From Virtualdub 720x480 to H.264 viewable on a smart TV

[Spektre]

So I have RAW captures in AVI format (720x480) Lagarith compressed. I will provide these originals to the customer but I think they would appreciate a thumbdrive with the video that they could plug into a smart tv and watch.

Thus I would like to use Hybrid to do the following:

-deinterlace
-change resolution and any pixel sizing to fit a standard TV 1440x1080 (4x3)
-compress with H.264
-store in an .mp4 container.

I'm a technician, not an arteest, and so I am not looking to color correct or restore any video flaws.

Could anyone help with the Hybrid setting to do the above?

Thank you.

[Selur]

Load source, assuming it's not properly flagged adjust the scan type.
Select the deinterlacer you want/like.
Assuming it's not properly flagged, adjust the input par to your source. Adjust the output PAR to your need.
Adjust the resize width to 1440, set Letterbox to 1440x1080.
Chose the H.264 encoder you like.
Set an output file with .mp4 extension.
Start the job creation.
Start the created job.

[Alwyn]

Audio?

[LigH.de]

You can surely select to either pass it through when it is a format compatible to the MP4 container, or let it re-encode with a matching codec (an AAC encoder is recommendable, or maybe MP3).

[Spektre]

Load source, assuming it's not properly flagged adjust the scan type.
Select the deinterlacer you want/like.
Assuming it's not properly flagged, adjust the input par to your source. Adjust the output PAR to your need.
Adjust the resize width to 1440, set Letterbox to 1440x1080.
Chose the H.264 encoder you like.
Set an output file with .mp4 extension.
Start the job creation.
Start the created job.

Thanks!

Coming from an NTSC 720x480 capture, what are the proper SAR/PAR values?

[Spektre]

You can surely select to either pass it through when it is a format compatible to the MP4 container, or let it re-encode with a matching codec (an AAC encoder is recommendable, or maybe MP3).

Is PCM uncompressed compatible?

[The 14th Doctor]

You can surely select to either pass it through when it is a format compatible to the MP4 container, or let it re-encode with a matching codec (an AAC encoder is recommendable, or maybe MP3).

Is PCM uncompressed compatible?

Nope, mp4 files do not accept PCM audio, needs to be re-encoded to a compatible format such as AAC (ideally with a bit rate of 384 kbps)

As for SAR/PAR. Keep the input par at default, and keep the output par at 1:1 since you'd be resizing it to 1440x1080.

Just remember to crop it to 704x480 at minimum.

[Spektre]

You can surely select to either pass it through when it is a format compatible to the MP4 container, or let it re-encode with a matching codec (an AAC encoder is recommendable, or maybe MP3).

Is PCM uncompressed compatible?

Nope, mp4 files do not accept PCM audio, needs to be re-encoded to a compatible format such as AAC (ideally with a bit rate of 384 kbps)

As for SAR/PAR. Keep the input par at default, and keep the output par at 1:1 since you'd be resizing it to 1440x1080.

Just remember to crop it to 704x480 at minimum.

To remove the black bars?

[hello_hello]

If you use the mpeg4 PARs for 4:3 from here (assuming it's not the PAR Hybrid defaults to), the uncropped display aspect ratio is 1.363636 rather than 1.333333 (the mpeg4 PAR should be correct and for NTSC and it's 10:11).
720 x (10 / 11) / 480 = 1.363636 or 654x480

If you crop the width to 704, which you often have to do to remove the crud, the resulting DAR is then exactly 1.333333.
704 x (10 / 11) / 480 = 1.333333 or 640x480

The resizing you'd use would be determined by how much you crop from the width and/or height, assuming you do need to crop.
If you cropped the width to 712 and the height to 476, for example, and you want the output to be 1080p.
712 x (10 / 11) / 476 * 1080 = 1468.6
So you'd probably round to 1468 x 1080.

Without any cropping:
720 x (10 / 11) / 480 * 1080 = 1472.7272
So you'd round to 1472 x 1080.

I don't use Hybrid but I assume it'll calculate the resizing for you, and/or add black borders for 1920x1080 if you want it to, although adding borders shouldn't be necessary.

[Selur]

Yes, Hybrid will calculate the resize if input&output PAR and the desired target width (or height) is configured.
Input probably isn't using mpeg4, but rather the Generic or ITU-R PAR values.
[INFO] About pixel aspect ratios,..

