Tips for encoding video with inherently bad picture

TonyJibrone · 18th July 2006, 06:32

I often encode old 20+ year-old VHS tapes and ultra low budget films, as I am a collector of Bad Cinema. So even with all the wealth of knowledge here, I'm still kind of at a loss. There's no point in maintaining visual integrity when your source looks like

for example.

So I was wondering what things I could try to clean up these videos, keeping in mind that my technical knowledge is fledgeling.

Basically the only things I've messed with are
YlevelsS
Tweak
Hybridfupp (I just used preset="hybridq" for the first time)

and I generally tend to use a low-bitrate quant. matrix. But I'm sure there's a lot out there I could be doing. I appreciate any and all help!

Teegedeck · 18th July 2006, 20:24

Using a low-bitrate matrix is a good idea. Apart from that, questions about filtering have a better place in the AviSynth Usage subforum --> moved.

Boulder · 18th July 2006, 20:31

There have been several threads about treating low-quality material recently, browsing through the posts here should help if the search engine doesn't find any good threads.

I wouldn't say the screenshot looks that bad - it's just blurry to my eyes. I've seen far worse cases here

Chainmax · 18th July 2006, 23:19

I would suggest some very strong LimitedSharpenFaster settings with SMode=4 followed by AddGrain(5,0,0).

Heini011 · 18th July 2006, 23:30

Warning:

i got errorsafe malware popup while looking at the image link.

Mug Funky · 19th July 2006, 04:07

probably just crop off the crap at the bottom and encode as-is.

low-bitrate matrix in this case wont have much of an effect - there are no high frequencies for it to hit harder. but it wont hurt either...

i assume it's been TBC'd already, as the picture edges are straight and not wibbly. beyond that there's not much you can do except fake detail. seesaw combined with frfun i've found to be nice looking for over-blurry stuff.

TonyJibrone · 19th July 2006, 05:44

Here's after adding egde sharpening via hybridfupp

But I will definitely try those other methods in the future. (Sorry about the imageshack popups, it seems to only happen in IE)

LocalH · 19th July 2006, 19:30

I don't see that video as being that bad, really. Scanline timing seems tight. I can't tell if there is any vertical judder since there is just the one still. The only real problem I see with that video is a lack of detail, which is common with even the best VHS recordings. Now, if you want to see some really bad video, look at these screenshots:

Horizontal jitter all over the place, partially correctable
This particular video must be at least 20th-generation.

18th July 2006, 06:32	#1 \| Link
TonyJibrone Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2	Tips for encoding video with inherently bad picture I often encode old 20+ year-old VHS tapes and ultra low budget films, as I am a collector of Bad Cinema. So even with all the wealth of knowledge here, I'm still kind of at a loss. There's no point in maintaining visual integrity when your source looks like for example. So I was wondering what things I could try to clean up these videos, keeping in mind that my technical knowledge is fledgeling. Basically the only things I've messed with are YlevelsS Tweak Hybridfupp (I just used preset="hybridq" for the first time) and I generally tend to use a low-bitrate quant. matrix. But I'm sure there's a lot out there I could be doing. I appreciate any and all help!

18th July 2006, 20:24	#2 \| Link
Teegedeck Moderator, Ex(viD)-Mascot Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 2,564	Using a low-bitrate matrix is a good idea. Apart from that, questions about filtering have a better place in the AviSynth Usage subforum --> moved. __________________ It's a man's life in Doom9's 52nd MPEG division. "The cat sat on the mat." ATM I'm thoroughly enjoying the Banshee - a fantastic music player/ripper for Linux. Give it a whirl!

18th July 2006, 20:31	#3 \| Link
Boulder Pig on the wing Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Finland Posts: 5,844	There have been several threads about treating low-quality material recently, browsing through the posts here should help if the search engine doesn't find any good threads. I wouldn't say the screenshot looks that bad - it's just blurry to my eyes. I've seen far worse cases here __________________ And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon...

18th July 2006, 23:19	#4 \| Link
Chainmax Huh? Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Uruguay Posts: 3,103	I would suggest some very strong LimitedSharpenFaster settings with SMode=4 followed by AddGrain(5,0,0). __________________ Read Decomb's readmes and tutorials, the IVTC tutorial and the capture guide in order to learn about combing and how to deal with it.

19th July 2006, 04:07	#6 \| Link
Mug Funky interlace this! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: i'm in ur transfers, addin noise Posts: 4,555	probably just crop off the crap at the bottom and encode as-is. low-bitrate matrix in this case wont have much of an effect - there are no high frequencies for it to hit harder. but it wont hurt either... i assume it's been TBC'd already, as the picture edges are straight and not wibbly. beyond that there's not much you can do except fake detail. seesaw combined with frfun i've found to be nice looking for over-blurry stuff. __________________ sucking the life out of your videos since 2004

18th July 2006, 23:30	#5 \| Link
Heini011 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 148	Warning: i got errorsafe malware popup while looking at the image link.

19th July 2006, 05:44	#7 \| Link
TonyJibrone Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2	Here's after adding egde sharpening via hybridfupp But I will definitely try those other methods in the future. (Sorry about the imageshack popups, it seems to only happen in IE)

19th July 2006, 19:30	#8 \| Link
LocalH Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 135	I don't see that video as being that bad, really. Scanline timing seems tight. I can't tell if there is any vertical judder since there is just the one still. The only real problem I see with that video is a lack of detail, which is common with even the best VHS recordings. Now, if you want to see some really bad video, look at these screenshots: Horizontal jitter all over the place, partially correctable This particular video must be at least 20th-generation.