Settings to archive DV tape collection (PAL)

[gurabli]

Hi,

I have about 20+ DV tapes that are no longer use, but they have important family shots on them.
I have all of the content transferred to HDD in avi files. I would like to make a h264 encode of these avi files that I can store, backup and watch later.

I have latest Handbrake installed. I was doing lots of encoding a decade ago using GordianKnot, but those were DVDs to 1 or 2 CD size. Good all times :)

Anyway, could you please help me to get the optimal settings for the mkv files for the above mentioned purpose in Handbrake?

According to VLC, my avi files are:
DV Video (dvsd)
720x576 25fps
Planar 4:2:0 YUV
Audio araw, Stereo, 48000, 16 bit

And interlaced.

I'm not sure if I should go with H264 or maybe switch to HEVC (h265)?

The aim is to find a best set of options in order to preserve as much detail as possible and to keep everything in a modern codec. Output file size is second importance, but don't want to keep overly large for no obvious benefit. After all, these are SD contents.

Not sure about
- Quality? RR 19? Or Avg Bitrate 2-pass?
- Optimise video
- Filters, especially deinterlacing

Your help is very much appreciated!

I have now something like this:

https://i.imgur.com/FkU3QOb.png
https://i.imgur.com/KHepGWO.png
https://i.imgur.com/8pVOIZN.png
https://i.imgur.com/iWUsqXW.png
https://i.imgur.com/5dO3u5g.png

[jmartinr]

Archiving you say? And it's important? Make a copy. If not any choice that looks ok will do.

Having said that, some motion aware temporal denoising might benefit DV-sources. That means taking the avisynth route. Use Cedocida to import your video. And be prepared for a lot of footwork (use the right colorspace, deinterlace, denoise, resize etc.).

[VoodooFX]

I wouldn't do a preset deinterlacing and filtering in that software if your aim is "The aim is to find a best set of options in order to preserve as much detail as possible".

Anyway, use CFR instead of VFR, Encoder Tune -> Film, Encoder level -> 4.1, RF (aka CRF) -> 16.

[Blue_MiSfit]

This is probably worth a high quality deinterlace (QTGMC) to 50p and archival with H.264. A lot of the benefit of H.265 is only realized at high resolution, so I don't see a reason to use it.

I think a very high quality (CRF 8-12 with a 1 second keyframe interval) x264 encode would do a great job preserving everything in the DV sources, and cutting bitrate down by 50-75% while still being super compatible and performant with any NLE.

Keep the audio as PCM and mux it in MOV.

[Ghitulescu]

I edited all my home movies with an editor, converted to DVD at maximum bitrate (75% for 80min cassettes) and so far, 20 years after I am still able to see them (they are Bluray compatible, so they can be put 1:1 to a BDR) - so all my friends and relatives I've sent copies thereof. In any case, should the optics fail, I still have the possibility of repacking them to MKV and use USB. Should also USB be deprecated in near future, well, at least I have a few dozen such sticks ...
Do not archive them on DV, unless this is an extra safety copy (the third one :) ), tape is very unreliable and easily damageable by a defective/unadjusted mechanism.

From time to time I see people coming with extremely low quality MiniDV movies, like badly needing denoising and stuff - a curious thing considering that that noise occurs only in low light conditions, yet these are filmed in parks or anyway in broadlight. As someone said before, bad denoising, bad deinterlacers, bad filters only destroy the footage, instead of improving it.
There are two solutions - 1. get a proper software (or use the proper tools and filters for eg avisinth or virtualdub), or 2. if you can stand the quality of the footage do nothing just re-encode it (deinterlacing is however required for modern codecs, be aware at least of BFF order).

I see you used detelecine - absurd for PAL and probably for NTSC either (unless there are sort of 24p I've heard of but not seen, PAL camcorders do not have this)
You need - denoising, but not for pixelation, pixelation is an indication of dirty heads (at best) or dropout (worst).
You need - deinterlacing, only for codecs requiring it.
You may need - color calibration (white balance - you should have done it before; white peaks, etc.)

[larisk2]

Archiving you say? And it's important? Make a copy. If not any choice that looks ok will do.

Having said that, some motion aware temporal denoising might benefit DV-sources. That means taking the avisynth route. Use Cedocida to import your video. And be prepared for a lot of footwork (use the right colorspace, deinterlace, denoise, resize etc.).

I think it's best not to change the frame rate in video files. Every video expert or video editing specialist will confirm that you need to keep the original frame rate in your videos.

[benwaggoner]

Leaving them as interlaced would make for faster and smaller encoding than converting to 50p, and would also preserve the option of using better future deinterlacers. And MBAFF is a feature in H.264 but not in newer codecs.

Thank goodness you're using PAL, which is 4:2:0 and not NTSC DV25's horrible 4:1:1 color.