How can I make my video close to uncompressed video quality (Xvid MPEG-4)

[programm]

I'm using Xvid Mpeg-4 video codec as a standard but other codecs of Win 8 have the same result. When compressing to AVI with the Xvid codec appear darker or their gamma is higher, I don't know. Here is an example from a game (sc2) recorded with FRAPS

On the LEFT is the original uncompressed video. On the RIGHT - compressed video after compression with Xvid or whichever other codec w same result, this screenshots are taking while playing the two videos.

Looking at the robot in the center, you see the details on his back on the left, the darkened on the right, even the tiles, the ground looks different and darker. I want to make it like on the original video.

[DB83]

You do not say what you are using to convert.

The simplest solution if the result is not to your liking is to apply some filtering such as a brightness/contrast adjustment.

But did you attempt to play both of these vides at the same time ? If you did, you are not seeing a true picture due to the use of the video renderer.

BTW Fraps video is NOT uncompressed whatever they tell you.

[programm]

I use AVS Video Converter, yes I was thinking whether I am not seeing original video but the point is, Frap does fine since the left picture shows it as it is, no quality loss. The prob comes when I do compression and I use Xvid installed by me but other codecs have the same darkening effect even worse quality.

And I haven't played both at the same time, one at a time and they are different as on the pic.

I could do a filter eventually if no other solution (tried changing Xvid settings but returned thbem to normal when other codecs darken the video as well) but idk what effects with AVS can do it.

[DB83]

Codec settings do not alter colour quality only compression quality.

If the conversion program you are using does not offer such adjustment (and many of these one-click utilities do not) try one that does. Avidemux is a good place to start.

[programm]

Well it does have Gamma and other brightness effects, afterall it is the best for 2013. Thanks, I was trying to fix it other way w.o effects but if this is the only way, then will do.

[_Al_]

Your color space just got reduced to 16-235 as oppose 0-255

check it out in Photoshop, load encoded image and apply filter levels, input levels 16-235 and colors will be the same.

So while encoding keep same color space 0-255 to keep it the same if you prefer it that way, for Youtube and such.

Or your video player interprets different video format in a different way regarding 0-255 or 16-235.

[programm]

Your color space just got reduced to 16-235 as oppose 0-255

check it out in Photoshop, load encoded image and apply filter levels, input levels 16-235 and colors will be the same.

So while encoding keep same color space 0-255 to keep it the same if you prefer it that way, for Youtube and such.

Or your video player interprets different video format in a different way regarding 0-255 or 16-235.

Where can I set that? In the effects or in the conversion format options? Where can I set 'Color Space' I cannot even see if it is 16-235 if you know that

[_Al_]

google: "videohelp fraps 0-255 16-235" or with some variations like: "colors washed out" etc

this problem is on this forum every other month or so, first link for example: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/338201-Colorspace-loss-when-converting-from-FRAPS-to-XviD

[programm]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/336508-Fraps-output-less-contrast-faded-problem

This is saying I need to set my video card, that it converts YUV to RGB and that this is display issue not codec or conversion problem.

If so, I have Nvidia GeForce GTX series, I've no freaking idea what video_proc_amp settings means or is located. If anyone is familiar with Nvidia control panel - the place where you adjust things on your video card? On the other hand Im confused, since I use Intel graphics as internal video card and Nvidia as the other card.

For the game I use my Nvidia card, for recording from FRAPs and playing videos with WMPlayer I use Intel 4k, integrated. So I need to make the changes to the integrated card, the one I use for playing the video? Honestly I don't care if it is so, if YouTube will display it properly but I remember I had a video on YT where the colors were crappy like here and I read in that thread above that in YT it appears as it should be which isn't true.

[_Al_]

I cannot help you with your video card or player settings, and I do not have any experience with fraps.

As for that YouTube upload,
I'm sure there is someone who already figured it out before. I'd look deeper in this forum. Meaning to get those 0-255 colors from fraps to YouTube.
If it happened to me, first I'd try some codec setting for Fraps if there is such a thing, as I said I have no idea, I'd looked through those settings.
Then I'd try quick encoding test into H.264 with some x264 encoder.
If colors are still washed out after uploading on YouTube, I'd put a line in Avisynth script and changed color space accordingly, loading that script it into some x264 encoder for YouTube. Not sure how familiar you are with Avisynth.

Not telling this is going to work, just what I'd do without searching around, maybe someone will chip in with fraps-Xvid-Youtube experience, your thread title is not that clear ...

[DB83]

I will also be the first to admit that discussion about color-spaces and levels go right over my head.

