Convert .AVI Lagarith to friendly format

[Ferggue]

Hello dear colleagues

I just captured a VHS PAL_N via VirtualDub 2 64bit in video compression lagarith lossless codec and no audio compression.

Then in the final .AVI file I put a deinterlacing filter (double frame rate, top field first) which makes the video look smoother.

The thing is, I really don't know how to make the conversion process to a more friendly format. It's important footage that I want to use for a movie, to edit on a Mac computer. I want to keep the quality, the size doesn't matter. Although I would also like to be informed which option would be correct if downsizing matters.

From what I was reading, I know I should download some codec to compress, but I don't know which one. What process would be correct?

Thanks a lot

[johns0]

Thread moved to the mac forum where you can get more help.

[DB83]

Methinks you misunderstand the purpose/benefit of a lossless codec in your scenario Lagarith.


You do ALL your editing in that codec and , initially, export in that codec. Only by that do you retain the quality of the original capture. Anything else and you can not retain the quality (unless you exported as fully uncompressed - which does not require any codec whatsoever - and substantially increases the size)


In my book, deinterlacing/double frame rate is a final step AFTER the editing and not before and you can select a codec depending on your final delivery format - how you intend to view - then.

[jagabo]

Your best option is to use a lossless video codec and container that the editor on your Mac supports. Or a near lossless codec. Try Apple Prores in MOV.

But there are many variables. Is your video interlaced or progressive? What is the pixel format (RGB, RGBA, YUY2, YV12...) and depth (8 bit, 10 bit...)?

[Ferggue]

Methinks you misunderstand the purpose/benefit of a lossless codec in your scenario Lagarith.


You do ALL your editing in that codec and , initially, export in that codec. Only by that do you retain the quality of the original capture. Anything else and you can not retain the quality (unless you exported as fully uncompressed - which does not require any codec whatsoever - and substantially increases the size)


In my book, deinterlacing/double frame rate is a final step AFTER the editing and not before and you can select a codec depending on your final delivery format - how you intend to view - then.

I understand perfect, then the editor should work directly with the Lagarith .AVI file. I use Windows but the editor uses Mac and Adobe Premiere, any idea if there is a compatibility problem with .AVI on Mac?

On the other hand I reiterate my second question, how could I export to H264 .mp4 directly from VirtualDub?

Thanks a lot

[Cornucopia]

Much depends on what you want to do with the footage and on what devices.

Here's a couple of general rules of thumb:

1. For editing, you want something key-frame friendly and fast and easily to decode & encode, and you want to retain close to the highest quality during. Lagarith is a good option here, as well as huffyuv, and lossy variants prores cineform, dnxhd.
2. For distributed playback, you want something that is COMMON, compresses efficiently (for modest storage & transfer bitrates), and isn't too difficult to decompress on the given device. This is most often h264/avc or vp9 or h265/hevc for modern devices, but used to be mpeg1 or mpeg2 for old devices and divx/xvid (aka mpeg4 part2) for less old devices.
3. For storage/archival, you want possibly high compression while retaining quality, but compress and decompress time doesn't need to be be as quick, so there is a variety based on one's prorities (usu. quality vs size).
4. For camera capture you need something that can encode & store in realtime, so that it can keep up with the live input. Various forms of RAW are common, along with Prores, dnxhd, avc-intra.

For use with a Mac, or with IOS devices, your options are straightforward because they are so constrained. Regardless of what it was previously, by my reckoning, Macs will force transcode to either uncompressed, prores, avc, hevc, or dv (the last most likely only for sd material). So those first 2 are for higher quality higher filesize, the next 2 are for lesser (but hopefully still good) quality and smaller filesizes.
So you might as well compress them yourself to one of them, so you can direct the transcode according to your wishes (assuming you understand what is appropriate setting combinations - if that is not true, let the mac make the choice).


Scott

[DB83]

I have no knowledge of mac systems/software. But as jagabo states it is more usual that these would use Apple derived codecs. Which is why you are now in this sub forum.


But if you want to export your Lagarith avi to avc (h264.mp4) then just use VirtualDub 2 (it can be done in VirtualDub - the original - but you do need to include the codecs)