Need help optimizing video clips and software tips

[p1er]

I need help figuring out how to optimize a few clips recorded with a handheld digital camcorder.

I've identified the clips to be 720x576 interlaced PAL, 25fps, MPEG-2, TFF (top fields first), DVD "VOB" format. Here's one of the clips for reference (download for best quality): https://www.dropbox.com/s/fcg38d3mxts1ubw/M2U00663.MPG

I've done some researching but I find this a bit complicated. Anyway, my hope is to deinterlace these clips using the BOB setting and, if this is possible; upscale them to 1280x720. Then edit them together in a video editor.
So, where should I start? What types of software do I need to preform a BOB deinterlace (preferably free or "borrowed")? Should I wait with the upscale until I'm finished with all the clips in the editing software?
Some programs can't work with these clips so what format should I convert the clips to for best quality?

I'd appreciate any help I can get, but please keep it simple for a beginner. I hardly understand half of what I've written here...

[jagabo]

What do you intend to do with the result? Use it in an editor? Just watch it? Upload to Youtube or some other video sharing service? Upscaling to 1280x720 won't make it HD. It will just give you a bigger fuzzier picture.

The best smart bob deinterlacers is QTGMC() in AviSynth. One of the best upscalers is nnedi3_rpow2()*, also in AviSynth. I would use those two filters along with DgMpegDec to decompress the MPEG 2 source. But getting all that set up and learning how to use it is a bit complicated.

* Though it would be wasted on this video given how blurry it is.

[poisondeathray]

Should I wait with the upscale until I'm finished with all the clips in the editing software?

Yes. It doesn' t make any sense to upscale before, unless you have other HD material to combine with. If all your assets are SD, upscaling before just makes editing slower . Also you might waste time and processing upscaling material you 're just going to edit out anyway

But you should answer jagbo's questions first as to why you are doing this - usually upscaling doesn't make sense in the first place. There are usually more negatives than positives, but there are some specific scearnios where it might be beneficial

Some programs can't work with these clips so what format should I convert the clips to for best quality?

What programs are you referring to? Most editing programs can handle MPEG2 . If it's "VOB" you might have to use something like vob2mpg for the software to recognize it

[p1er]

What do you intend to do with the result? Use it in an editor? Just watch it? Upload to Youtube or some other video sharing service?

I'm going to make a Showreel, out of a bunch of short 5-10sec clips, to send to people, show on HDTVs and maybe post on Youtube. I realize my source material isn't that good but it's what I've got and I want to make it look as good as possible. So deinterlacing and maybe some other cleaning filters is what I was thinking to try and salvage and spruce up the clips.
I don't know how good 480p will look on Youtube compared to an upscaled version at 720p.. But aren't you limited, size wise and/or bits/frames wise, if you don't go HD (or "HD" in my case)? That was my main reasoning regarding upscaling and that it might look better on a HDTV screen(would it?).
Also, do I need to think about Telecine if I deinterlace? Don't want that ghost looking effect..

I'm just starting to learn AVIsynth now so tips regarding filters and such for these particular source files would be much appreciated.

What programs are you referring to? Most editing programs can handle MPEG2 . If it's "VOB" you might have to use something like vob2mpg for the software to recognize it

I was trying out Premiere Pro and it wouldn't work with this clip. But now I know about AVIsynth that souldn't be a problem any more right?

[poisondeathray]

I'm going to make a Showreel, out of a bunch of short 5-10sec clips, to send to people, show on HDTVs and maybe post on Youtube.

Hahaha are you guys making a "Jackass" movie Looks fun

If it was only for youtube, bobbing doesn't make sense (youtube only supports 30p , or in your case you would use 25p), but if you were playing other files on a PC, then bobbing might make sense .

That was my main reasoning regarding upscaling and that it might look better on a HDTV screen(would it?).

Youtube is one of the few cases where upscaling can help (because of the way it allocates bitrate when re-encoding, not because of the upscaling itself)

You can make a case of upscaling for HDTV, if the software upscaling is better than the native HDTV upscaler. On your clip it would probably only make a marginal difference . You might try some small comparisons, to see if it's worth the extra effort (processing time and larger filesizes required for a certain level of "quality")

Also, do I need to think about Telecine if I deinterlace? Don't want that ghost looking effect..

