Cropping the top of frame in Handbrake

[loninappleton]

Simple things shown in how- to videos don't work for me.

I've seen how to do a crop procedure by opening Handbrake > video tab which shows the
cropping. I can open the Preview. But I cannot right click on still frame to
do the adjust which is dragging the top edge down a bit.

It just stopped me. To make any progress I started an encode selecting a random
top edge amount of 24.

To get around these problems does Handbrake have any sort of overlay which shows
pixel adjustment numerically?

Also how to do that still frame thing. My mouse works. I'm doing something else incorrectly.

[redwudz]

I only know one way to crop with HB. It doesn't work using the preview screen, but that shows the result of your crop.
But others here may have a better method.

[loninappleton]

Thanks for answering.

Yes I gave it a whirl just giving a number to the 'top' box and then start.
But I didn't see any result.

At least now I took some earlier advice and made a 15 sec sample to play with.

What else is there to do besides fill in that number desired and hit start? Maybe it wasn't large enough. The job ran. It just didn't show any change.

Poking around google I saw a lot of 'resize' progs but couldn't land on one that
does the equivalent of dragging an edge in and then have the recode run. It's necessary to do visually as counting pixels or whatevs is real hit and miss.

I'm missing something, don't know what.

Is there an alternative in freeware for an mp4?

[redwudz]

I agree with the problem of a lack of a visible crop setting, as is available in VirtualDub.
I use that a lot for old VHS videos that have had poor conversions or edge noise.
I do try to use even numbers for cropping to preserve the aspect ratios or with a re-encode, the codec restrictions.

With a few videos, I have needed to crop all four sides.

[loninappleton]

Progress.


My second session with this using larger numbers gave a visible result. My small sample
cut down on the aggravation a lot. I've settled on one number for the whole piece and will be able to proof it later.

It was still by guess and by gum. But Virtual Dub gives me fits for a specific reason:
it's slide controls are defined within such a narrow band that I get hand fatigue.

Being able to use Toolnix for more tasks and now Hand brake for crop has been a relief.
A youtube said it's an easy right click to get a still image in Preview in Handbrake then drag to adjust. It must be in there someplace. Maybe another reader has an answer.

The whole exercise is to get rid of a watermark near screen top. Techniques I saw to do that
looked really ineffective with a big smear where the watermark showed.

[johns0]

Vidcoder is better for custom cropping,uses the same engine as handbrake.

[loninappleton]

Thanks for the tip. I have Vidcoder and have had it for some time. Since I see that further
cropping or a change to a different border might work better I'll go to Vid coder for a test.

A slight change of subject.

I just reread one of my old threads:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/369547-Fade-in-and-fade-out-an-mp4

No one wants to try to go through all that with me I know. I'll just ask, since it's
two years later, are there any free tools for fade in fade out that are new?
Else I'll pick one from those discussed-- just not Avi Synth. I think I mentioned I can't
physically get the prog to do anything with bad and painful wrists much less write code for it.

[jagabo]

Virtual Dub gives me fits for a specific reason:
it's slide controls are defined within such a narrow band that I get hand fatigue.

Then use the little arrows by the crop values.


[Attachment 41397 - Click to enlarge]

[loninappleton]

It's been an enjoyable morning for a change doing this cropping. It was much better to crop left than top so as not to cut off people's heads. Even though this is live stage, the camerawork requires full frame top.

I did the samples in Handbrake and gave the final settings to Vidcoder.
It's layout is superior for those like me who need Mr. Magoo- size type to read most
software programs.

I didn't see much difference in the Sizing routine. Are there other specialties that I haven't followed from RandomEngy? Example: did he ever get the libdvd problem fixed? I think that's one reason I moved back to Handbrake. But I haven't got a dvd to do at the moment.

I'll see if I can make some progress on finding a fade in fade out while the job is running.

[loninappleton]

Also my Virtual Dub is not current and I can look at it again. Are there any dependencies I've forgotten about about?

[loninappleton]

AVIUtil has a good look and I'll try that first. Are there any major threads not in Japanese that
have some step by step for it? Step by step always seems to be missing in any of these
discussions.

