How to Improve Commercial DVD with Avisynth that has no problems?

[jagabo]

Try this to remove some of the "overshoot" spots:

SeparateFields()
top=SelectEven().RemoveSpots()
bot=SelectOdd().RemoveSpots()
Interleave(top,bot)
Weave()

If you still want to use QTGMC() use it after that, then run RemoveSpots() again after QTGMC() to alleviate some of the bounce that comes from the top and bottom fields being slightly shifted in position and intensity.

[sanlyn]

The script posted does a little cleaning, but there's still a long way to go (I didn't see any spots in the clip you linked to, neither before nor after processing, but I did see some bad block noise and chroma flutter). One problem: unless you forgot a Crop statement somewhere, your video enters the script as 720x480 but comes out as 736x480. It adds 16 pixels of width to the video for an invalid frame size to the encoder, but ignores the 12 pixels of head switching noise at the bottom of the frame.

@jagabo, thanks for the tips above. Will give it a try. When you view the 60fps progressive version, you can see those objects hopping vertically in the frames. But the horizontal wiggle...well, wish the video's maker had used a tbc.

[VideoFanatic]

MediaInfo and my video editor says the clip is 720 x 480? Jagabo could you please tell me where I can get the RemoveSpotsMC() script you suggested?

[manono]

Jagabo could you please tell me where I can get the RemoveSpotsMC() script you suggested?

I'm not jagabo, but here you go:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1591371&highlight=removespotsmc#post1591371

It continues in the post after this one. RemoveSpotsMC is just one of several RemoveSpots functions included.

[sanlyn]

MediaInfo and my video editor says the clip is 720 x 480?

The clip in the link you posted is 720x480.

After running the script you suggest, the video is 736X480:

setmtmode(5,9)
Mpeg2Source("H:\video.d2v", CPU=6)
setmtmode(2,0)

McTemporalDenoise(settings="medium", interlaced=true)

AssumeTFF() # or AssumeBFF() depending on the source
QTGMC(Preset="Super Fast")
RemoveSpots()
AddGrainC(var=1.0,uvar=1.0)
Vinverse()

SeparateFields()
SelectEvery(4,0,3)
Weave()

AddBorders(8, 0, 8, 0)

I assumed a Crop() statement was missing from the script.

[VideoFanatic]

I'm can't get RemoveSpotsMC to work. I copied all the RemoveSpots scripts from this post and onwards into a file called RemoveSpots.avsi. When I try to encode a video I get this message: error: Script error: expected `:'
(RemoveSpots.avsi, line 258, column 0)


Do I just put a colon where it says?

[jagabo]

That line, and a few others, are missing the ends of the line. Add " : NullClip(clp)" to the end of those lines.

[VideoFanatic]

OK now I've got this script: http://pastebin.com/KNLvYrHZ from here.

I've made sure I have all the plugins mentioned in the top of the script but I'm getting the following error:

error: LoadPlugin: unable to load "C:\PROGRAM FILES (x86)\AVISYNTH 2.5\PLUGINS\RemoveGrainT.dll", error=0x7e
(RemoveSpots.avsi, line 46)

PROCESS EXITED WITH ERROR CODE: 1

I downloaded RemoveGrainT-1.0 and put the RemovGrainT.dll in the correct location. I also tried with RemoveGrainTSSE2.dll and changed the code but got the same error message, this time it said the problem was with RemoveGrainTSSE2.dll

[sanlyn]

I've tried for 2 years to get RemoveSpotsMC to run on any of my 3 PC's. Gave up on it. Will try jagabo's NullClip suggestion when I get time
later. The script quoted contains multiple functions, each a different version of RemoveSpots.

Tried jagabo's RemoveSpots idea. Works great to stop that object bobbing between fields. Fixed lots of temporal shimmer, chroma background flutter (most of it), most of the oversharp artifacts and ghosting, lots of aliasing and dot crawl, some of the crushed blacks, lots of the edge mosquito noise, most of the simmering tape noise, and got a more stable video. Used the script below, cleaned up the rest of the grunge in VirtualDub. Still a bit of subtle motion smear from all the crap in the original.

No Audio. Sorry. I forgot that.

