Simulate Video Streaming Problems (Tearing, Blockiness, Smearing, etc.)

[TheMcD]

I am creating a batch of presentations and need to simulate various (and combinations) of bad video streaming.

I need the video to end up with some tearing, blockines, smearing, etc.

The original video source will not be an actual stream.

Any ideas on how to generate these using a plugin or export options.

I am using Sony Video Studio.

[budwzr]

Make them in a graphics program like CorelDraw or PShop, and overlay.

[poisondeathray]

You can encode them with low bitrate, resize to low resolution

e.g. low bitrate mpeg2 will give you lots of macroblocking ; vp6 will give you smearing and blocking (keyframe popping) as well ; use vegas' sony avc encoder with low bitrate and it will smear/blur

tearing as seen on flash videos would be more difficult to simulate

[TheMcD]

You can encode them with low bitrate, resize to low resolution

e.g. low bitrate mpeg2 will give you lots of macroblocking ; vp6 will give you smearing and blocking (keyframe popping) as well ; use vegas' sony avc encoder with low bitrate and it will smear/blur

tearing as seen on flash videos would be more difficult to simulate

Thanks for the suggestions, I will play with them.

Could you tell me what "vp6" is, it's not ringing a bell, or my brain is off right now.

[poisondeathray]

vp6 is an old format of flash video (on2's vp6)

you can use it for free through vdub if you download the free vp6vfw

but a better idea - another low quality format is h263 (as opposed to h264), which you can access through avidemux. It's a format used for flash in the old days even before vp6. The quality is atrocious



blurriness is easy to simulate - just encode at low resolution then resize to higher resolution (ie. downscale, then upscale)

basically low bitrate "anything" will get you poor quality videos

[TheMcD]

vp6 is an old format of flash video (on2's vp6)

you can use it for free through vdub

a better idea - another low quality format is h263 (as opposed to h264), which you can access through avidemux. It's a format used for flash in the old days even before vp6. The quality is atrocious

basically low bitrate "anything" will get you poor quality videos

Thanks for the help.

I'm just about to try Mpeg2 as it seems the one that makes most sense to create blockiness and then I'll test the others and see what looks the best, probably gonna be a combo.

[lowellriggsiam]

In Sony Movie Studio you have the options of using "Film Effects" "Pixleate" "TV Simulator" "Threshold" & "Saturation adjust" as well as "Color Levels"

[TheMcD]

In Sony Movie Studio you have the options of using "Film Effects" "Pixleate" "TV Simulator" "Threshold" & "Saturation adjust" as well as "Color Levels"

Thanks, but I'm not sure that will really recreate what I am looking for.

Maybe pixelate, to a degree, but if I recall correctly, the blockiness of pixelation is smooth, I need something that looks more like lost packets of data, the blockiness when you encode to Mpeg2, which I am trying right now...

[TheMcD]

Hmmm....

MainConcept Mpeg-2 as rendering option does not allow me to select the "Custom" option so that I can change bit rate, etc.

That's odd...

[budwzr]

That's because you're using the entry level version of Vegas. One of the many limitations vs. Pro.

Hmmm....

MainConcept Mpeg-2 as rendering option does not allow me to select the "Custom" option so that I can change bit rate, etc.

That's odd...

[TheMcD]

That's because you're using the entry level version of Vegas. One of the many limitations vs. Pro.

Hmmm....

MainConcept Mpeg-2 as rendering option does not allow me to select the "Custom" option so that I can change bit rate, etc.

That's odd...

Right I know that. stated it in the original post.

I usually don't render to Mpeg-2 and all the other ones I have used allows for "Custom", so I was just surprised.

[poisondeathray]

you can use other free mpeg2 encoders

e.g. through avidemux, hcenc, ffmpeg etc...

[budwzr]

Wasn't trying to be offensive, just stating a fact. Sony leaves out A LOT of things in Movie Studio that you don't notice until you get used to the Vegas flow, start getting out of just basic edits and re-renders, get the fever, and want more. Then you take the hit and upgrade.

Similar to a drug dealer.

P.S. The next level of addiction is Ableton Live. So you can put your own royalty free muzak in your videos and quit using SuperTramp and Foreigner as soundtracks (the mark of amateur), hahaha.

[liquid217]

I would suggest encoding the file to some format (mpeg1, mpeg2, mpeg4, h.264, etc). Then open the file in a hex editor, and randomly type garbage in various places. Once you do that, reopen the file in your video editor. As long as you don't mess up the header, it should at least open.

[TheMcD]

Hey thanks guys, I got it and tried all ways mentioned.

Much appreciated!