You don't have to worry about Telecine in a PAL 50Hz region....

"ghost looking" effect usually only occurs when you do field blending conversions, or blend deinterlace - you shouldn't be doing any of these

What programs are you referring to? Most editing programs can handle MPEG2 . If it's "VOB" you might have to use something like vob2mpg for the software to recognize it

I was trying out Premiere Pro and it wouldn't work with this clip. But now I know about AVIsynth that souldn't be a problem any more right?

What version? Unless you're using an older version of premiere, it should import mpeg2 files without any issues (in mpeg2-program stream ie. .mpg or .mpeg)

Avisynth is a great tool and very powerful, but it's not a very good NLE - editing is very "clunky" with it (But it might be all you need if you're just doing simple edits)


Some selective use of slow motion and some creative editing could enhance this IMO

(And consider "censoring" the license plate. In some areas it might cause problems with insurance or law enforcement agencies)

[p1er]

I'm going to make a Showreel, out of a bunch of short 5-10sec clips, to send to people, show on HDTVs and maybe post on Youtube.

Hahaha are you guys making a "Jackass" movie Looks fun

If it was only for youtube, bobbing doesn't make sense (youtube only supports 30p , or in your case you would use 25p), but if you were playing other files on a PC, then bobbing might make sense .

That was my main reasoning regarding upscaling and that it might look better on a HDTV screen(would it?).

Youtube is one of the few cases where upscaling can help (because of the way it allocates bitrate when re-encoding, not because of the upscaling itself)

You can make a case of upscaling for HDTV, if the software upscaling is better than the native HDTV upscaler. On your clip it would probably only make a marginal difference . You might try some small comparisons, to see if it's worth the extra effort (processing time and larger filesizes required for a certain level of "quality")

Also, do I need to think about Telecine if I deinterlace? Don't want that ghost looking effect..

You don't have to worry about Telecine in a PAL 50Hz region....

"ghost looking" effect usually only occurs when you do field blending conversions, or blend deinterlace - you shouldn't be doing any of these

What programs are you referring to? Most editing programs can handle MPEG2 . If it's "VOB" you might have to use something like vob2mpg for the software to recognize it

I was trying out Premiere Pro and it wouldn't work with this clip. But now I know about AVIsynth that souldn't be a problem any more right?

What version? Unless you're using an older version of premiere, it should import mpeg2 files without any issues (in mpeg2-program stream ie. .mpg or .mpeg)

Avisynth is a great tool and very powerful, but it's not a very good NLE - editing is very "clunky" with it (But it might be all you need if you're just doing simple edits)


Some selective use of slow motion and some creative editing could enhance this IMO

(And consider "censoring" the license plate. In some areas it might cause problems with insurance or law enforcement agencies)

So will I get away with upscaling the clip without loosing detail? I don't want to make it worse quality wise by doing this but it would be nice for HDTV and to get it to 720p on Youtube.
What other type of deinterlacing than BOB might work for these clips then? I tried deinterlacing using VLC and the BOB version, to me, looked the nicest.

I tried Premiere Pro CS6 and it didn't like my clips. I thought maybe they were too old for such a new program or that MPEG2 was a bad codec or something. Well, with AVIsynth I should be able to work around this right?
I just need to learn how to use it first..

[jagabo]

So will I get away with upscaling the clip without loosing detail?

Upscaling doesn't lose detail. But it can introduce artifacts, especially on sharp edges. Fortunately for you, your video has no sharp edges, it's a blurry mess.

Encoding your upscaled video is a separate issue. When using lossy codecs you must allow sufficient bitrate to prevent loss of detail, blocky artifacts, and posterization. You can use lossless codecs as intermediates to prevent that loss of detail. But the files will be very large.

I don't want to make it worse quality wise by doing this but it would be nice for HDTV and to get it to 720p on Youtube.

It will have a larger frame but it won't be high definition. Nobody will mistake your upscaled video for something shot with a decent HD camera.

What other type of deinterlacing than BOB might work for these clips then? I tried deinterlacing using VLC and the BOB version, to me, looked the nicest.

As mentioned earlier, the best deinterlacers are in AviSynth. QTGMC() is currently the best for most video. Yadif can be pretty good.