Is smooth motion a myth? (aka. how to retain the "live" feel of videos)

[jc909]

Hello! New user, first post, nice to be here, etc.

I've had an issue that's been wrecking my head for a long time and I was hoping somebody could assist me. I've been transferring videos over to my computer using DVD RW discs, including programmes recorded off TV (PAL signals/25fps/50hz, just for the record). What bugs me is, regardless what settings I seem to use, the video files always lose that smooth, "live feel" they would've otherwise had when they were originally on TV and look more filmic. I was once told this is because the video on TV is interlaced, so it appears smoother than what it would be if it was progressive. And because computer monitors aren't interlaced, that's why I don't get that smooth motion I'm looking for.

However, whenever I play the DVD through Apple's DVD Player, it's incredibly smooth. It's almost identical to how it looks on television, so if it's possible to display smooth motion on Apple's DVD Player, surely it's not a computer monitor thing. I've tried things like exporting in higher frame rates, interlaced settings, decombing instead of deinterlacing, but nothing I try seems to give me that smooth look. Even if I export as interlaced, I still don't get the fluidity I'm looking for. The only video file I've seen that has that "as broadcast" feel to it was one I downloaded, and claims to be 50fps according to the MediaInfo app.

I'm reluctant to transfer some old video tapes because I really don't want to have that "film" look to them, especially with home movies that have that fluid feel to them. I tried ripping one using Handbrake, trying all sorts of ways to boost the frame rate or retain that interlaced "feel" (if that's actually a thing), but when I run the ripped video next to Apple's DVD Player when it's reading straight from the disk, the DVD Player still looks far smoother than the video file.

This is an issue I've been trying to overcome for a long time, so if anybody has any advice on how to achieve what I'm looking for, I'd be very grateful. Feel free to ask me for any more information about what I'm trying to do if you think it'll help give a better answer.

[badyu17]

You can either encode your recordings and keep them interlaced or deinterlace it to double rate, like 25i > 50p which is real deinterlacing (it's what TV's and standalone players do). Deinterlacing to half the rate 25i > 25p loses the smooth motion and is what you are referring to.

[jc909]

I'm sure I'd tried that, but gave it another go with "bob" deinterlacing before I dismissed it and it looks perfect. I can't thank you enough!

[pandy]

Adding motion blur may improve perceived motion smoothness.

[jagabo]

Or you can just encode 25 fps interlaced. Then let the player or TV bob for you.

[flashandpan007]

I don't know if I get it right but for playing videos smooth on a computer:

There are several things that cause the non-fluid look. At first you must look for a good Videoplayer. I use MPC BE, you can also use MPC HC which has already integrated LAV Filters, for beginners a bit easier, no need to add external filters.
In the video settings of the LAV Filters you must select:


This was the first thing to get the advantage of interlaced 25 fps which has a temporal resolution of 50p.

But to get fully smooth video playback you must have a monitor or TV that supports other framerates than 60.000p. Then configure in MPC BE or MPC HC:


Also important is to use that:


While playing press CTRL + J and you can see a red and green line that should be parallel ...

[hello_hello]

I'm sure I'd tried that, but gave it another go with "bob" deinterlacing before I dismissed it and it looks perfect. I can't thank you enough!

If you're really serious..... deinterlacing with QTGMC is the way to go, but it requires finding your way around Avisynth. Although I think there's a couple of GUIs that come equipped with QTGMC these days. StaxRip and Hybrid probably do.

There's some small de-interlaced samples here. And a few more attached to post #20. Yadif vs QTGMC at 25fps and 50fps (PAL de-interlacing). I'd imagine the Yadif samples would be pretty similar to what you get from Handbrake's Bob de-interlacer. The original source files are included with the samples if you want to compare Handbrake's de-interlacing for yourself.

[pandy]

Yadif is very good alternative to simple Bob - QTGMC can't be beat in terms of quality but usually is not tailored for real time speed operation.