Which Encoder/Converter

[Sharc]

@SkyBlues2021: By the way, what you did in post#17 with Avidemux looks ok to me. If you are not familiar with all the advanced encoder settings I would just leave them at their defaults, means on the General Tab just deselect "use advanced configuration", select preset "slow" and adjust the CRF to e.g. 18 (as you did). On the Frame Tab tick "Interlaced" and select "Top Fields First" (as you did, for interlaced encoding). On the Output 1 Tab I would set the SAR to 12:11.
Leave the rest at their defaults. It's normally not necessary to tweak these unless you have a specific reason.
(As has been said, (avisynth-)filtering is more crucial and beneficial than the detailed x264 tweaks).

[jagabo]

on the General Tab just deselect "use advanced configuration", select preset "slow" and adjust the CRF to e.g. 18 (as you did). On the Frame Tab tick "Interlaced" and select "Top Fields First" (as you did, for interlaced encoding). On the Output 1 Tab I would set the SAR to 12:11.

With the version I have you can't enable interlaced encoding if you use the presets (ie, if you don't enable "use advanced configuration". And if you enable advanced configuration the presets have no meaning -- you have to set all the advanced parameters yourself.

The SAR setting is enabled with both advanced and preset modes.

[Sharc]

on the General Tab just deselect "use advanced configuration", select preset "slow" and adjust the CRF to e.g. 18 (as you did). On the Frame Tab tick "Interlaced" and select "Top Fields First" (as you did, for interlaced encoding). On the Output 1 Tab I would set the SAR to 12:11.

With the version I have you can't enable interlaced encoding if you use the presets (ie, if you don't enable "use advanced configuration". And if you enable advanced configuration the presets have no meaning -- you have to set all the advanced parameters yourself.

The SAR setting is enabled with both advanced and preset modes.

Strange. I tested with v2.8.0 and v2.8.1 64bit (downloaded from this site) and I can always enable "interlaced encoding" even with disabled "use advanced configuration" and using the presets.

[jagabo]

I'm using version 2.7.7. I don't really use AviDemux so I don't keep it up to date. Maybe I'll update to the latest release and see what's changed.

<edit>
After installing 2.8.1 the interlaced option is available when using the presets. That will make things easier for SkyBlues2021.
</edit>

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc & jagabo. I will try the setting Sharc has posted for Avidemux and I will upload it. Thank you for installing this version for me chaps I really appreciate your help.

[SkyBlues2021]

I only changed the settings Sharc mentioned. Regarding the pixel aspect ratio I selected custom 12:11 as predefined aspect ratio can only do 16:15 (PAL 4:3) I wasn't sure if this was correct? as I couldn't select PAL
I was able to force aspect ratio 4:3 in MP4 Muxer though

[SkyBlues2021]

In the virtualdub2 encoder I copied jagabo's command line into notepad and changed the path to ffmpeg on my system, I then put this into the extra command line box in the x264 configuration page I then selected ok.
Open video file>family holiday 2004 3
File> save video> I selected MP4 (mpeg-4 part 14) It only seemed to like full processing mode or normal re-compress. When I went to save it I got this error message. I guessing I've got my ffmpeg path incorrect or selecting MP4 is incorrect? Any advice would be welcome thanks.

[Sharc]

I only changed the settings Sharc mentioned. Regarding the pixel aspect ratio I selected custom 12:11 as predefined aspect ratio can only do 16:15 (PAL 4:3) I wasn't sure if this was correct? as I couldn't select PAL
I was able to force aspect ratio 4:3 in MP4 Muxer though

Your interlaced encoding is fine. It is correct to set the PixelAspectRatio to 12:11 for your captured 720x576 VHS video. The video stream is then flagged accordingly which means the active picture (excluding the black side bars of your capture) become 4:3 when the player respects this PAR signalling.
The MP4 muxer in AviDemux however forces the overall frame (including the black side bars) to 4:3 at container level which gives the "infamous" but harmless ~2% difference (plenty of threads discussing this). Nothing to really worry unless one is pedantic....

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc. Will I be able to use those settings as a template for when I eventually start encoding? I will put one of my 1 hour captures onto a usb and watch it over the weekend, just to make sure everything looks ok. I would also persevere with virtualdub2 it always ends badly when I start trying to script!

