. Maybe I can use a conversion program I have to see if will reduce the size, but typically any conversion I've done with it produces a much larger file.

If you (or anyone else) knows of a particular codec/filter for VirtualDub and/or AviSynth that compresses quickly with excellent quality from wmv, please let me know ASAP. There are literally hundreds of them out there, so any help on this matter is greatly appreciated. I'll still be checking myself.

Thanks,

Dragoneer

[Guest]

You may find a (deprecated) VFW implementation of x264. E.g.:

http://teek.info/guides/video/x264encode.html

That is your best bet for compression comparable to WMV.

Have you considered just correcting the color at playback time, using a filter in ffdshow? It would save you a lot of hassle.

[Dragoneer]

I did a quick perusal of the site you gave the link for. For the moment I'll try the playback method using ffdshow that you suggested. Please explain how to accomplish that. I've always wondered how to use ffdshow manually, but never tried because the programs I have to do the tasks I wanted up until now automatically tapped into ffdshow.

[Southstorm]

And they will continue to automatically "tap" into ffdshow. When you play a video file, do you see the ffdshow icon in the tray, next to the clock? Right click on it, or even double-click, and go nuts.

[Dragoneer]

Thanks, but unfortunately there are two problems.

1. When the original wmv file is played with either WMP or MPC, the ffdshow icon doesn't appear on the System Tray. It only appears when I play the decoded avi file.

2. When playing the avi file, I don't see anything in the pulldown menu for ffdshow on the System Tray that is for compressing and/or converting the file to wmv. I checked in the video area but found nothing that will compress or convert.

At this point, compression and conversion is my main focus. If I can color correct & compress the original wmv file in playback mode with excellent speed and quality, great!

I'll even settle for using a color corrected & compressed avi file, and then use the aforementioned playback method to recompress and convert it back to wmv.

What to do now?!:confused:

Southstorm, any further info to reach this goal would make my day!

Thanks again.

[Guest]

At this point, compression and conversion is my main focus. If I can color correct & compress the original wmv file in playback mode with excellent speed and quality, great! You've been told everything you need to do that.

[Dragoneer]

I have not been told HOW to manually use ffdshow. Only where to find the manual use of it.
Again, I don't see where the compression, and conversion to wmv is.
Can you please tell me what to click on so I can use it manually?
I chose this method first because it appears it's much simpler than the site I perused earlier of the teek.info link.
Also, I didn't download the Windows Media Encoder because it states that it's for WMP 9, but I have 10 with Media Center Edition. I'm afrraid of conflicts because I've had a problem in the past with trying to for example upgrade to 11. It crashed my Media Center & WMP. I eventually had to use the Recovery Disc. So, if you're absoulutely sure that I won't have a problem, I'll install it if that will make the ffdshow work manually.

[Southstorm]

If you're using VirtualDub as discussed earlier, Under the video menu, goto compression, select ffdshow, select the encode TAB, select codec of choice...

[Dragoneer]

Southstorm, I just followed your excellent directions doing a "dry run" to make sure I was able to see what I was looking for. I'm going to do some serious testing of various configurations to see what I can come up with.

Again thanks a lot, and dagummit, you did make my day!!

[Guest]

In the ffdshow config window, click and highlight Picture Properties, you then have adjustments available.

[Dragoneer]

Thank's Neuron2, that really helps. I wouldn't have checked there because I thought it's only for pictures after a video capture and not video. I'm about to start my testing now.

[Dragoneer]

Southstorm, thanks again! I was able to get a better result than the last configuration I posted using Divx while doing a color correction and compression together. Choosing the ffdshow option under Video>Compression>ffdshow Video Codec works a lot faster than using the Divx option.
In fact, it was a huge difference. Here is the difference between the one I did before using ffdshow and after.

AFTER---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BEFORE


Encoder- MPEG4 FOURCC- XVID, MODE-one pass-quantizer--2 (defaults at 2)---------------------Using the Divx filter Community Codec v.6.8 click on Configure>move slider as

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- far right as possible>change Rate control Mode pull-down to, 1pass-quality

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------based, and right next to it, change Target Quantizer to 2. Left the default

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------setting of Home Theater Profile under Certification Profile.


