Removing lower thirds nonsense

[Dcapano]

Strange that I don't see any threads on how to remove this nonsense. Is there a technique or any software that allows removal of the annoying and inane CRAP that pops up along the bottom of the screen? This is nothing more or less than intrusive to the viewing experience. Any advice or help would be appreciated.

[El Heggunte]

Insufficient data.

Need more info.

[AlanHK]

Screencap?
What kind of video?
How are you viewing it?

[zoobie]

post a pic

[jagabo]

I think he's talking about the popup ads that appear at the bottom of the screen on TV.

No, there's not really any way to get rid of it other than cropping it out or overwriting it with a black border. You can try using some of the delogo filters but what's left is often more distracting than what was there before.

[Dcapano]

Thanks for your quick replies. I "acquire" video from various sources, mostly friends who need video compiled into a single file or DVD. Formats vary, but i am usually able to edit the files down into a single AVI or MPEG and burn it. Always works fine, no problems there. I use Vegas Pro on a HP Pavilion running Win 7. I have lately gotten several requests to remove the annoying pop-ups that appear hawking some inane stupidity. I have had limited success in simply cropping out the crap because, as you know, it also removes the legitimate content. Blurring it out is sometimes acceptable,but it takes away from the finished product. So my question is whether there is a workable solution to removing this intrusive nonsense so that i can prodcue video without the distraction a the bottom of the screen. thanks again.

[jagabo]

If the video behind the ad is still you can overlay a copy from earlier or later in the video. If there is simple panning you can pan that overlay. Or if you can find a different broadcasts with the ads in different parts of the video you can cut/paste them together. Otherwise, there's no way to restore what's behind the ad.

[zoobie]

you could also black it out and put in your own inane stupidity...
chances are it's all copywritten anyway...

[Dcapano]

Ah, you must be a lower thirds "artist". Blacking it out takes away from the content, which is what we pay for. Lower thirds CRAP is an insult to the intelligence - it is a spiteful way of defeating those who zip through that other blight - commercials. Sorry if you took offense, but we must call it like we see it. the reason this country is falling apart is because we sit still for this type of nonsense. But I suppose it creates jobs for those who can't do anything else - so why not annoy the rest of us? I challenge this group to come up with a way to defeat the lower thirds industry - I advocate boycotting those sponsors who use them, if not the networks who rely on them - for starters.

[manono]

I challenge this group to come up with a way to defeat the lower thirds industry - I advocate boycotting those sponsors who use them, if not the networks who rely on them - for starters.

Isn't that garbage only on the TV shows when shown on TV? It's not on the DVDs, right? So, wait and buy the DVD.

And write a letter to the network doing it and tell them just how much we love seeing advertisements not only during a 'real' advertisement but throughout their shows as well.

You can't get rid of that crap so don't get too worked up over it. And I don't really think it has much to do with the decline of the US.

[Dcapano]

I just thought I'd throw that in - we are still the greatest country in the world, TV notwithstanding. I don't watch or DVR TV, it was a request by a client who DVR'd some documentary and had two idiots pop up during it and walk across the screen talking, etc. - really out of control. The client was REALLY worked up and i saw an opportunity. Anyone who comes up with a way to defeat this scourge could make some serious geets. Thanks to all who replied and please don't take it personally.

[filmboss80]

Promotional pop-ups on broadcast television programs are embedded into the picture. The pop-ups are not separate layers that can be removed. Your only options are:

1. Zoom in on the video image to crop the pop-ups out of frame.
2. Blur out the lower third of the screen.
3. Tell your client to BUY a legit DVD version of the program.
4. Learn to live with it.

What will not solve the problem at all:

1. Moaning and ranting.
2. Trying to get us to join in some futile boycott. (Insufficient numbers of US TV viewers in this forum that give a rat's ass.)

[Dcapano]

Thanks for the input. I completely agree. But I still say that if someone (and I know we have some big brains out there) can come up with a tool or technique to defeat this, it could make them a fortune.

Thanks to all. I think my question got answered.

[hech54]

I'm still not understanding why you do not understand that there is NOTHING you can do about it. There is no magic button on the cable box as it is going to the TV,, there is no magic button on the recorder recording the show, and there is no magic button on computer software to magically remove the logo restoring the picture to it's original state.
These logos are not at all similar to a subtitle on a DVD that you can turn off and on...these logos are engrained into the video by the owner of the video "because they can" and they are paid handsomely for it in many cases.....and if it is a "self-promotion" logo then they are saving money for themselves, leaving valuable "standard" commercial time for those who pay for it.

[Dcapano]

I think I understand perfectly; however, many things thought impossible have been achieved by lesser persons. The most obvious answer is to simply avoid this as you would filth and disease. But as the poster above put it, there are not enough people who "give a rat's ass" so, like cancer, this aberration will be with us for some time.

[hech54]

many things thought impossible have been achieved by lesser persons

Not in this case. Your only option is to fund and create your own shows so that YOU own, leaving YOU to do anything you want with them...including not running commercials of any type while they are shown. And even then...you may give a network "broadcast rights" to air your show....they are allowed to make your 1 hour show last two hours via commercials, and as long as they air your show in it's entirety(eventually)....you have ZERO say in the matter.
Just like people pay dearly to place their ad or commercial during a telecast(the Super Bowl is a prime example)...someone would also need to come up with some cash to keep commercials OUT of a broadcast. The different flavors of "broadcast rights" contracts have only one thing in common....a business deal that is none of your business....sad but true.