I'll see what I can find while the job above on cropping is running.

[redwudz]

You might try a newer version/mod of VD: VirtualDub FilterMod
I'm not saying it will meet your needs, but it does easily accept newer formats.

And I do use Vidcoder instead of Handbrake for most of my H.264/AC3 conversions.

EDIT: racer-x has a guide for AviUtl you might look at: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/360967-AviUtl-video-tutorial

[loninappleton]

You might try a newer version/mod of VD: VirtualDub FilterMod
I'm not saying it will meet your needs, but it does easily accept newer formats.

And I do use Vidcoder instead of Handbrake for most of my H.264/AC3 conversions.

Vidcoder core is the same and updates follow HB releases. The format is nice.

Yes, I may have to make another attempt with Vdub. A brief look at the help thread
for AVIUtil showed that most of what is discussed is fade for audio not video or whole package.

However, I did run across a plugin for Vdub for the purpose. 1.) There are various versions
of Virtual Dub (mod etc.) and 2.) I don't know how to install plugins. Any help here is
appreciated in a step by step order-- something I can follow. Going through tutorials top down -- well I lose my place too easily.

What I wind up doing is making a little printed guide hand written by myself once
I know the procedure.

[loninappleton]

It's all coming back to me. Vdub is from my AVI era encodes. It was relief to get away after the mkv world got going. I had some procedures written to mux audio and so forth which I now do in Toolnix.

But if someone can start me on building a simple procedure guide and plug in stall
(without a lot of redirection) maybe a new thread?

The thread would say Use Virtual Dub 15 (whatevs) with Fade in Fade out plugin.

Not ready yet but pointers welcome.

[loninappleton]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/103777-add-vdf-files-for-virtualdub-filters

This explains where to put the FadeFX 1.2 vdf file. Lets assume nothing has changed since 2003.

I looked for this at Videohelp software but didn't see it. A good add since it looks
like an easy tool to use-- will see if that is so.

[loninappleton]

Vidcoder is better for custom cropping,uses the same engine as handbrake.

I didn't see any difference. It's taking a long time to do a simple left crop.

I would retest with vidcoder using a faster process speed. I always feel more confident in a good encode using a slower speed setting

[jagabo]

By the way, if you have problems seeing small details in Windows -- use Windows' built in magnifier. It can zoom as much as 16x.

[loninappleton]

By the way, if you have problems seeing small details in Windows -- use Windows' built in magnifier. It can zoom as much as 16x.

I think I went down that road a long time ago.

What works is the secret word 'metrics'. Put that in the Start > Search box and
it shows all manner of options up to Win7 at least. There's still some problem areas though like I have never found a font size setting for Explorer or what opens in the
Network folder option. I have just a two station network here based on the
Windows Workgroup.

Theme and Font size changer works for Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird.

Somehow I lost my settings lately during some backup or restore routine. I forget.

[jagabo]

Windows' Maginfier is very different than using larger fonts in Windows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlFRwfDhwGE

[loninappleton]

Back on topic I ran into a few difficulties getting things straight between vidcoder and handbrake.

I have started over with handbrake to do my initial resize of an overlarge file from 1200
down to 800x600 and change the frame rate from Euro (PAL) 30 fps down to NTSC 23.976--
all available in handbrake by selection.

Vidcoder's rearrange of everything caused me to waste a long encode stretch
since I missed something. Examining that element today I still couldn't figure out to open the
tab to change dimension/resolution.

I'm doing what I know for this particular process for now to get the project completed.
Will install Vdub from above and the plugin and such after the recode goes through as I don't want to have any interrupts confusion.

[loninappleton]

Using a sample I seemed to have a problem doing multiple operations at once:
resize, crop, audio down mix. Is this common in Handbrake or Vidcoder? If so I just have to do things a step at a time-- see above.

My goal is often small size and using tools needed to make voice the primary element in audio.