[Sharc]

In the virtualdub2 encoder I copied jagabo's command line into notepad and changed the path to ffmpeg on my system, I then put this into the extra command line box in the x264 configuration page I then selected ok.
Open video file>family holiday 2004 3
File> save video> I selected MP4 (mpeg-4 part 14) It only seemed to like full processing mode or normal re-compress. When I went to save it I got this error message. I guessing I've got my ffmpeg path incorrect or selecting MP4 is incorrect? Any advice would be welcome thanks.

You misunderstand something here. When using VirtualDub2 the only thing you have to put into the extra command line box is
--tff --weightp=0
as per jagabo's instructions in post#22, for interlaced encoding.

Post#30 is a standalone ffmpeg commandline. You don't need VirtualDub2 for this to run.

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc. Sorry, I'm not sure if I understand. Do you mean to encode with virtdualdub2 all I need to do is put --tff --weightp=0 into the extra command line box then save video>MP4 and it's encoded? or is that just step 1 and step 2 is the ffmpeg command line?

[jagabo]

Do you mean to encode with virtdualdub2 all I need to do is put --tff --weightp=0 into the extra command line box then save video>MP4 and it's encoded?

Yes. You don't really even need --weightp=0. If you leave it out x264 will display a warning and automatically set it. Be sure to set the SAR values to get the correct 4:3 display aspect ratio.

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks jagabo. I always seem to over complicate everything. Sorry I didn't realise the ffmpeg was another method. I will encode the clip and post it.

[SkyBlues2021]

I've just watched my first encoded video on tv! I compared to it a DVD I made approx. 17 years ago and even without any restoration it looks so much better. The only thing that I think I may have to do is de-interlace it. I thought my tv would do a better job of de-interlacing, however I'm probably wrong and any advice would be welcome.

[SkyBlues2021]

I've had another go with the virtualdub2 encoder. But I got the following error message. I set both video and audio to full processing mode as a few posts I found said this is an audio error message?

[Sharc]

In Vdub2 menu try
Audio -> Compression ....
then select FFMpeg AAC

[jagabo]

Be sure to enable Audio -> Full Processing Mode or you won't be able to select a codec.

[SkyBlues2021]

Success! Thanks Sharc & jagabo. I attached the virtualdub2 encoded clip. Do most folk here de-interlace before encoding? or is it better to leave it interlaced.

[Sharc]

The encoded video looks right to me. The sound level is a bit low.

Deinterlace or not: There are plenty of posts and opinions on this subject with pro's and con's in this forum and at doom9.
If your TV's deinterlacer is poor you may want to deinterlace. If, however, you don't deinterlace correctly with a very good deinterlacer (QTGMC for example) you may do more harm than good to your video.
(Personally I hardly ever deinterlace my VHS captures, unless I want to resize or have another specific reason for deinterlacing).

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks Sharc. Is there anything I can do to raise the sound level or is it the nature of the tape.
Yes I will use QTGMC if I go that way. Once I get to the restoration stage I will try both.

[jagabo]

In VirtualDub(2) use Audio -> Volume...

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks jagabo. I will check the volume before I encode in future.

[SkyBlues2021]

My tv's deinterlacer isn't the best and still left lines on the football shirts numbers, so I've tried a script but I'm not sure if my QTGMC and MCTemporalDenoise settings are correct? Any advice would be grateful.
I had to convert the colorspace to YV12 as I get a QTGMC (v 3.32) error message on AvsPmod without the conversion. Is this ok? I thought this version worked with YV12 & YUY2.

[lollo]

QTGMC and MCTemporalDenoise settings are correct?

QTGMC and MCTemporalDenoise have many parameters, you should experiment yourself the best setting for your video, there is not a generic rule

I had to convert the colorspace to YV12 as I get a QTGMC

It's ok, but you can use ConvertToYV16() instead, to avoid chroma subsampling. Even if your TV will not support 4:2:2 color space, but only YV12, better to do it at the end of the whole processing

ConvertToRGB32(interlaced=true)

Why do you converto to RGB at the end? And btw, the video before that command is not interlaced anymore

[jagabo]

Why are you converting to RGB at the end? And encoding as interlaced? Your video is no longer interlaced after QTGMC, it's progressive at 50 fps.

Regarding the cropping, I would AddBorders to make the frame 704x576 rather than 720x576. The 4:3 frame is held in a 704x576 portion of an ITU video cap.

