Converting from Lossless-Uncompressed to Lossless-Whatever

[Marvolo]

Hi,

I still have some uncompressed capture files from when I was still capturing uncompressed (meanwhile I capture right into HuffYuv). In order to not re-capture those tapes, I'm now looking for a way to convert those uncompressed files into another lossless, but much more compressed codec, such as HuffYuv for example.

Can VirtualDub do this? Is there really no loss when converting uncompressed into any other lossless codec? I'm fairly new to VirtualDub - how would my steps look like?

Thanks a lot.

[Swedaniel]

Hi,

I still have some uncompressed capture files from when I was still capturing uncompressed (meanwhile I capture right into HuffYuv). In order to not re-capture those tapes, I'm now looking for a way to convert those uncompressed files into another lossless, but much more compressed codec, such as HuffYuv for example.

Can VirtualDub do this? Is there really no loss when converting uncompressed into any other lossless codec? I'm fairly new to VirtualDub - how would my steps look like?

Thanks a lot.

Hi, well it is the first im hearing of converting from lossless to lossles, im more the type to keep the original source file in an zip or rar package for storage and basicly only use it to converting into an format and codec i intend to use for playing it such as AVI/MP4/WebM/MOV/DivX, H.264, MSMPEG, VP8 etc.

But if you are looking for an compression codec maybe TechSmith Screen Capture Codec is of interest, it is intended to use for recording but it is possible allso to convert videos into AVI format using the TechSmith codec, ive allways said its an compression codec since its codec settings offer to customize the compression between faster compression or better compression and the logo is allmost the same as some Zip compression logos but green color, however some people say its an lossless codec!

If there are no quality loss is hard to say, probably the original file is allways the best one, and since im not really using the TechSmith codec to convert with but rather use it for recording i have only tested it a few times and the converted video i really cant say if it worse quality then the original input since basicly they both look the same! 1 really short clip with uncompressed video was 5mb file size it is now 500kb after converting using TechSmith! Probably the results can be real good if it is an huge uncompressed lossless video!

If VirtualDub can do this im not sure, but likely you must find an video converter that can locate installed codecs and use them for converting!

[Marvolo]

Well, the reason is, they take away very much space and let's just pretend I captured them right into HuffYuv or any other lossless but compressed format, so that's why I want to convert them. The other captures are compressed (but lossless) as well. I want to keep it equal with all files.

[Swedaniel]

Well, the reason is, they take away very much space

Then you should defenitely look into the TechSmith codec!

Edit: Or programs such as WinZip/WinRar/PeaZip to compress them and get to keep the original file which seem like an wise decision! Allso you could use QuickZip but the only programs of this version ive found is pretty old and the program is a lil bit unstable, atleast from over here on Windows 10, but the program can still function well enough to create and unpack zip/rar/7z and many more!

If you want to run things wild and withstand an advertising window here and there you can check out Daemon Tools Lite which can mount Zip/Rar and 7z packages as local drives or local folders to help keep things simple if you check out Zip/Rar/7z compression!

[lollo]

Marvolo, just ignore usual Swedaniel non sense, open your uncompressed file with VirtualDub, and save a new copy using original HuffYUV 2.1.1 codec. No quality loss. Standard captured avi output file generated.

[Marvolo]

Marvolo, just ignore usual Swedaniel non sense, open your uncompressed file with VirtualDub, and save a new copy using original HuffYUV 2.1.1 codec. No quality loss. Standard captured avi output file generated.

I'm just not quite sure how to do it. I set up "huffyuv" under "Video" --> Compression.
Now, is it Direct Stream Copy, Fast Recompress, Normal Recompress or Full Processing Mode? Or even Smart Rendering?

And what about audio? Direct Stream Copy? Full Processing Mode?

[lollo]

video: does not matter, you specify the codec, so i.e. fast recompress
audio: direct stream copy
just be sure to read input as YUV (your capture colorspace) and stay in YUV for output generation

[Marvolo]

video: does not matter, you specify the codec, so i.e. fast recompress
audio: direct stream copy
just be sure to read input as YUV (your capture colorspace) and stay in YUV for output generation

Thanks, lollo.
If I use fast recompress, I cannot specify color space in the Huffyuv settings (Pixel Format), it's greyed out.

I used Fast recompress, Audio direct stream and Huffyuv 2.1.1 for conversion now. From uncompressed to Huffyuv.

[lollo]

I meant the folowing for input processing, just in case:




If you wish to verify the procedure visually and with a metric just use this AviSynth function to compare uncompressed and lossless:

function f_Subtract_Compare(clip c1, clip c2, string t1, string t2)
{
c3=Subtract(c1, c2).Levels(65, 1, 255-64, 0, 255, coring=false)
c4=Compare(c1, c2)

stackvertical(\
stackhorizontal(\
subtitle(c1,t1,size=20,align=2),\
subtitle(c2,t2,size=20,align=2)\
),\
stackhorizontal(\
subtitle(c3,"subtract"+" "+t1+" "+t2,size=20,align=2),\
subtitle(c4,"compare"+" "+t1+" "+t2,size=20,align=2)\
)\
)
}