Cu Selur

Ps.: I agreee adding letterboxing / black bars should not be needed nowadays when not aiming for Blu-ray or similar authoring.

[hello_hello]

I thought I should add... it's not really necessary to upscale to 1080p. A TV with a built-in USB media player will upscale the video itself if necessary, according to the display resolution, so you could resize to any appropriate "square pixel" dimensions and it'll display correctly. For a 720x480 source you could simply resize to 654x480 if you prefer and let the TV upscale it (assuming the source PAR is 10:11 and there's no cropping). Or if you don't want to reduce the width, you could increase the height instead, resizing to 720x528 for example (again assuming the source PAR is 10:11 and there's no cropping). That way you can encode at a high quality without the file size becoming too large. It's preferable to upscaling and having to encode at a low quality to keep the file size down.

Unless you're using some sort of clever AI upscaling, I wouldn't bother upscaling myself.

[lollo]

Why on earth if you do not upscale you want to resize???

It is the opposite: a resize to square pixel is not needed at all (and is a lossy operation), an upscale may have sense if what is done by AviSynth or similar is better than what performed by the TV/player.

[hello_hello]

Why on earth if you do not upscale you want to resize???

It is the opposite: a resize to square pixel is not needed at all (and is a lossy operation), an upscale may have sense if what is done by AviSynth or similar is better than what performed by the TV/player.

The video is being de-interlaced and re-encoded anyway...
Plus not all TV media players support anamorphic video and therefore won't display it correctly. It's possibly not a common problem these days, but it's a possibility. My old Samsung TV and Samsung bluray player (via it's USB input) both assume anything in an MKV or MP4 has square pixels, whereas the old Sony bluray player in this house resizes and displays anamorphic video with any PAR correctly. In a perfect world you'd just set the appropriate PAR for the encoded video and not resize at all, but when the player being used is an unknown, resizing to square pixel dimensions is probably the safest option.

[lollo]

I ignore what hardware you have, but my very old Samdung TV (Samsung UE46F8000SZ) and Blu Ray Player (Samsung BD-F7500) play perfectly when specifying the DAR on a 704x576 (or 720x576) anamorphic source.

[The_Doman]

I ignore what hardware you have, but my very old Samdung TV (Samsung UE46F8000SZ) and Blu Ray Player (Samsung BD-F7500) play perfectly when specifying the DAR on a 704x576 (or 720x576) anamorphic source.

Same here with a 2014 Samsung TV, plays (and de-interlaces) automatically the correct AR from USB/DLNA network.
But you have to set the correct display mode on the TV's or it will stretch everything or do other things you not want.
And yes, I still prefer to let the TV's do the de-interlacing of my VHS conversions.

[Spektre]

Given the unknown nature of the playback device, I'd prefer to do the deinterlacing and scaling myself. (They'll be getting the original captures also).

[lollo]

And yes, I still prefer to let the TV's do the de-interlacing of my VHS conversions.

And you get then lower quality than AviSynth QTGMC

Given the unknown nature of the playback device, I'd prefer to do the deinterlacing and scaling myself. (They'll be getting the original captures also).

The upscale is more questionable, it really depends on who does the better job between the TV and AviSynth or similar. (For instance, my Sony A95 is excellent for upscale, much less for deinterlacing)

[Spektre]

Also, if I choose NOT to crop my 720x480 captures to 704x480, my PAR is 8:9 instead of 10:11 right?

DAR = PAR X SAR

4/3 = PAR X 720/480

PAR = (480/720) X (4/3)

PAR = 8/9

[Sharc]

Also, if I choose NOT to crop my 720x480 captures to 708x480, my PAR is 8:9 instead of 10:11 right?

DAR = PAR X SAR

4/3 = PAR X 720/480

PAR = (480/720) X (4/3)

PAR = 8/9

Not really, if it is an analog (VHS) capture. The PAR of your captured video is still 10:11, but the DAR including the bars is slightly wider than 4:3 (~1.36:1 rather than 1.333:1)
If you force the picture including the sidebars in a 4:3 frame (thus 'converting' the PAR from 10:11 to 8:9) the active picture gets horizontally slightly squashed.
Anyway the error is about 2% only which people would usually not notice.

[Spektre]

Not really, if it is an analog (VHS) capture. The PAR of your captured video is still 10:11, but the DAR including the bars is slightly wider than 4:3 (~1.36:1 rather than 1.333:1)
If you force the picture including the sidebars in a 4:3 frame (thus 'converting' the PAR from 10:11 to 8:9) the active picture gets horizontally slightly squashed.
Anyway the error is about 2% only which people would usually not notice.