There's no "right" setting for MCTemporalDenoise(). It's a matter of taste.

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks lollo & jagabo. Sorry, I don't know why I put in interlaced= true.
I thought I had to convertToRGB at the end of the script because I had previously done convertToYV12? Am I right in thinking I can leave that line out altogether.
Also I was sloppy encoding interlaced. I will have another go and take all the advice you have both given me.
I have tried to ConvertToYV16() but I get an error message. I will post it.

[jagabo]

There's no need to convert to RGB at the end. It's a waste of time and a needless loss of precision because you are converting back to YV12 when you encode.

Try something like:

AviSource("TAPE 20 13-11.avi") 
AssumeTFF()
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=true)

ColorYUV(gain_y=32, off_y=-30, gamma_y=25)
SeparateFields().vInverse().Weave()
QTGMC(preset="slow", Sharpness=0.7)#, EZDenoise=1.0, DeNoiseMC=true)
TurnRight().QTGMC(InputType=2).vInverse().TurnLeft()

edgemask = mt_edge(mode="prewitt", thy1=150, thy2=150).mt_expand().mt_expand().Blur(1.4).Blur(1.4).Blur(1.4)
Overlay(last, Dehalo_alpha(rx=4.0, ry=3.0, BrightStr=0.8, DarkStr=0.8), mask=edgemask)

MergeChroma(last, Spline36Resize(width/2,height).aWarpSharp2(depth=20).Spline36Resize(width,height))
ChromaShiftSP(x=-2, y=0)

Crop(8,6,-20,-10).AddBorders(6,8,6,8)

prefetch(8) # enable multithreading (8 threads) in AviSynth+

Remove the edgemask and overlay lines if you don't like the halo reduction.

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks jagabo. Your deinterlaced clip has certainly removed the lines on the football shirts numbers . Are most tv's poor at deinterlacing? Do other members here keep it interlaced and play it through another tv box that deinterlaces the video better.
You mentioned in your previous post add borders to make the frame 704x576 and I'm guessing you addressed this in your script. I'm just not sure how you achieve this?
I noticed your using Avisynth+ I'm using version 2.6.0 Would I be better served with Avisynth+
Sorry for all the questions. Thanks.

[jagabo]

Those lines aren't an interlacing issue. I think one of the heads of your playback or recording deck is reacting differently to high contrast, high contrast, transitions. The SeparateFields().vinverse().Weave() cleaned that up.

I played around a bit more and came up something that looks a little better:

AviSource("TAPE 20 13-11.avi") 
AssumeTFF()
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=true)

ColorYUV(gain_y=32, off_y=-25, gamma_y=25)
SeparateFields().vInverse().Weave()
QTGMC(preset="slow", Sharpness=0.7)#, EZDenoise=1.0, DeNoiseMC=true)
TurnRight().QTGMC(InputType=2).vInverse().TurnLeft()

edgemask = mt_edge(mode="prewitt", thy1=220, thy2=220).mt_expand().mt_expand().Blur(1.4).Blur(1.4).Blur(1.4)
Overlay(last, Dehalo_alpha(rx=4.0, ry=3.0, BrightStr=0.8, DarkStr=0.8).Blur(0.5), mask=edgemask)

MergeChroma(last, Spline36Resize(width/2,height).aWarpSharp2(depth=20).Spline36Resize(width,height))
ChromaShiftSP(x=-2, y=0)

Crop(8,6,-20,-10).AddBorders(6,8,6,8)

Fewer edges are de haloed and those edges are a less sharp now. This make the people look less like mannequins.

By the way, the second QTGMC (used here and the earlier script) is used to reduce the aliasing around the edges of the orange text on the blue shirt.

Regarding the 704 frame with: I kept your Crop values but added 8 less on the left and right with AddBorders (6 instead of 14).

[SkyBlues2021]

Thanks jagabo. Fantastic I will try that script and post it. The first full video that I encoded and watched on my tv looked good except for the numbers on the football shirt, which I found odd. What you explained regarding lines on the shirt makes sense, I wrongly assumed it was a interlacing problem.
Thank you for spending time on the script and explaining the reasons why. I really do appreciate it.
I'm hoping in the coming weeks and months that I get to grips with Avisynth, it never seems to sink in! Thank you for your patience.