[edDV]

They want you to buy the DVD. The pop ups are there to frustrate redistribution and are an alternate to watermark.

[filmboss80]

I think I understand perfectly; however, many things thought impossible have been achieved by lesser persons. The most obvious answer is to simply avoid this as you would filth and disease. But as the poster above put it, there are not enough people who "give a rat's ass" so, like cancer, this aberration will be with us for some time.

Evidently, you DON'T understand perfectly in this case. It is not as if that type of lower third is overlaid on top of the original background; it REPLACES the background. That is, the original picture portion of the background is no longer there. At all. It is gone. You cannot restore that which does not exist. You cannot create something from nothing. Try to get that through your head.

(BTW, lower third promos are not to be confused with small, transparent logo bugs.)

For all the money, effort, and energy involved in trying to solve your problem, the only smart thing to do is buy a legit DVD version, or live with the lower third promos.

[edDV]

But I suppose it creates jobs for those who can't do anything else - so why not annoy the rest of us?

Yup, lawyers mostly who want to pee on the show to prove harmed party should they decide to take action with deep pocket pirates. Next come the ad sales staff.

But aren't the pirates in that category... "jobs for those who can't do anything else "?

[jagabo]

I'd like to see what Photoshop's Content Aware Fill filter would do with some of these.

[lingyi]

I normally avoid threads where the OP argues and debates with the sage advice of the respected long time regulars, but I feel compelled to add the following:

“Strange that Idon't see any threads on how to remove this nonsense.”
If you did asearch for “remove logos”, there are a number of threads addressing this.


“Blacking it outtakes away from the content, which is what we pay for.”

If it’s Over the Air and non-premium cable TV channels, “we” haven’t paidanything for the content. It’s FREE, supported by the dollars spent by theadvertisers to promote their products or the TV channel seeking to increasetheir viewership.
Wonder why thelogos are animated and getting larger and more intrusive? It’s because we haveto ability to remove static logos (though not perfectly).

As has beenstated above, BUY the DVD and you’ll avoid the logos.

“I challengethis group to come up with a way to defeat the lower thirds industry - Iadvocate boycotting those sponsors who use them, if not the networks who relyon them - for starters.”
You do realizethat advertising is what allows “Free” TV to exist? The logos are there becausepeople are already “boycotting” the sponsors by zipping through actualcommercials. That’s exactly why the logos are there in ever more intrusive forms, so people can't "zip" through them.


“I"acquire" video from various sources, mostly friends who need videocompiled into a single file or DVD.“
“So my questionis whether there is a workable solution to removing this intrusive nonsense sothat i can prodcue [sic] video without the distraction a the bottom of thescreen.”

“I don't watchor DVR TV, it was a request by a client who DVR'd some documentary and had twoidiots pop up during it and walk across the screen talking, etc. - really outof control. The client was REALLY worked up and i saw an opportunity.”
Others haveskirted around the implications of your statements, but I’ll be more direct. Ifind your choice of words interesting. First, you “acquire” copyrightedmaterial from “mostly friends”, then you have a “client” whom you have asupposed financial interest in providing your service to.

This smacks of borderline piracy. ‘I want tomake a Free recorded program as good as the DVD, so my “client” won’t have tobuy it and instead pay me instead."
It’s one thing to improve yourown recordings for your personal use. It’s borderline at best to charge someoneto circumvent a process that is there to promote the sale of a product.

[lingyi]

I normally avoid threads where the OP argues and debates with the sage advice of the respected long time regulars, but I feel compelled to add the following:

“Strange that Idon't see any threads on how to remove this nonsense.”
If you did a search for “remove logos”, there are a number of threads addressing this.


“Blacking it outtakes away from the content, which is what we pay for.”

If it’s Over the Air and non-premium cable TV channels, “we” haven’t paid anything for the content. It’s FREE, supported by the dollars spent by the advertisers to promote their products or the TV channel seeking to increase their viewership.
Wonder why the logos are animated and getting larger and more intrusive? It’s because we have the ability to remove static logos (though not perfectly).

As has been stated above, BUY the DVD and you’ll avoid the logos.

“I challenge this group to come up with a way to defeat the lower thirds industry - I advocate boycotting those sponsors who use them, if not the networks who rely on them - for starters.”
You do realize that advertising is what allows “Free” TV to exist? The logos are there because people are already “boycotting” the sponsors by zipping through actual commercials. That’s exactly why the logos are there in ever more intrusive forms, so people can't "zip" through them.


“I "acquire" video from various sources, mostly friends who need video compiled into a single file or DVD.“

“So my question is whether there is a workable solution to removing this intrusive nonsense so that i can prodcue [sic] video without the distraction a the bottom of thescreen.”

“I don't watchor DVR TV, it was a request by a client who DVR'd some documentary and had two idiots pop up during it and walk across the screen talking, etc. - really out of control. The client was REALLY worked up and i saw an opportunity.”

Others have skirted around the implications of your statements, but I’ll be more direct. I find your choice of words interesting.

First, you “acquire” copyrighted material from “mostly friends”, then you have a “client” whom you have a supposed financial interest in providing your service to.

This smacks of borderline piracy. ‘I want to make a Free recorded program as good as the DVD, so my “client” won’t have to buy it and instead pay me instead."

It’s one thing to improve your own recordings for your personal use. It’s borderline at best to charge someone to circumvent a process that is there to promote the sale of a product.