Watermarks (video/mpeg2) and the Mac

[phase52001]

I know there is a PC program called VIRTUALDUB which can be used for removing WATERMARKS from video/MPEG2.

Is anyone aware of a program for the Mac that can be used to remove watermarks from video/mpeg2 digital tv transmissions? I just cannot stand watching that little horror any longer.

[tgpo]

From what I've heard all that program does is blur the video, but I dunno because I don't own a PC.

You could always use Adobe After Effects to blur that area.

[terryj]

Such is the caveat of life.
You get what you pay for, or in
this case what the ADVERTISERS,
STATION EXECS, CONTENT PROVIDERS, etc.
pay for.

Other than buying after effects ($599) and going
through a manual keframe adjust to make sure
you catch the WMs, why not just live with them?

[tgpo]

He could always stretch the bottom of the video until it's out of frame.

[terryj]

Or hey, he could letterbox it !

[phase52001]

"From what I've heard all that program does is blur the video, but I dunno because I don't own a PC".
"He could always stretch the bottom of the video until it's out of frame".
"Or hey, he could letterbox it !"

yes, welll .... thanks for all the really useful feedback everyone.
really appreciated. it answered my question exactly.

and "hey", has anyone every seen the tv series "Black Books"?
i've always like the sign on the wall that said: "no time wasters".

you're help is really truely apreciated.

[cnelson87]

hey phase, I think tgpo is right. I mean, think about it, if there was a program that could remove a watermark, then you could also use it to remove the trees, or cars, or anything in the video that you didn't want. a watermark is encoded into the video - it aint coming out. not without the use of some lame gimmickery that only works half-assed at best. trying to remove it would be the real "wast of time."

[anaxamander]

It would almost certainly have to be done on the command line, but transcode (http://www.transcoding.org/cgi-bin/transcode) might be able to do it. Seems like you would need mjpegtools & imagemagik compiled before you try to compile transcode. I know those things aren't in darwinports, because I built my own portfiles, but you could try fink. From the transcode manpage:

       logoaway - remove an image from the video
           logoaway was written by Thomas Wehrspann <thomas@wehrspann.de>. The
           version documented here is v0.4 (2003-09-03). This is a video  fil-
           ter.  It  can handle RGB and YUV mode. It is a post-processing only
           filter. It supports multiple instances.

           o range = %d-%d  [default 0-4294967295]
              Frame Range
           o pos = %dx%d  [default 0x0]
              Position of logo
           o size = %dx%d  [default 10x10]
              Size of logo
           o mode = %d  [default 0]
              Filter Mode (0=none,1=solid,2=xy,3=shape)
           o border (bool)
              Visible Border
           o xweight = %d  [default 50]
              X-Y Weight(0%-100%)
           o fill = %2x%2x%2x  [default 000]
              Solid Fill Color(RGB)
           o file = %s
              Image with alpha/shape information

                  This filter removes an image in a user specified  area  from
                  the video.  You can choose from different methods.

                  see /docs/filter_logoaway.txt

[packman63]

Does anyone know how well virtual dub with tools will fix this?

I'm not so much concerned with the property warning on the bottom, but the running time line on top left has to go!
What the best software for this, it was originally a bin file before I noticed the problem in mpeg.
Thanks for any help or info.

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning.
That look like a CAM or workprint to me. NO WAREZ
/ Moderator bugster

[dcsos]

The time code is embedded.. It cannot be removed.
All you can do is below
1. Stretch the existing Video after Cropping the time display out
(this gives the resultant stream a defocussed or soft quality)
2. Matte the box out with a BLACK MATTE present where the time display used to be at all times.

I would do 2 if it really bothered me

If you told us what format the original file was in we could tell you what
software to accomplish it with..remember this is the MAC VIDEO FORUM
so please be asking for MACINTOSH based solutions

[packman63]

Sorry dcsos, it was originally a DivX xvid before I converted it to mpeg2 with wave audio. (i have both copys)
I didn't think it was possible, but now I know I'd have to stretch it after cropping, thinking about other options. I'd loose to much quality in doing this, so Im going to get another copy.
Thanks for your time and help for posting.

[dcsos]

Well if its DIVX, and you're forced to do the re-size thing, check PREMIERE 6.0 or 6.5 on Macintosh.. In the SETTINGS area go to SPECIAL PROCESSING, select MODIFY, and a screen appears in which you can set and see the effect of your crop on the frame directly.
If you check "SCALE TO 720" it will stretch the cropped picture back out ...if you uncheck, a black border will be the result..simple...

[packman63]

Thanks again dcsos
But if its croped & stretched dont you loose the origanal top portion of the movie screen that has been edited out even at 720" with PREMIERE 6.0?
In other words you loose the very top viewing picture of the movie after completed.
Which I believe is the case, only thing I can do is get a better copy. One without a running time line, which Im getting now.
Thanks again for your help.

[terryj]

Does anyone know how well virtual dub with tools will fix this?

I'm not so much concerned with the property warning on the bottom, but the running time line on top left has to go!
What the best software for this, it was originally a bin file before I noticed the problem in mpeg.
Thanks for any help or info.

Correct me if I'm mistaken but this looks like someone is in the back of the theater with a camcorder dubbing " House of Flying Daggers."
or somesuch.