Original file=284MB-Converted File=396MB-------------------------------------------------------Original file is 284MB-Converted File: 501MB

Conversion time: 17mins Quality: VERY GOOD----------------------------------------------------Conversion time: 45mins. Quality: VERY GOOD

There are a couple of nagging questions I still have. I still can’t use Picture Properties with a wmv file in playback mode.. The setting is available with an already completed avi file (that I already color corrected), but even then if I wanted to, I still would not be able to color correct because nothing happens when I move the sliders.

I then thought about Neuron’s suggestion that I install some wmv codecs from the link he posted. Then I thought I remembered that just before my first post on this site I saw that Sherlock reported that I have some wmv 9 codecs installed. I then ran Sherlock again and sure enough, there are some codec that look like they could be the aforementioned codecs. Here’s a redacted list of the codecs that seem

relevant:

Mpeg4 Decoder DMO
FileVersion = 9.00.00.3250
FileDescription = Corona Windows Media MPEG-4 Video Decoder

Mpeg43 Decoder DMO
FileVersion = 9.00.00.3250
FileDescription = Windows Media MPEG-4 Video Decoder

Mpeg4s Decoder DMO
FileVersion = 9.00.00.3250
FileDescription = Corona Windows Media MPEG-4 S Video Decoder

MSScreen 9 encoder DMO
FileVersion = 10.00.00.3646
FileDescription = Corona Windows Media Screen Encoder

I used the link and after fishing around a bit, downloaded what seemed to be correct and looked at the installer and immediately recognized that I may already have it. I checked, and yes I already installed it a long time ago.

My other big question is about XVID. I thought that I had installed it a long time ago, but checked and remembered that my anti-spyware program flagged it as malicious and I uninstalled it. I still have the installer. So today I went looking for another one and started finding out that this is purportedly for MACS. I was starting to wonder what was going on because every time I tried to download one it wouldn’t work. Then, finally I came across one that states it’s designed for Windows /Vdub and DL it.
I haven’t installed it as yet because I want to find out from someone knowledgeable about this if I should.

The codec is XviD-1.1.3-28062007 and has a large fancy X as the installer icon.

Will installing XVID make any difference? This really peaked my curiosity because of the Encoder settings I used.

I know this is a lot to digest, but please bear with me. Remember, I’m just a lowly newbie, and all of this isn’t in vain.

Thanks for your patience,

Dragoneer

[Dragoneer]

Since my previous post has a lot of information and explanation, some of which may not seem pertinent, I will point out that there are three questions that were being asked.

1. I still couldn't get wmv to run in Playback mode and want to know if it's because I don't have the correct codec(s) installed. I already had the Windows 9 Encoder Series installed as recommended.

2. When using a avi file, moving the sliders in Picture Properties had no effect-no video is present to see a change, and even when they were moved there was no correction. So, I want to know if it is because I'm doing something incorrectly, or it's a because I still haven't found the correct codec(s). This is related to question 1 because if finding the correct codec is the solution to question 1, I want to be able to make the slider option work.

3. Will the XVID codec make a difference between the "After" result (which doesn't use it) for quality, speed and file size, and having the XVID codec installed? I kept reading in my research on numerous sites that it is a MAC codec.

EDIT: I did end up installing it and ran several tests and could not see a difference between having it installed, and not installed.

[Southstorm]

Do you have ffdshow set to play wmv files? Goto ffdshow video decoder, codecs, look down the list for windows media video. Does it say disabled, or wmv9? Click on those words to change them.

[Guest]

3. Will the XVID codec make a difference between the "After" result (which doesn't use it) for quality, speed and file size, and having the XVID codec installed? I kept reading in my research on numerous sites that it is a MAC codec.

EDIT: I did end up installing it and ran several tests and could not see a difference between having it installed, and not installed. XviD is obviously not MAC only. Where in heaven did you get that idea?

Suppose you start with raw video. It is huge because it is not compressed. You now apply XviD. XviD is a codec; it compresses. It cannot increase quality, only reduce it. It will reduce the size of the video file, however; that's what it is for. Regarding speed, it will take some CPU time to decode XviD, but it is not a practical problem for modern CPUs; you'll have no problem playing your file at its frame rate.

