Non-broadcast (cable-related) ghosting, and ways to eliminiate

[Colmino]

Recently, I have been undertaking the task, in steps, of restoring a capture of a VHS-originated cartoon. I ultimately intend to do this using several different processes. Recently, for example, I decided to see if there was a way of combining redundant video frames to restore individual frames of animation. It turned out that Photoshop could perform this task, albiet in a fashion that was the furthest thing from automated, and it works like a charm. The video (and mpeg2 artifact) noise gets reduced in a much more satisfying manner than could be achieved with noise reduction filters.

But it naturally does not eliminate ghosting.

The ghosting, as I have elected to call it, may have a different name, since it is not specifically related to broadcast video. I will attempt to describe the artifact in detail, although I preface by suggesting that it manifests visibly as being similar to edge-enhancement.

Taking a close look from within Photoshop, the ghosting seems to be the following. At ~three pixels to the right of the main image, there is a rather brighter copy. At ~six pixels to the right of the main image, there is a rather darker copy. At ~nine pixels to the right of the image, there is a very slightly brighter copy. At ~12 pixels to the right of the image, there is a very slightly darker copy. Beyond that, the image seems to be effectively unaffected by ghosting.

As you can see, the ghosting seems to be a diminishing ripple, producing something more like a contour, or, as stated before, edge-enhancement to the right of the main image (not radially, as edge-enhancement would properly manifest).

I have plugged away with Exorcist from within VirtualDub for hours. While I am occasionally able to seemingly reduce the ghosting artifact by quite a bit, Exorcist apparently works by effecting changes to the entire image. Unfortunately, if one applies more than a single pass of Exorcist, there engenders a dramatic loss of detail and even color saturation due to the repeated brightening and darkening. The loss of detail is so dramatic that it becomes difficult to tell if I have achieved any desirable results.

Are there any other software solutions? Exorcist would probably work well if it did not represent such a mean loss of detail and color saturation.

[Megahurts]

Without seeing the picture, it sounds like a 'ringing problem' which could be caused by the VCR.

Have you tried another VCR?

Chas

[Colmino]

Without seeing the picture, it sounds like a 'ringing problem' which could be caused by the VCR.
Have you tried another VCR?

Unfortunately, I am stuck with the video I have. A digital capture. The original analog source is long gone. I agree that either the VCR or the wiring between VCRs was the cause.