Advice on VHS to DVD workflow and Virtual Dub Settings?

[sanlyn]

It would be great get be able to download and copy someone's already established 32 bit plugin folder.

Easier said than done, because the folder for Avisynth 2.5.8 won't look exactly like one for v2.6 variations. Attached is a sample from my own plugins folder. I removed about half of mine (you won't need stuff like ffms2, DGAVCDecode, ffdshow, ffmpeg, etc., etc.). Some of those removed are different for different versions of many plugins on different systems. Some plugins even have different versions for Intel and AMD machines.

tip: when creating an avs script in Notepad, or when opening an avs or avsi to look at it, turn off "Word Wrap" in Notepad. You can wrap a long statement to additional lines in Avisynth, but you can't use Word Wrap to do it. In Notepad's top menu items, use "Format" -> and uncheck "Word Wrap".

If you get an error concerning any plugin, we have to know exactly what the error message says. Just saying that you get "an error" isn't enough information.

ContrastMask and all the other plugins belong in your Avisynth plugins folder. QTGMC itself comes supplied as an avsi file. All of the required plugins attached in the QTGMC package are dll's. The other required QTGMC "stystem" files (fftw3 and libfftw3f-3 dll's) should go into SYSWOW64 on a Win 7.

Cnr2 is a dll.

ChromaShift is a dll.

HQdering is an .avs file that should be in the plugins folder. It can be imported explicitly or it can be changed to avsi. It requires masktools v2 dll's, but those are already furnished with the QTGMC plugin package.

ContrastMask is an .avs file that should be in the plugins folder. It can be imported explicitly, or can be changed to .avsi. ConmtrastMask requires VariableBlur.dll to be in the plugins folder.

Santiag is an .avsi file, also sometijes furnished as an avs. It can be imported explicitly, or can be changed used as .avsi. Santiag requires NNEDI3.dll to be in the plugins folder; NNEDI3.dll is furnished with the QTGMC plugins package.

DeHalo_Alpha is an avsi file. It requires MaskTools v2 dll's and RemoveGrain dll's in the plugins folder; MaskTools and RemoveGrain are supplied with the QTGMC plugin package.

FixVHSOverharp is a dll that has no other support file requirements.

aWarpSharp is a dll that lists no other support file requirements.

Another tip: Avisynth has an uninstaller if you really messed up need to start over. Click the start button and go to your Program listings; it is in the Avisynth 2.5 program group. It removes its registry entries. The program folder and plugins subfolder will remain.

[zoink187]

OK. Again, thanks. I'm reinstalling. I have an Intel WIN7 32 bit machine. There is no SYSWOW64 file folder. If known, What is the 32 bit folder called where these system files you mentioned should be placed? Also, What should I be installing and downloading for the needed Avisynth "package"? I ask because there is the avisynth 2.5.8 and there's avisynth_258_src. I'm assuming that src stands for "sources"? Does that get "installed" as well? Where should it be placed? I get bits and pieces from the forum about specific steps. This thread has been the most concise.

[sanlyn]

If your Win7 is 32-bit, the two fftw3 dll specials go in System32. The QTGMC instructions in the download tell you where they go.
Avisynth 2.5.8 is the program. "src" is the source code which, believe me, you will never need. Take the default Avisynth installation. If the installer asks you what program you'd like to "associate" with .avs scripts, click or choose "Notepad". If you aren't asked, you can fix it later.

[zoink187]

Ok. I noticed that there is a website called amv. Which stands for anime music videos. There is an "AMV app" that has all of these programs in the app like a suite. He made a avs plugin exe which installs all of his recommended plugins. It seems his objective is more on the animation side to which many of those plugins may not be applicable in my case. Any thoughts on this? It seems more centralized which is why I mentioned it. Here is the website http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/avtech31/amvapp.html:



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sanlyn]

The AMV website has been around foir quite a while and is now in Version 3 -- which itself is getting a little long in the tooth, but it's a very useful site. Before you run their .exe, save a copy of your plugins folder in another location to prevent their app from overwriting your newer filter versions with older ones. That app is handy because it contains some older plugins that are difficult to find but which still work and are in popular use.

By the way, your link to AMV posted above doesn't work because the tail end of the link has punctuation in it. A review of many popular AVS plugins on the AMV page at http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/avtech31/post-qual.html . The page has image samples of filter effects that display when you click filter names under the images (but the first time around, you have to give the images time to load). The processing techniques and almost every filter discussed is also used for "real" video as well as anime, so don't let the word "anime" throw you off.

[zoink187]

Ok. Thank you. I find Amv to be potentially useful because of the automation involved but I was not at all considering using the avspmod. A new challenge is to somehow integrate that plugins from AMV and the plugins you used and have suggested for MY project. Should I be pointing specific scripts to two separate folders depending on what will be used? Again, thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zoink187]

I meant to say plugins not scripts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sanlyn]

The default location for Avisynth plugins is the installed plugins subfolder. Avisynth always looks there first for plugins. You can create additional plugin folders, either in the Avisynth program folder or in other locations, but you must specify those folders and plugins in your script. For example, if you create a folder called "plugins2" and you copy some dll, avs or avsi plugins into plugins2, you have to load them explicitly in your script. They will not be found automatically:

LoadPlugin("Drive:\path\to\plugins\plugins2\filter1.dll")
LoadPlugin("Drive:\path\to\plugins\plugins2\filter2.dll")
Import("Drive:\path\to\plugins\plugins2\filter3.avsi")
Import("Drive:\path\to\plugins\plugins2\filter4.avs")

[zoink187]

What happened to the previous posts? I was following the steps and now nothing.