MPEG2Source(vidpath+"RemoveSpots Raw 1996 March 11 10 Secs.d2v")
ColorYUV(cont_y=-10,off_y=-1)
ColorYUV(cont_y=-5)
McTemporalDenoise(settings="medium", AA=true, useEEDI2=false, DeBlock=true, sigma=6, edgeclean=true, interlaced=true) 
SeparateFields()
top=SelectEven().RemoveSpots()
bot=SelectOdd().RemoveSpots()
tb=Interleave(top,bot).Weave()

tb
AssumeTFF().QTGMC(preset="fast")
Vinverse()
RemoveSpots()
mergechroma(aWarpSharp(depth=20.0, thresh=0.75, blurlevel=2, cm=1))
LSFMod(strength=75,smode=3,secure=true,edgemode=2)
AddGrainC(var=1.5,uvar=1.5) 
SeparateFields().SelectEvery(4,0,3).Weave()

# --- RGB for VirtualDub antiflicker + crop ---
ConvertToRGB32(matrix="Rec601",interlaced=true)
Crop(0,0,0,-12).AddBorders(0, 6, 0, 6)
return last

[VideoFanatic]

I also asked on Doom9 and this is what they said here. Sanlyn I can't have removespots before QTGMC (even though it clears up more problems) because it causes the blurring that was the problem before. That's why I was trying to get RemoveSpotsMC to work.

[sanlyn]

No blurring. The image is smoothed, most of it is smoothing of noise. Try LSFMod as in the script I posted above. There is no way to smooth and denoise and retain 100% of the so-called VHS "detail", half of which is noise anyway. VHS simply doesn't have that much fine detail to begin with.

[jagabo]

I can't have removespots before QTGMC (even though it clears up more problems) because it causes the blurring that was the problem before.

It won't if you use the SeparateFields()... sequence I posted earlier.

In 64 bit Windows MSVCR80.dll and AVSRecursion.dll go in SysWoW64. Make sure you get 32 bit versions.

[VideoFanatic]

I tested my commercial DVD test clip with RemoveSpots after QTGMC and got no smoothing/blurring. I did another test the same as before but I also put SeparateFields() and RemoveSpots before QTGMC and I DID get smoothing/blurring which is why I want to see what RemoveSpotsMC is like to see if it smoothes/blurs!

[VideoFanatic]

I can't have removespots before QTGMC (even though it clears up more problems) because it causes the blurring that was the problem before.

It won't if you use the SeparateFields()... sequence I posted earlier.

In 64 bit Windows MSVCR80.dll and AVSRecursion.dll go in SysWoW64. Make sure you get 32 bit versions.

I don't understand why I don't have MSVCR80.dll as that apparently comes with Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable and was a part of Windows yet I don't have that file. Is there anywhere I can get that file?

The same thing happened with the MSVCP71.dll and msvcr71.dll files. Vista had those files but Windows 7 64-bit does not. I only found out about them when I tried to author a Bluray in MultiAVCHD and it wouldn't let me because I didn't have those file.

[jagabo]

I don't understand why I don't have MSVCR80.dll as that apparently comes with Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable... The same thing happened with the MSVCP71.dll

Are you sure you don't have them? Maybe they just installed in the wrong folder? System32 instead of SysWow64 (assuming you're using 32 bit versions). Everything in System32 is 64 bit.

A lot of applications ship with those libraries. Search your Program Files (x86) folder for them.

[VideoFanatic]

The MSVCP71.dll and msvcr71.dll files that came with Vista were not in Windows 7 despite me having Visual C++ 2005, 2008 x 86, 2010 x64, 2010 x86 installed. I had to download them by searching on Google for them. I figured that out a long time ago.

However the MSVCR80.dll file I need for RemoveSpotsMC to work is not in either the System32 or SysWow64 folder.

On a seperate issue, any idea why AddGrainC lowers the file size on my Raw 1996 10 sec clip when I thought it's adding noise(grain)? What's weird is that's it's hiding the spots as well so the picture looks better and the file size is lower even though grain is added!

[jagabo]

msvcr80.dll in a zip file

[VideoFanatic]

Still get the error the following error in Simple x264 launcher: PROCESS EXITED WITH ERROR CODE: -1073741819


I also tried in Hc Encoder but that just crashes without giving an error message.

[jagabo]

Can you open the script in VirtualDub?

[VideoFanatic]

Yes. In VirtualDub I also tried saving the video as an AVI and it began saving so I don't know why it doesn't work in HC Encoder or Simple X264 Launcher.

[VideoFanatic]

I asked on Doom9 why I'm getting the error and he said to try just RemoveGrainT on it's own to see if that works. I can't find any scripts for that anywhere. I just need a simple 1 line script to test that RemoveGrainT works. Do you have one?