If you really meant what is the difference when using XviD instead of WMV, I believe you've already been told that WMV compresses better. So, if you choose the same compressed file size, it may look better than XviD. Again, you shouldn't have any speed issues with modern CPUs.

And just in case you weren't aware of this, just *installing* XviD won't change anything. You have to choose it as your output codec and thereby use it to encode your video. :)

[Dragoneer]

Southstorm, thanks for the info. I enabled all of the wmv9 settings in ffdshow but I still couldn’t get the Playback mode to work. I then decided to open WMP>Tools>Options>File Types tab, and unchecked Windows Media File, Windows Media Audio File, Windows Media Video, to force it to use ffdshow. (I tried this earlier before being instructed to enable in ffdshow). Still no luck.

Then, I used MPC (which I also tried earlier before enabling ffdshow) to play the wmv file and finally it showed the ffdshow icon in the System Tray. I proceeded with the instructions and was able to use Picture Properties etc. Disabling the items in WMP somehow forced MPC to use ffdshow but still not WMP. That’s ok, as long as one works. I must add that I rechecked the settings in WMP and now the icon is still available. Strange.

I was under the impression that the Playback Mode would allow me to compress & save while keeping it as a wmv once the correction was made, but it appears that this is ONLY for watching the file in its corrected state and that I’ll have to use the http://teek.info/guides/video/x264encode.html link as suggested.

Even if I can‘t use it to save and correct, it’s still a valuable technique to know, and will still use it for viewing other files. Thanks Neuron2!

Next item. I used the Xvid codec (thanks Neuron2 for the info about having to enable it) and found that it didn’t perform as well as the “After” configuration I posted.

Lastly, I will answer a question that I didn’t get around to fully answering asked of me in an earlier post by Neuron2: Are you sure you need WMV? Because this is not an easy thing and you've already demonstrated that you are at an early phase of the encoding learning curve. Can you live with DivX? If not, what exactly is your end goal and why?

Answer: I have several files that need to be color corrected and plan on making some compilation DVD’s by joining the files, making chapters etc. using the various programs I have. I wasn’t sure if an avi file would work, but I finished testing and I’m pleased with the result.

I hope that this thread has been a help to other Newbies like myself and didn’t cause them too much confusion in the process.

And, in closing, to the guys that helped out, I hope you haven’t pulled out all of your hair (if you had any to begin with- I’m bald ) from some of the confusion caused by my ignorance.

Take care & if I have anymore issues…in the immortal words of Arnold, I’LL BE BOCK!!

[Guest]

Answer: I have several files that need to be color corrected and plan on making some compilation DVD’s by joining the files, making chapters etc. using the various programs I have. I wasn’t sure if an avi file would work, but I finished testing and I’m pleased with the result. You need to encode in MPEG2 to make DVDs. You should go straight from your Avisynth script to your MPEG2 encoder. Do the color correction in your script. Don't make an intermediate AVI or WMV file, as you will lose quality.

[Dragoneer]

I tried, but can’t figure out how to do that. I used the command line given to me for Notepad, DirectShowSource("TPT 6.wmv") TPT 6 is the file name of course, which is saved as a .avs extension. The only option I see to save a file via VirtualDub is File>Save as AVI...and a few other options under the same heading that have nothing to do with MPEG2.

I even went into ffdshow and enabled all the MPEG2 settings-first to libavcodec, then libmpeg and then tried to do it the way I've been all along, File>Save as AVI.... I got an error: MPEG ½ does not support 21845/911 fps. I clicked ok then got the error message: Cannot start video compression: An unknown error occurred (may be corrupt data) (error code-100).

[Southstorm]

Feed your avs script into HCEnc for DVD compliant mpeg2.

[Dragoneer]

I tried finding HCEnc for DVD compliant mpeg2 and couldn't find anything. I'm sorry, but I haven't a clue about how to do that.