[zoink187]

It just says 30. What happened?

[jagabo]

Sanlyn got mad and in another thread and decided to throw all his toys out of the pram.

[VideoChunkster]

Its all cryptic , 30 must mean something, i just can't understand it. 30, but 30 what? 30 clowns wearing hats, 30 jugglers juggling balls, dammit what is it. This is like Tom Hanks in castaway. WILLLLLSSSSOOOONNNN!!!

[jagabo]

Rosebud...

[zoink187]

Ok. It was about to save my avi with the avisynth filters. I needed pointers on what I'm saving to. Awwww nuts!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sanlyn]

You've saved files in VirtualDub before, haven't you? The output from your Avisynth script is uncompressed RGB AVI. You have to tell Virtualdub to save it as Lagarith compressed RGB.
- In VirtualDub, click the top "Video" menu. Then click "color depth...".
- In the color depth window, choose "RGB24" from the right-hand side panel.
- Click "Video" again. In the drop-down menu select "Compression..."
- In the compression menu select Lagarith lossless compressor. Clizk the "Configure" button that appears at the right-hand corner/
- In the Lagarith configuration panel, select "RGB (defaul). Clikc OK to exit the menu.
- Again, in the VirtualDub top menu click "Video", then select "fast recompress".
- When you're ready click "File" then "Save As Avi...", the way you would when saving any output with VirtualDub. Navigate to a location and give your output file a name.

Using the above steps, the file will be saved as RGB and can be re-loaded directly into VirtualDub for any RGB filters you want to use. Open your saved AVI in VirtualDub and then use "File" and select -> "load processing settings" to open your .vcf file with filters already set up. You can look over the filters and see how they're arranged, etc. If you don't like the settings, change them. If you don't like the changes, just re-set by loading the .vcf again. Each time you loas or reload a .vcf file, it wipes out whatever filters and settings you've set up and replaces everything with the filters and settings specified in the vcf file. If you don't plan any more processing, save the file as Lagarith lossless YV12 for encoding using "full processing mode".

I won't be able to make any new posts for a while.

"-30-" is a writer's and proof reader's term. It was also military slang in WWII, Korea, and Nam. It means End Of Story.

[VideoChunkster]

"-30-" is a writer's and proof reader's term. It was also military slang in WWII, Korea, and Nam. It means End Of Story.

Whats the 87 mean? Hopefully not 187

[zoink187]

Ok. Thank you Sanlyn. You have been extremely helpful. I really appreciate it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zoink187]

Do I have a chance at knowing what you did AFTER you ran my sample through avisynth and made it an MPEG? Again, thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sanlyn]

For MPEG I use TMPGenc's popular encoders (the old TMPGenc Plus 2.5 is still a f avorite and is still sold. Very inexpensive), or the free HCenc encoder. There are several tools in the forum "Software" section (see the link at the top banner of this page). I don't use the freebies, but AVS2DVD is often recommended; it can use unencoded AVI as input and uses HCenc's encoder. Almost any NLE application from Adobe or Vegas and several others can encode unencoded AVI to DVD.

[zoink187]

Ok. Thanks. Any special settings I should be looking out for?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sanlyn]

I'm afraid you'll have to do some research on that, if you've never used an MPEG encoder. Each has a different interface. "Settings" has to do with bitrates, whether you're interlaced/progressive, display aspect ratio, etc. etc.

Many available encoders and encoding NLE's have user guides. That's the only way to learn this stuff. The software section lists several guides for a number of encoders.
AVS2DVD beginner's guide: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/353284-AVStoDVD-beginners-guide-Any-video-to-DVD-Video

One of several guides for the HCenc encoder: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/273620-How-to-encode-an-Avi-to-dvd-ready-video-and-...-Aften#1734488

I acquired TMPGenc Plus 2.5 years ago and the newer TMPGenc Video Mastering Works more recently. The latter outputs MPEG as well as using x264's encoder for standard def and High Def AVCHD and BluRay. There are many more choices listed in the software section under "Encoders (MPG/DVD)". The budget versions from SONY and Adobe Premiere Elements are popular (but I'm not crazy about their implementation of scaled-down Main Concept encoder, though). TMPGenc comes with detailed user guides, with Mastering Works being a full-featured product and TMPGEnc Plus somewhat on the more basic side but still a vey competent encoder.

Try browsing AVS2DVD's guide to get an idea of what encoding entails. You should also know what DVD "looks like" technically. A basic version of the specs for PAL and NTSC DVD files is here https://www.videohelp.com/dvd#tech, and the basic specs for what DVD looks like on disc after being authored is here https://www.videohelp.com/dvd#struct. That's all rather general, I know, but encoding and authoring is a world unto itself. It's been years since I used a basic NLE to encode video, but from experience I recommend that you avoid Corel, Pinnacle, and Cyberlink, which seem to be everywhere.

The MPEG I submitted was encoded as DVD-compliant NTSC MPEG2, with a variable bitrate ("VBR") of about 6000 target and 8000 max two-pass, at 720x480 for 4:3 display, 29.970 fps interlaced top-field-first. The bitrate used is fairly mainstream and could be a little higher to handle the kind of camera motion and jiggling in most home-made videos (more motion requires higher bitrates). You should try to keep video content on a single disc to 90 minutes of 720x480 video, which equates to a variable bitrate of 6200 kbps on average. Lower bitrates = lower quality. There's nothing unusual about the way it was encoded, but it's the sort of facts and figures that are involved in encoder "settings".

Other members might contribute here and lead you to various resources.