[jagabo]

Well, I usually have problems with RemoveSpotsMC() too. If I open a script in VirtualDub it works ok, but when I close it (or open another script) VirtualDub crashes. Same with x264. It gets all the way through the encode, then crashes. This is probably caused by a version conflict but I don't use RemoveSpotsMC() often and I don't want to screw up other filters chasing the problem down.

LOL, I just took a look and I didn't have RemoveGrainT at all. I downloaded it an put RemoveGrainTSSE2.dll in AviSynth's plugins folder and now it no longer crashes on exit.

[VideoFanatic]

I already had that file and it wasn't working in Hc Encoder & Simple x264 Launcher. Windows 7 is such a pile of crap - there's so many problems with it.

Do you know of any simple RemoveGrainT scripts just so I can test that my RemoveGrainTSSE2.dll works?

Are there any alternatives to RemoveSpots that I could use such as DeSpot? If so, could you please suggest a script?

[jagabo]

I don't know anything about RemoveGrainT. I didn't even have it until a few minutes ago.

[VideoFanatic]

Any idea how I activate the dehalo function in McTemporalDenoise as I notice halos in my commercial dvd sample?

[sanlyn]

It's in the documentation in MCTD's script for the Edgeclean parameter.
MCTemporalDenoise(settings="whatever",edgeclean=true,ECmode="dehalo_alpha()")

By default, edgeclean is false for all settings. quoted from the script:

[VideoFanatic]

Thanks. So it's doesn't look like I can get RemoveSpotsMC() working. I'm just doing this:

setmtmode(5,9)
Mpeg2Source("J:\2 = New\commercial dvd.d2v", CPU=6)
setmtmode(2,0)

# SeparateFields()  # I can't use removespots before QTGMC because it causes blurring/smoothing - too much quality is lost
# top=SelectEven().RemoveSpots()
# bot=SelectOdd().RemoveSpots()
# Interleave(top,bot)
# Weave()

AssumeTFF() # or AssumeBFF() depending on the source
QTGMC(Preset="Medium") # Removes interlacing artefacts. Strangely this is faster than Ultra Fast
Vinverse()
RemoveSpots()
AddGrainC(var=1.0,uvar=1.0)
SeparateFields()
SelectEvery(4,0,3)
Weave()

I've just tested for blurring in the commercial DVD sample because it's easy to see there. I will be using the script on the Raw 1996 sample with spots (I suppose these really aren't spots they're just dancing pixel noise that McTemporalDenoise can't remove but I call them spots). I can't use removespots before QTGMC because it causes blurring/smoothing (I've commented out those line). I can only use RemoveSpots after QTGMC however some spots still remain. Is there any other way to remove the remaining spots with causing blurring/smoothing?

Sanlyn - What were those combing artifacts you were talking about some time ago? I can't see any interlacing artifacts.

Jagabo - You said that using RemoveSpots after QTGMC still causes blurring but I've watched a QTGMC only clip and another version with QTGMC and RemoveSpots and I can't tell the difference between them - I can't see any blurring difference. I could see some slight blurring on the refs shirt on both videos. I'm encoding to h264 not MPEG2 so I won't get the blocks and DCT ringing will I (like I would when encoding to MPEG2)?

[sanlyn]

Sanlyn - What were those combing artifacts you were talking about some time ago? I can't see any interlacing artifacts.

Something wrong with your displays. QTGMC got rid of slight combing and the motion noise caused by them.
I don't see any spots.
Other than a touch of QTGMC, I don't see that the DVD requires more work.

[VideoFanatic]

You said this about the commercial DVD sample before any work was done on it:

The only problems I saw in the clip were some excessive interlace combing effrects and some mosquito noise -- likely due to a bitrate somewhat lower than required for very fast action. I fixed it with this:

MPEG2Source("E:\forum\hg_interlaced\Commercial DVD Interlaced and Progressive.d2v")
AssumeTFF().QTGMC(preset="medium")
LSFMod(strength=50)
SeparateFields().SelectEvery(4,0,3).Weave()

I was just wondering what combing artifacts you were talking about because I couldn't see any. Yes, there's no spots in the commerical DVD sample. I was talking about the other sample which is a few secs long.

[jagabo]

I'm encoding to h264 not MPEG2 so I won't get the blocks and DCT ringing will I (like I would when encoding to MPEG2)?

h264 has less problems with blocking and DCT ringing. As long as you use sufficient bitrate.

Nobody here can see what you're seeing on your TV. So we can't say where your problems may be. Maybe you should post samples of your videos after encoding. Also, the small amount of blurring from RemoveSpots() is very hard to see at normal playback speed. It's not surprising you're not seeing it.