[Guest]

I tried finding HCEnc for DVD compliant mpeg2 and couldn't find anything. I'm sorry, but I haven't a clue about how to do that. This "I'm clueless, help me" act is getting a little old. Put "HCEnc" into Google and the first link is the one you want. Ever heard of Google? :)

[Dragoneer]

I looked into the link you gave, but it is quite an in-depth solution for someone like me that has a limited amount of time to devote to learning and applying it. I've already spent a considerable amount of hours with the previous discussions in this thread.
Recently my built-in microphone stopped working due to some unknown software issue. Since the computer shop used a different hard drive & it worked fine, the only solution was to do a System Recovery.
My problem is that now for some reason I can't get Vdub/AviSynth to compress any files. I assume there must be something I'm overlooking, something I haven't enabled, or maybe a codec I haven't re-installed since the recovery.
I'm using exactly the same settings I painstakingly outlined earlier in this thread. After trying to save as Avi I get an error message. The error message reads:

Virtual Dub Error-THIS IS THE HEADING OF THE BOX

Cannot start video compression
An unknown error occurred (may be corrupt data)
(error code-100)

[jeffy]

Adding to what was already posted by Southstorm:

ffdshow -> Video decoder configuratation -> on the left Codecs
there are three lines:
WMV1/7
WMV2/8
WMV3/9
VC-1

Color correction in Picture properies works for me only when libavcodec is selected. You have to put the checkmark next to "Picture Properties". And yes, it for watching/playback only, in real time.

In order to have the WMV9 codecs working in VirtualDub you have to install this WMV9 VCM package:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0C99C648-5800-4AA3-A2FE-3DE948689DB8&displaylang=en
or get it here (mirror at free-codecs.com):
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/WMV9_VCM

BEWARE, as neuron2 said, you can't play WMV videos on a standard DVD player.

Regarding your -100 error, try reinstalling AviSynth. If still no joy, reinstall DivX codec.

Steep learning curve for MPEG-2 conversion with some color tweaking:
add one line to your text file something.avs:
Tweak(sat=0.75)

and save it under a new name, eg. corrected.avs and play it in Media Player Classic.

More info and examples:
http://avisynth.org/oldwiki/index.php?page=Tweak

Get DVD Flick, which is able to create the compliant DVD video files and is free:
http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?groupname=dvdflick&filename=dvdflick_setup_1.2.2.1.exe&use_mirror=kent

Install it, run it, click Add title, select corrected.avs file, click Open, then click Edit title, select the tab Audio tracks, click the button Add, select your original WMV file and then its audio track, click Accept, select the tab General, confirm your settings and click Accept. The line at the bottom says where on the hard drive the DVD video will be stored. Click Create DVD. The resulting files can be burned eg. with ImgBurn
http://imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

[Dragoneer]

jeffy, thanks a lot! You give excellent instructions and a great direct link to the WMV9 VCM codec which I installed. Now, about getting my problem taken care of. I re-installed AviSynth & DivX codec but still no luck. I decided to reinstall ffdshow & then noticed I had a different older version (ffdshow-rev866_20070202) installed than before the System Recovery. I reinstalled the newer version (ffdshow-rev1860_20080215) & enabled all of the AVIS settings (something I don't think I did before the Sys. Rec.) at the beginning of the installation. So thankfully it now compresses again and I worked on numerous small files and a few large ones.
My next task is to continue with the other part of your instructions, MPEG-2 conversion-something I was very interested in doing, but figured it was going to cause too much grief and wear out my welcome, so I left it alone.
I will get back with my results.

Thanks a lot for your help, it is greatly appreciated!

Dragoneer

[Southstorm]

You're certainly not wearing out your welcome. It's not alway easy to diagnose problems thru the forum, we all just do the best we can.

[Dragoneer]

Thanks Southstorm, I'm glad to hear that. I've been busy all week, but I'll try to finish the task this weekend that jeffy outlined for me.

[Dragoneer]

Steep learning curve is right! I'm still trying to make some progress with the little time I have with figuring out the MPEG-2 conversion. For now, I would like to know what the script is for working on a MPEG-2 file since at this point I'm still using WinDVD Creator (see first post) to join files which converts it to MPEG-2, & Super DVD Creator for making chapters and the DVD. The main reason I want to do this is to save space by using VDub to compress it.
For example, a new issue I have now is a huge amount of small wmv 1 min clips totaling about 300MB for each complete scene. They don't need color correction, but need to be compressed after being converted to MPEG-2 to save space because once joined they're about 2.75 GB. I've tried finding the script to import MPEG-2, but no such luck! If the quality is reduced noticeably after compressing, instead I'll just join them, make the DVD, and then delete the uncompressed file before doing the others. However, I would prefer to have 1 joined file as a backup for re-editing in the future, and in case something happened to the DVD I can do it again, saving time in both cases.