A pro-amp is simply brightness/contrast adjment at the capture point. Your capture software must offer this. The alternative is to do it at the conversion stage as previously discussed.

But if I read some of the discussions correctly then the problem lies with fraps in using the entire range rather than the more usual 16-255 with most software just treating all in the range 0-15 as 16.

I have one suggestion. Rather than use your current conversion tool, load the video into virtual dub and select the levels filter (video menu). You should now be able to set the output range the same as the input.

You can still use Xvid as your output codec and you still have fuill control over its settings.

[jagabo]

Fraps is unusual in that it converts from RGB (from the screen) to YUV (internally) using a PC.601 matrix rather than the usual rec.601 matrix. That means the luma component (Y) ranges from 0 to 255 rather than the usual 16 to 235. Most programs that convert from YUV to RGB use the rec.601 matrix by default -- the end result being crushed blacks and brights. What you need to do is use a program that lets you specify the conversion matrix or adjust the brightness while the video is still in YUV. You can do that in AviSynth with ColorYUV(levels="PC->TV"), or if you want to convert to RGB with a PC.601 matrix use ConvertToRGB(matrix="PC.601"). In VirtualDub you can use the Brightness/Contrast filter -- but it must be applied before any other filter (because most other filters will cause the video to be converted to RGB). Set Brightness to +7, contrast to 87 percent. That's not quite perfect but as close as you can get with that filter.

[programm]

Thanks for the responses, yes I am not aware of AviSynth and if VirtualDub can do it, I can easily download it to use it (ive used it in the past).

I tried converting to other formats - WMV, MPG, or AVI with other codecs - even Uncompressed makes it look exactly the same, not like the original's colors (left side of the pic).

I will try these tomorrow and tell you of my results.

[jagabo]

I tried converting to other formats - WMV, MPG, or AVI with other codecs - even Uncompressed makes it look exactly the same, not like the original's colors (left side of the pic).

Like I said, nearly every program uses the rec.601 matrix to convert from YUV to RGB. That includes a contrast stretch -- crushing blacks and brights.

[DarrellS]

NVIDIA Video Card Settings...

[jagabo]

Using the video card's proc amp is not a good way of "fixing" this problem. It will have an adverse effect on most other videos (too little contrast).

[programm]

Using the video card's proc amp is not a good way of "fixing" this problem. It will have an adverse effect on most other videos (too little contrast).

Can't I do it a one-time thing? I have a video, I compress it with Xvid using the option above 'With Nvidia settings', then I bring back the usual settings e.g 'With the video player Settings'

Anyway when I changed the color settings with Nvidia then compressed with Xvid, it's the exact same result after compression, so that didn;'t work.

Well... lol. I downloaded latest VirtualDub x32 bit, only compressed with Xvid MPEG4 and the Audio Codec without even changing filters or using anything like that, here is the comparison as opposed to my first post

... I should use VirtualDub for problematic vids?

[jagabo]

Exactly what happens in VirtualDub will depend on the source decoder and what color depth settings you have set in VirtualDub. If you have VirtualDub set up to request RGB data it becomes the source decoder's responsibility to convert YUV to RGB. If that source decoder converts to RGB without the normal rec.601 contrast expansion you will get the RGB values you want. I don't have fraps installed so I don't know exactly how it converts YUV to RGB -- but I suspect it doesn't perform the contrast expansion since it doesn't perform the contrast contraction when converting RGB to YUV. I only have ffdshow for decoding fraps and by default it performs the usual contrast expansion. It does have a setting where you can bypass that contrast expansion. But again, you need to be careful using that feature. It will get the levels right for your fraps videos. But it will get the levels wrong (too little contrast) with other YUV videos. So one would have to check that setting each time one used ffdshow.

[DB83]

Where I am confused now is that comparing the two sets of stills both the images on the right - the compressed ones as you say - appear lighter than the original.

I now wonder whether your graphics systems is playing visual tricks.

But if you are now happy, who am I to argue.

[DarrellS]

In the future, it would be nice if you saved your images vertically instead of horizontally so that we don't had to move the slider three monitor lengths to read a post. Thanks!

[programm]

^ Forums usually have some spoiler or auto-resize or thumbnail version in which when you click the image, it enlarges. Gonna try with attachment.

Where I am confused now is that comparing the two sets of stills both the images on the right - the compressed ones as you say - appear lighter than the original.

I now wonder whether your graphics systems is playing visual tricks.

But if you are now happy, who am I to argue.

But then wouldn't the original also look different?

Yes this is quite fine, 2 evenings ago I WASTED 4 hours playing with the filters of AVS Converter and never getting anything close, yesterday I figured that out for just 10-20 mins!

Thanks for the replies, all.