Cropping timecodes from m2v

[blue2]

I have a dvd that was given to me with timecodes running at the very top which is extremely distracting. I can play it on a computer, using a software player like PowerDVD in Pan&Scan mode to blow up the image size, removing this distraction at the top of the frame.

However, this will not work with my salon DVD player. I have now demuxed the dvd and have the video in m2v. Is there a simple way to crop or re-frame this video file, so that I can then remux it WITHOUT losing quality? It won't bother me if I have to change the aspect ratio or frame size, as this will most certainly be less distracting that having a video with running timecodes.

I thought that this could be perhaps done via VirtualDub MPeg2, but I don't see exactly how to do this and I also only saw the option to save the file as AVI and not m2v.

I'm reasonably new at working with video, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

[manono]

Is there a simple way to crop or re-frame this video file, so that I can then remux it WITHOUT losing quality?

No, it'll have to be reencoded. You can crop it away, and then fill in the cut space with black. Using AviSynth:

Crop(0,100,0,0)#using 100 pixels as an example
AddBorders(0,100,0,0)#adding back 100 pixels of black

VirtualDub MPeg2 can do something similar, but it'll then be frameserved to an MPEG-2 encoder. Using AviSynth for frameserving is much better and faster.

[blue2]

Ok thank you, Manono. I will try that tonight.

[SLK001]

Instead of adding borders (I personally HATE black borders), you might find that resizing back to full screen is acceptable viewing.

So,

CROP(0,10,0,0)

BILINEARRESIZE(720,540)

might give you an acceptable video.

Just my preference...

[Noahtuck]

Instead of adding borders (I personally HATE black borders), you might find that resizing back to full screen is acceptable viewing.

Yep, i hate black borders around 4:3 video also.
But when i have had to get rid of certain thing's i did not want in frame such as timecodes, i crop them out in TMPGEnc and then crop some off the side's to keep the correct aspect ratio and re-encode.

You could also add the black border's on top and bottom and make a matted 16:9 video 8)
depending on how much you are willing to lose and what it will look like, some video's you can get rid of that much on top and bottom without losing anything important, some vid's you can't.

[manono]

SLK001, what you suggested won't work for DVD, will it? Or is your script missing a line?

Yes, I don't like black borders any more than anyone else. But given that he's going to have to crop a significant portion of the top of the video, then, for me, cropping even more from the sides to make it full-screen again and keeping the AR is even less acceptable. Different people see it differently, I guess. If I had to amend my script from before, I'd shift some of the black to the bottom, so it's equal:

Crop(0,100,0,0)#using 100 pixels as an example
AddBorders(0,50,0,50)#add black, and redistribute it

Again, how much you have to crop from the top initially depends on how much room those timecodes take up.

[SLK001]

SLK001, what you suggested won't work for DVD, will it? Or is your script missing a line?

Yes, I don't like black borders any more than anyone else. But given that he's going to have to crop a significant portion of the top of the video, then, for me, cropping even more from the sides to make it full-screen again and keeping the AR is even less acceptable. Different people see it differently, I guess. If I had to amend my script from before, I'd shift some of the black to the bottom, so it's equal:

Crop(0,100,0,0)#using 100 pixels as an example
AddBorders(0,50,0,50)#add black, and redistribute it

Again, how much you have to crop from the top initially depends on how much room those timecodes take up.

All I did was slightly distort the video by stretching the video vertically. You were removing 100 pixels - I was assuming more like 20-30. If 100 is correct, then my method would probably too severely distort the displayed image. If 20-30 is correct, then it might not be too terrribly noticeable.

By cropping, then resizing back to full D1 display, I maintained DVD resolution, so yes, that would work.

[Noahtuck]

That's why i also made the suggestion of masking the top and bottom to make a 16:9 vid.

If it's not in a position to obstruct any of the action i've also used VirtualDub with the logoaway filter/plugin.
With a little tweaking, patience & preview you can get excellent results.

Or you could try MSU Logo Remover
http://www.compression.ru/video/logo_removal/index_en.html

I'd have to track down the link for the one i use but google should bring it up.

[AlanHK]

However, this will not work with my salon DVD player. I have now demuxed the dvd and have the video in m2v. Is there a simple way to crop or re-frame this video file, so that I can then remux it WITHOUT losing quality?

Any cropping or resizing will lose some quality. It'll also take a while.

However, if you can live with just masking it, eg making a black strip to letterbox it, you can do this quickly and without loss of quality.

Use an authoring app that supports subtitles. Use your demuxed video and audio files.
Create a one-line subtitle that stays on for the entire movie. Easy enough in an SRT file, use eg Subtitle Creator to make it.
If the subtitle app supports formatting, set the font, outline and background all black (or white, or whatever). Set the position to cover your time code.
Make it default on if you can. There are ways to force this if your authoring app doesn't have that option ( with PGCedit, for example).

If it won't let you get in the right position, get DVDSubedit. It can move and recolour subtitles in VOB sets. You can position and colour it in that.

[manono]

Pretty good idea there, AlanHK.

[SLK001]

The idea with the subtitles is good, but if you have chapters, you will have to have one for every chapter. On a DVD, a subtitle cannot span chapters (meaning your subtitle will disappear when you cross a chapter boundary).

[blue2]

Thank you for all the suggestions.

The subtitle idea is a great idea to maintain quality, but I was hoping once the timecodes were cropped, to also add a sub to this flie using SubtitleCreator. So I imagined that I could NOT both crop the top to hide the timecode (using a black subtitle masque) AND add subtitles on the bottom.

By the way, if as indicated, subs can't span chapters, that would explain why my previous attempt to add a black masque to a video had failed. The masque disappeared after a few minutes, and it never occurred to me that it might be chapter related. I will keep that in mind for the next time.