By the way, I'm also having trouble with the DVD compliant script. I tried what I found, but it didn't work. I haven't installed DVD Flick, or ImgBurn yet because I don't think I've reached the stage yet to apply any of it. Would the programs I already have installed do the same thing? Again, please see the first post for a list of pertinent programs I have installed.

[Southstorm]

Dragoneer,

Now that you are starting to get a workflow figured out, can you outline the steps you're taking, 1 by 1, then perhaps we can be of more assistance. For example:

1. Input file type...
2. convert to...using "this" program with "these" settings.
and so on.

[Dragoneer]

I'm using DirectShowSource("c:\folder\myclip.mpg", fps=25) as the script template to import the MPEG-2 file generated from WinDVD Creator. I found this template from the link

http://avisynth.org/oldwiki/index.php?page=Tweak given by jeffy. I made several 3 min. trial runs changing the fps rate in the script because at first the video played back too fast and the audio was off.

I tinkered around until I got it really close by changing it to 10. I put the file in Super to get the framerate and it showed it as 29.970. I'm assuming that the correct video to audio synch must be a multiple of 3 since the audio is off only by a millisecond.

The codec setting I'm using to compress the file is the ffdshow setting Video>Compression>ffdshow Video Codec>.MPEG-4/XVID/One pass quantizer. That is the one I've been using since the settings I posted some time ago.

For some reason the video compression isn't as low as I hoped for. The time estimated to complete the compression is 30 min. not worth the 1.2GB result. Unless someone points out a step I missed or different codec to use, I won't be using this method to compress the MPEG-2 files.

The files were originally MPEG 1 (as shown by Super) before being joined. I even installed the DGMPGDec package as suggested. but it doesn't appear that it can compress the file. I'm still learning how to use it. It also appears that it is geared more toward VOB files than MPEG-2 files which I'll be delving into later.

[Southstorm]

First: Use MediaInfo (http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en) on your ORIGINAL clip to verify framerate.

If I understand correctly, your original files are Mpeg1, and you are using WinDVD to join them in mpeg2 format?

You can join these in an AviSynth script, for example:

DirectshowSource(clip1.mpg) + DirectshowSource(clip2.mpg) + DirectshowSource(clip3.mpg)

[Dragoneer]

Southstorm, the answer is yes to your understanding of the MPEG 1 files and WinDVD Creator. Sadly though, I can't get the script to work. I installed MediaInfo and this is what the reading states:

General : G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg
Format : MPEG-PS at 961 Kbps
Length : 7 MiB for 59s 993ms

Video #0 : MPEG Video at 767 Kbps
Aspect : 352 x 240 (1.467) at 29.970 fps

Audio #0 : MPEG Audio at 128 Kbps
Infos : 2 channels, 44.1 KHz

This is what I did. I used your template as follows:

DirectshowSource(NAME OF FILE.mpg) + DirectshowSource(NAME OF FILE.mpg) + DirectshowSource(NAME OF FILE.mpg) and got the following error message:

VirtualDub Error

Avisynth open failure:
Script error: expected a , or)
(G:\NAME OF FOLDER\NAME OF FILE.avs, Line 1, column 29)

What's wrong? :confused:


P.S. Please let me know if I am correct in assuming there is no limit to the amount of clips that can be joined. Most of these clips that need to made into one file have over 50 clips.

[Southstorm]

AviSynth doesn't do word wrap, so if your script lines span more than 1 line, make sure to put a \ at the end of each line.

For example:
AVISource("d:\capture.00.avi") + \
AVISource("d:\capture.01.avi") + \
AVISource("d:\capture.02.avi")

[Dragoneer]

Is it possible to join MPEG files using VDub/Avisynth? Am I doing something wrong? I tried to add / at the end of the MPEG script but I still get the error message. It appears the last example given is for AVI

files and I haven't tried it on AVI files since at the moment I'm dealing with MPEG files. By the way, is "capture" just an example, or is this something that needs to be in the script for some reason?