[manono]

...and change the frame rate from Euro (PAL) 30 fps down to NTSC 23.976--

Since when is PAL 30fps? And just how are you making this change? By random frame decimation? If so, that's a very bad idea.

[loninappleton]

Manono . We'll see how this runs. Anyway all the tsk tsking is not needed or wanted.
The original is 30 fps and reset it for 23.976 and got it on previous jobs.

I've done this because the original huge file 3 GB or more for 3 hours stutters on playback here in the US.

Just now I've hit my boiling point with messing with Virtual dub filter mod whatevs in that
it crashed. The zip file opened a folder. I did something wrong with the install or trying to find an .exe. Next time I'll look for the familiar gear logo.

[loninappleton]

Gear logo found. Program loaded and I managed to load video.

The only way I will use Virtual Dub anything is without a mouse and trying to find a frame in it.

The error I made was seeing auxsetup which gives all sorts of errors beyond me.

Leaving aside the Crop subject for now, can I get away from the tell me nothing initial screen and find a fade by time code numerically that I would locate from an edit in Toolnix?

In other words: an mkv of 90 mins with a fade out the last few seconds based on the
Timecode from Toolnix ?

[manono]

Anyway all the tsk tsking is not needed or wanted.

Okay, then how about a short sample from the source so we don't have to take your word for anything and don't have to guess what's going on and how to help?

The original is 30 fps and reset it for 23.976 and got it on previous jobs.

No one is saying you can't 'get it', but only asking how you're getting it and if what's being done is appropriate.

[loninappleton]

Virtual Dub gives me fits for a specific reason:
it's slide controls are defined within such a narrow band that I get hand fatigue.

Then use the little arrows by the crop values.


[Attachment 41397 - Click to enlarge]

I have quoted this image again. Little arrows, yes. But no path to get to this screen.
I did install FadeFx into the filter folder location. I don't know how these little arrows or the
dialog in FadeFX would work together. Or if a filter tool made in 2003 will work with anything.

[loninappleton]

Anyway all the tsk tsking is not needed or wanted.

Okay, then how about a short sample from the source so we don't have to take your word for anything and don't have to guess what's going on and how to help?

The original is 30 fps and reset it for 23.976 and got it on previous jobs.

No one is saying you can't 'get it', but only asking how you're getting it and if what's being done is appropriate.

Ok now we are getting down to it. I can make a screen shot of the original
file in Media Info. It's from a screen capture. That business about PAL was something
I at least thought I saw in the MediaInfo or someplace. I felt jumped on. And I'm pretty sure it is a Euro source. If 30 fps is PAL I stand in error. 30 fps is in the media info.
I'll post that when I get it.

[redwudz]

If you're not aware of the path to the cropping window in VD, choose 'Video> Filters> null transform' and then select
the 'Cropping...' dialog box and the cropping window will appear. You can drag the video edges down or use the offset numbers.
Most any filter selected will also make the cropping window appear if you do need special filtering.

'null transform' doesn't filter, it's just the easy way to get to the cropping window without using one of the video filters.
Cropping will require a re-encode, though.

[loninappleton]

Here is the image from MediInfo. These figures I recoded down to 800x600 arbitrarily because that's the minimum screen resolution in Win7. Also lower resolutions seem very sharp from most sources in my old monior world. It may be hard to read but the resolution in the original is 1280 x 720 and the file is very large. I'm working with a slimmed down size from handbrake of approx 1 Gb for viewing purposes. Sync and everything seems to be ok.

I can redo the recode if you have other suggestions.

The goal is to do the recode, remove a water mark with cropping screen left and
editing into two separate files for a first part and second part. Some fade effects are needed
where the video does not have any good transitions to black.

[manono]

First, it says 50fps and not 30fps. Aren't you the one that likes precise writing? It's an important distinction. And all the more reason for a video sample.

Second, when I mention "a short sample from the source", how does that, in any way, equate to a MediaInfo screen shot?. A video sample from the source. If you don't know how to make one, then ask. Just because you want to make it 23.976fps doesn't mean it should be 23.976fps, and even if it was originally 23.976fps, how you get there makes all the difference for smooth playback.