Best VirtualDub filterchain for post capturing editing

[gkar]

I am looking to capture & convert to Divx/XVid my VHS collection.

I have been looking at other people's success stories and am trying to ascertain the best efforts for my rewards in the post-processing arena with a view to playback via an Infocus X1 projector.

What do you believe is the best filterchain using VirtualDubMob -or other variant- to achieve this? Please, no Avisynth scripts or commandline replies as I am not interested in learning these; even if they can be a superior methodology.

I have tried a number of combinations without what could be construed as a raging success.

The video collection include: bought Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek various series, X-Files, Outer Limits (new seasons), and other, all recorded on PAL format.

The most recent filterchain attempt is as follows (processing the bought ST:TNG which is telecined from NTSC, and not very well):

Deinterlace (mode: blend)
dynamic noise reduction (original) (12)
static noise reduction (1.3) (6,0)
xsharpen (1.0 beta2) (strength 40, threshold 36)
smart resize (1.1) (nearest neighbour)
null transform -cropped (8 top) (18 bottom) to remove head noise

Video compression =XVid set to 1-pass quality
audio compression =Lame MP3 128CBR

I realise I could crop without null transform, but is there any advantage in this?

The above has clear & defined resolution and sharp edges to shapes and forms when viewing via monitor but is slightly blocky with wavering artifacts when viewed by projector. What filters/settings could improve this?

The other issue is, speed. This filterchain requires about 11-12 hours to process. Is there any way to speed this up without obvious quality compromise? Yeah, I know, I'm asking the holy grail of video conversion, but even a one frame speedup would be appreciated.

[Nicholas]

You are looking for the easy way.O.K.
Converting analog VHS to digital DivX with good quality is not easy because the noise creates real nightmares in mpeg4.
1.You need a Super VHS recorder.He produce better output signal and they have built-in TBC(timebasecorector).Of course you can buy also an hardware enhancer(aprox 150$)for ex at. www.videoguys.com/sima.htm.
2.I assume you capture in mpeg2 so you can use Gordian Knot for encoding.It's easier and safer to do all the job with GK.
3.The best codec for VHS is...DivX 3.11. GK use Nandub to encode with DivX 3.11 in two passes. One pass encoding you can forgot.
4.About noise filters and scripts.GK make an .avs file.
Open it with notepad you will find at middle something like:
# 1) little noise
#Temporalsoften(2,3,3,mode=2,scenechange=6)
#mergechroma(blur(1.3))
#FluxSmooth(5,7)

# 2) medium noise
#Temporalsoften(3,5,5,mode=2,scenechange=10)
#Convolution3d("moviehq")
#FluxSmooth(7,7)

# 3) heavy noise
Temporalsoften(4,8,8,mode=2,scenechange=10)
Convolution3d("vhsBQ")
#FluxSmooth(10,15)
Just put or remove the # symbol and the filter becomes active or inactive. Save the avs file and open-it with Classic Multimedia Player to view the filter effect live.
if you are not content you can use other filters like the peach smoother or pixie dust. With GK its easier and faster, with a Pentium 2.5 Ghz you will encode at 25 fps.
In VDub: The 12 setting for DNR is a little hard 9 would be enough.
you will get much better-looking results with BicubicResize.
You can try the flaxen filter (the stabilizer section) but its slow like hell.
you have the blocky image from the one pass encoding and probably low bitrate
The lame encoder is OK at 128 CBR you have near CD quality. Once again The GK take care of the sound too. If you are capturing In V DUB try the "VirtualDub VCR+SYNC" version.

[gkar]

Thanks for the reply. I have found an acceptable filterchain, thugh it's as slow as hell -about 13-14 hours for one 40 minute programme.

The setup is as follows:

filters: 720x576 Telecide (1.3.0)
720x576 Smart Deinterlace (2.7 beta 2)
-field only differencing
-compare color channels
-motion map denoising; motion threshold 15
720x576 MSU Denoiser v.1.6
-hard
-temporal & spatial denoising
-temporal threshold =50
-spatial threshold =20.00
720x576 xsharpen (1.0 beta 2)(strength 70, threshold 50)
720x576 smart resize (1.1) (precise bilinear)with bottom cropped by 18 pixels to remove video head switching noise.

Video Compression: XVid -1-pass quality
Audio Compression: LameMP3 128 CBR

The only alteration I will try is a capture of 768x576 to remove the letterboxing.

Also, I am forced to capture video in umcompressed AVI as Huffyuv causes audio sync issues. After I have completed the bought VHS tapes I will try PicVic codec and if it works I will have to register it.

[vhelp]

My guess (based on past experience) to your audio sync issues is video
capturings' number # cultprit. Dropped Frames !!

Just one, can throw off the audio (or video) whatever.

Another cause of such sync is the combination of *internal* times w/
your given capture card and CPU / MOBO setup.., and how you are obtaining
the audio. Sometimes it's good to grab the audio (from vcr to cap card
inputs) while other times, its better to grab (from vcr to sound card
inputs)
.
If these are not in sync with each other, this can cause problems in your
video encoding.

Another factor could be that the "encoding" settings could be the casue
as well.., or adding to. I dont' know.., I'm just guessing here.

-vhelp