I even tried to add + to the template, DirectShowSource("c:\folder\myclip.mpg", fps=25)

This is the script I used: DirectShowSource("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg", fps=29.970) + DirectShowSource("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg", fps=29.970)+\
DirectShowSource("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg", fps=29.970)

It only imported the first clip.

[Southstorm]

Syntax is very important in AviSynth. Make sure you check out the manual for other syntax rules

For your application, your script should look like this:

DirectShowSource("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg", fps=29.970) + \
DirectShowSource("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg", fps=29.970) + \
DirectShowSource("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME.mpg", fps=29.970)

[Southstorm]

As far as your Xvid encoding goes, here is a very helpful thread: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=16935

[Dragoneer]

Thanks Southstorm, the script works. I will check out the info on the XVID link you gave.

A word to the other Newbies like myself:

IF YOU TRY TO EDIT/COMPRESS A FILE(S) VIA AVISYNTH/VDUB, MAKE SURE IT IS THE ORIGINAL AND NOT ONE YOU'VE RUN THROUGH ANOTHER PROGRAM AS I DID

TO APPEND/JOIN THE FILES WITH WINDVD CREATOR.

The odds are that the video and audio will be out of synch, and the possiblity the video may not run at the exact speed of the original even though it may appear

that it is.


P.S. Wish there were a magical program that can repeat the 50+ script lines for the files while adding the following number automatically as each file name does

have a sequential number. Now that would be cool! :)

[J_Darnley]

Everyone has that program. It is called cmd.exe Run something like:

for /L %A in (0,1,49) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME_%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> avisynth.avs

And then just remove the final + \ and all will be fine. It would be better to use DGIndex and DGDecode for MPEG-1/2 files.

[Dragoneer]

Not sure exctly how to do that. Am I supposed to type cmd.exe in Run located in the Start Menu? Where am I supposed to enter the script? I entered cmd.exe into Run and it

opened the black box. I didn't want to type anything in there until I make sure if anything is supposed to be entered in there, and if so, EXACTLY how it is to be entered for fear it
might screw up my computer.

[Southstorm]

To be more specific, you would create a text file with the extension "BAT" and you then run that file from the CMD.EXE window. You are creating whats called a Batch file. Another side topic to research in your spare time...

[J_Darnley]

No, you don't need a batch file to run this. If you do want a batch file then you need to change % to %%.

You almost had it. Open up a command prompt window by Start -> Run -> cmd -> OK, you can also just press Win Key + R. Now you can just type in the command above replacing the numbers above with the correct ones. It goes (start,increment,end). If the files with numbers less then 10 have a leading zero then you will need to do it in two stages. E.g.
for /L %A in (0,1,9) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME_0%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> avisynth.avs
for /L %A in (10,1,49) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\FOLDER NAME\FILE NAME_%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> avisynth.avs

Don't forget the ^ before the brackets, if you leave them out it won't work. (Technically, they are used to escape the brackets which are used to run multiple commands) Use the correct paths to the files and then use the correct path for the script you want to put it in. If you want spaces in the script file name the you need to quote it like: "X:\Path to folder\avisynth.avs" the quotation marks are needed so that it treats it as a whole file name.

If you still can't work it out, tell me the exact paths and the first and last file names you need and I will give you the command which you can then copy and then paste in the cmd window by right clicking.

You can screw your computer up using the command line but it is a lot harder than with the graphical interface because if you don't know what you're doing, you can't do anything.

[Dragoneer]

This is the script template for appending mpeg1 files with sequential numbers, for example Dog-01, Dog-02, as provided by J_Darnley who helped me figure out this process.

for /L %A in (1,1,9) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\Bear\Dog-0%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> "G:\Bear\Cat.avs"

for /L %A in (10,1,56) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\Bear\Dog-%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> "G:\Bear\Cat.avs"

The script must have a space between each line of script or else it won’t work automatically. You must Copy & Paste both (not one at a time, or without a space) the lines with the space into Run. This is done by: Click on Start on Windows Task Bar>Run>type cmd.exe>Ok>right-click and Paste script in black area where cursor is flashing.

If you Paste the lines one at a time, you will have to press Enter for each one. If you Paste the lines without a space between each line of script, you will have to press Enter for it to work.

