Trying to fix video recording - 30fps to 25fps. Still not playing smoothly.

[Phat J]

Hello everyone!

I am attempting to fix a broadcast recording from the mid 90s that was recorded as 30fps, when it really should have been 25fps PAL. The recorded format is MPEG2 for some reason. I want to convert it to a PAL MP4, and crop the edges.

I've read various guides about how I need to decimate the frame rate to get it down to 25fps. Xvid4PSP is my program of choice, and I've used the the TDecimate filter in it, and it does make the frame rate 25fps, but it still plays choppy.

I encoded a 25fps clip, then manually scanned through the frames in VirtualDub, and found that there are still duplicate frames.

How do I get the encoding program to find the "pattern" for the duplicate frames, so it eliminates those for the final output? Or am I doing something else wrong?

I read something about using DGIndex first as it's an MPEG2 file, but I'm confused as to what to do with that. Specifically with the "honor pulldown flags" thing.

I'm open to using other programs if necessary. I have AVIDemux, VidCoder, Xvid4PSP, and VirtualDub installed already.

Here's a clip I extracted of the original MPEG2 file:
http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/cpswYmB9/file.html

Here's roughly the same clip I quickly encoded with Xvid4PSP, with the TDecimate to 25fps option used:
http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/0cR5IPzG/file.html

(I haven't encoded the audio, nor cropped the clips)

Thanks!

[KarMa]

I tried bobbing it and using srestore(frate=25), and simply just srestore(frate=25) but I can't get smooth 25fps as there are too many missing frames because the recorder just duplicated the previous frames. I really don't have much hope for your video.

[jagabo]

It has many duplicate and missing frames, and not in a simple repeating pattern. No program is going to fix it automatically. You could go though it by hand, deleting all the duplicate frames, and inserting motion interpolated frames where there are missing frames, but it will take you a very long time. Attached is an example with the original frames on the left, duplicates removed and motion interpolated on the right. I didn't adjust the frame rate of the adjusted video so it runs too fast here. I missed a few dup/missing frames but you can see it's much smoother. It took me half an hour to fix this 4 second clip.

[KarMa]

Very nice jagabo.

For a few grand, OP could have the whole thing manually done. Better off just trying to find a better copy, maybe the BBC sells it or find it on Ebay or something else.

[jagabo]

Better off just trying to find a better copy

I wouldn't bother with this source unless it was the only copy in existence and it was critically important to me personally.

[manono]

I saw it, too, and don't think it was direct from the BBC. Whoever botched the job used something for his source, and maybe that source is floating around somewhere. The BBC doesn't convert to NTSC like that.

[KarMa]

I saw it, too, and don't think it was direct from the BBC. Whoever botched the job used something for his source, and maybe that source is floating around somewhere. The BBC doesn't convert to NTSC like that.

I tend to believe the person who recorded it, was in the UK and just had something seriously wrong with their recording set up. I've never know the BBC to rebroadcast content in the US with their BBC logo still there, usually just see BBC in the credits and maybe a BBC logo at the very end of the credits.

Also don't understand why the video is 30fps, it should be 29.97fps for NTSC.

[manono]

I've never know the BBC to rebroadcast content in the US with their BBC logo still there.

That's a good point. I've seen a lot of BBC stuff converted for NTSC broadcast (like on PBS) and on NTSC DVD and, you're right - no logo. Something went terribly wrong somewhere. It's still hard to believe this is the only copy of this broadcast.

[Phat J]

Thanks everyone!

I would normally leave it as is, but the cropped edges bother me, and plus my set up for watching UK TV is using reclock on a 24p display. (I'm in Canada). I hate having to change it to 60hz for NTSC format, especially for a UK show.
I think I'll just decimate it to 25fps and let it be, until I can find a better copy.