Makes sense. Thanks.

[Barrythecrab]

“708”?

[hello_hello]

I ignore what hardware you have, but my very old Samdung TV (Samsung UE46F8000SZ) and Blu Ray Player (Samsung BD-F7500) play perfectly when specifying the DAR on a 704x576 (or 720x576) anamorphic source.

Does specifying the DAR mean putting the TV in 4:3 mode?
If so my TV has a 4:3 mode too, but what happens if you crop the 720x576 video so it's no longer 4:3? If the TV/player honours the PAR for the encoded video, or it's been resized to "square" pixel" dimensions, it'll display correctly no matter how it's cropped and there'd be no need for 4:3 mode, assuming that's what you mean by "specifying the DAR".

If I remember correctly, 4:3 mode on my TV activates over-scanning, so similarly to watching a 720x576 video on a CRT you don't see any crud at the sides or the top and bottom, but I'm pretty sure it also resizes a 720x576 source to exactly 4:3, so it'll be slightly squished if the PAR is 12:11 rather than 16:15 (for PAL).

[lollo]

Does specifying the DAR mean putting the TV in 4:3 mode?

No, adding a DAR flag in the video source (and properly set the TV, of course).

If the TV/player honours the PAR for the encoded video, or it's been resized to "square" pixel" dimensions, it'll display correctly no matter how it's cropped and there'd be no need for 4:3 mode, assuming that's what you mean by "specifying the DAR".

The DAR is respect by (almost) all devices, the PAR not.

Also, if I choose NOT to crop my 720x480 captures to 704x480, my PAR is 8:9 instead of 10:11 right?

No, as Sharc already explained when you specify the PAR you can crop by any amount and the proportions will be respected.
A crop operation doesn't change the PAR (if you cut an edge of a sheet of a "graph paper" (crop) the shape of the pixels (the box in the paper) is unchanged).

[Barrythecrab]

I always get confused by the aspect ratio game.
So to keep it as simple as possible after tape capture I use Hybrid to crop HuffYUV 720x480 to 704x480 and deinterlace with QTGMC.
In the same pass I will use whatever filters I deem necessary and export as 704x480 HuffYUV 59.94 progressive.
Then I bring that file into PowerDirector (I don't want to hear it) and edit, including a thin mask around the entire frame to hide any crud leftover.
I export as 704x480 MP4, it plays in EVERYTHING as 4:3.

[Alwyn]

I export as 704x480 MP4, it plays in EVERYTHING as 4:3.

Powerdirector is obviously adding the DAR flag of 4:3, because 704x480 isn't 4:3 by a long shot.

[Barrythecrab]

Yes, that’s what it’s supposed to do. Makes it a hell of a lot easier on me. I suppose I could go from non-square to square and make the 704 to 640, but it works. Of course if I’m doing myself wrong then I’m open to the discussion.

[hello_hello]

No, adding a DAR flag in the video source (and properly set the TV, of course).

What does properly setting the TV mean?

The DAR is respect by (almost) all devices, the PAR not.

How do you go about setting a DAR? The x264 and x265 encoders only let you specify a SAR/PAR when encoding don't they?

[lollo]

What does properly setting the TV mean?

It dependes on the TV. You do not want some fancy zoom or stretch or similar

How do you go about setting a DAR? The x264 and x265 encoders only let you specify a SAR/PAR when encoding don't they?

ffmpeg.exe -aspect 4:3

From the wiki https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html:

-aspect[tream_specifier] aspect (output,per-stream)
Set the video display aspect ratio specified by aspect.

aspect can be a floating point number string, or a string of the form num:den, where num and den are the numerator and denominator of the aspect ratio. For example "4:3", "16:9", "1.3333", and "1.7777" are valid argument values.

If used together with -vcodec copy, it will affect the aspect ratio stored at container level, but not the aspect ratio stored in encoded frames, if it exists.

What ffmpeg calls SAR is the PAR

[Sharc]

In ffmpeg one can also set aspect ratios using its videofilters, like

-vf setsar=sar=12/11, setdar=dar=4/3

(As the OP has a "Smart TV" I would assume that it reads the PAR (aka SAR) properly).

[lollo]

or simplier:

ffmpeg -sar 12:11