The generated script will be in the location you specify shown in Red. If you don’t use a folder, simply delete the folder name and \ so there is only one \ between each segment. I send mine to my external hard drive G. If you don’t have one, send it to your C: drive. If you try to send it your Desktop, it just makes the path more complicated.

Once you locate the script, open it and delete + \ at the very end, or it will not work. Close script and then Open VirtualDub and run the script.

Below is a color coded version to make it easier to explain the script.

for /L %A in (1,1,9) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\Bear\Dog-0%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> "G:\Bear\Cat.avs"

for /L %A in (10,1,56) do echo DirectShowSource^("G:\Bear\Dog-%A.mpg", fps=29.970^) + \>> "G:\Bear\Cat.avs"

The first line of the script was designed for files that have a zero in front of the single numbers 1-9.

J_Darnley explained it this way: "The numbers in the brackets control what number are produced. They are (start,increment,end). So (1,1,10) produces 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 and (1,2,10) produces 1 3 5 7 9 and (10,-1,1) produces 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1."
If the first file has 00 instead of 01, just change the first number to 0 in line 1.

If you notice the second line of the script, the 0 in the red portion is omitted before the % after file name Dog-, and the number entered near the beginning of the script in the green portion is 10. No zero in front. This is for 10-whatever you want.

Everything in the red portion signifies the actual location of the file that will be processed. G is the drive, Bear is folder, and Dog- is the file. Of course, fps is the frame rate of the files which you need to know beforehand. You can use Super for all of the info. It can also be used to convert a file to a different type and change the frame rate, sampling frequency etc., to match the other files.
I had to do this because one of the files was a wmv at fps 25.000 with a different audio sampling rate. By placing one of the mpeg1 files in Super, I was able to get the info to match it. This came up because I was getting error messages and the script wouldn’t load even after I converted it to mpeg1 because the fps & sampling rate didn’t match the other original mpeg1 files.

Everything in the blue portion signifies where you want the processed file to go. Again, G is the drive, Bear is the folder, and Cat (which can be named anything you want) will be the name of the processed file.

Anything not colored is off limits! The following in the colored area that are off limits are:

(" : %A.mpg", fps= ^) " : .avs" THESE MUST NOT BE CHANGED OR ELSE IT WILL RUIN THE SCRIPT!

Special thanks goes to J_Darnley for being very patient and helpful in making the script, but mostly for explaining areas that I couldn't understand.

Southstorm, I haven't forgotten you either!

[Dragoneer]

I'm having trouble figuring out how to color correct some files that are saturated with red. The specific issue is that when I correct for the skin tone the clothes are fine, but the

rest of it changes to the wrong color, especially the reddish colors.

Is there a way to keep certain areas/sectors the default color while correcting the area you choose & and then be able to go back & change just that part later if need be?

For example, if a person is sitting on a bed with red pillows and red spread, and you want the pillows and spread to stay red, but you also want the skin tone to lose the red

saturation & be corrected, is this possible?

[minaust]

Here are a few tips - points to remember:

You want speed, quality, small file size. Those three are mutually incompatable. Amy optimization for one results in sacrifices in the other two. That’s the nature of the beast. A codec is a computer program that you're running once per frame. You created a video file that didn't use a codec at all, and it took 45 minutes, and was 19.8 gig in size. Therefore 45 minutes is about the cellar. You can't go below that.

What you did, converting that video from WMV to AVI is called "transcoding". Transcoding is almost always a loss-inducing process - a copy of a copy (lossy). There are "lossless" codecs, but they produce massive files - witness the 19.8 gb file you inadvertently produced - raw video, which is indeed lossless.

On WMV files - Microsoft had a lust for patented proprietary file formats. You couldn't publish a program to read or write those file formats without paying a license fee to Microsoft. VirtualDub could once upon a time read ASF (grandfather to WMV) files. Avery Lee (author of VirtualDub) received a lawyer letter from Microsoft, and had to remove the ASF support. WMV is a Microsoft file format.

This practice (monopolizing file formats) is one of the many reasons Microsoft has had to pay literally billions in fines and settlements, and Bill Gates had to leave the company. Although they've slacked off somewhat, I don't know how much, but I can pretty safely say one of three things about the author of any app that writes WMV files:

1) The author IS Microsoft.
2) The author has paid licensing fees to Microsoft.
3) The author will receive a lawyer letter from Microsoft.

Therefore, WMV support is pretty slim. Plus, in going out of the WMV format then BACK to WMV involves two transcodes, with a quality loss each time. Learn AviSynth! A really good manual comes with it! It assumes you know nothing and starts from there. plus every function is documented and indexed two ways - by function name, and by type.

So: Learn AviSynth. write a script, test it in VirtualDub. When it's to your liking, feed the same script to HCEnc.

You couldn't find HCenc. Go to the download page right here on Doom9 and you'll see under the category, "MPEG1/2 Encoders":

"HC 0.23 - free high quality .AVS to MPEG-1/2 encoder." With a link to the website. Problem solved?

Lastly, I'm blind. Not totally, but close to it. My computer has to be really tricked out for me to use it, and even then, I've got to be about four inches from the screen to see it. Despite that, I downloaded tons of guides and read them to learn how to do this. And I read everything neuron2 posts. If there's anyone here who knows more than he does on the subject, I dunno who it would be. Plus he's the author of a number of apps I can't do without. I'm not brown-nosing, just stating fact.

Lastly, you've had an awful lot of help and good advice. Here's one more tip - AVStoDVD can take a finished AviSynth script and turn it into the finished product, ready to burn to a DVD. Notice I said, “Finished AviSynth script”? Learn AviSynth.

You're at the bottom of a real steep learning curve. If all the good advice here can't help, then you need to go out and buy a "one-click solution".

[minaust]

I'm having trouble figuring out how to color correct some files that are saturated with red. The specific issue is that when I correct for the skin tone the clothes are fine, but the

rest of it changes to the wrong color, especially the reddish colors.

Is there a way to keep certain areas/sectors the default color while correcting the area you choose & and then be able to go back & change just that part later if need be?

For example, if a person is sitting on a bed with red pillows and red spread, and you want the pillows and spread to stay red, but you also want the skin tone to lose the red

saturation & be corrected, is this possible?

Avisynth has a function that'll help, called RGBAdjust.

RGBAdjust(0.5, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0)

Is the line to add to your script. The numbers are: red, green, blue, and the alpha channel. Each pixel's color channel is multiplied by the number you specify. The example above is extreme, however. Experiment with numbers approaching but not reaching 1.0 just to cut the red slightly. The right effect will be obvious on skin tones, but minimal on solid surfaces.

On the other hand, if your subject looks like a ‘ol Lucifer himself, then maybe the pillows never were red!:D

But color correcting just certain areas of a clip - I've done it, and it was so labor intensive I'll never do it again - my wife and I had an argument, and as a result I took a 10-second cliip of her in the kitchen and gave her skin satanic colors. It took a week, and is probably one of the reasons I'm again single.:devil:

[Dragoneer]

The script doesn't work. I get the following error message:

Avisynth open failure:
RGBAdjust requires RGB input
(G:\Sub folder name\Folder name\File name.avs, line 2)

This is the way I entered the script.:

DirectShowSource("File name.wmv")
RGBAdjust(0.5, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0)

I even tried to change the number values, putting a space between lines 1 & 2, but of course none of those things worked.

What's wrong? :confused:

P.S. Almost forgot. Specifically, if it's not too complex to explain, what does Alpha Channel do in relationship to the other colors when using Vdub/Avis. In other words, is it another color, or a way to control the colors in relationship with each other, or something else? I need to know precisely what I'm doing if I need to change that value.

[Guest]

The error message told you exactly what is wrong.

Try this:

DirectShowSource("File name.wmv")
ConvertToRGB()
RGBAdjust(0.5, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0)

[foxyshadis]

P.S. Almost forgot. Specifically, if it's not too complex to explain, what does Alpha Channel do in relationship to the other colors when using Vdub/Avis. In other words, is it another color, or a way to control the colors in relationship with each other, or something else? I need to know precisely what I'm doing if I need to change that value.

Alpha controls blending, although it can technically be used for anything you want. If you're not blending clips you can totally ignore it. If you are, it's generally better done in YV12 with masktools than RGB32 with Layer unless you're already in RGB.