AVI to MPEG2 with AviSynth and QTGMC

[theseeker2]

I'm trying to take a HuffyYUV AVI capture of an NTSC VHS tape and export it as an deinterlaced MPEG2 file (that is what the client wants).

I am running the AviSynth script below in VirtualDub2, but when I go to save the video, MPEG2 is not an option. I'm trying to retain the highest quality throughout, and it sounds like the best way to do that is frameserve out to something like TMPGEnc. I downloaded TMPGEnc, but I don't understand how to frameserve to this via the AviSynth script running in VirtualDub2. Can someone please help me on this last step? Thank you!

SetFilterMTMode ("QTGMC", 2)
AVISource("temp.avi")
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=true)
AssumeTFF()
QTGMC(preset="Slower")
Crop(0,0,0,-8)
AddBorders(0,0,0,8)
Prefetch(10)

[jagabo]

Why are you deinterlacing if the client wants interlaced MPEG 2? Assuming your source is 29.97 fps, the output of QTGMC is progressive at 59.94 fps. If you need to use QTGMC for some other reason (cleanup, denoising, etc.) you can turn its output back into interlaced video with SeparateFields().SelectEvery(4,0,3).Weave()

You can use an MPEG 2 encoder like HCEnc to encode the script directly. A HCGUI is included with the package.

[theseeker2]

Sorry for the confusion. I meant to say that the client wants it deinterlaced, not interlaced. I've corrected the original thread.

I've installed HC (HCEnc and HCGUI), but still not sure how to add this to my AviSynth script. I found https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/358057-Need-info-about-Virtaldub-MPEG2-encoder-all...ne-DVD-players where jagabo suggested:

AviSource("C:\path\to\filename.ext")
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=false)

What do I put in that ext file? Or is that just what I enter in the box for Frameserver name in Virtualdub2?

I also found https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/362177-Frameserving-from-VirtualDub-to-MPEG-2-encoder where poisondeathray suggests this code which is the same other than the file extension:

AVISource("PATH\file.vdr")
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=true)

I'm guessing that's because they're using HCEnc (vdr file needed?) rather than HCGUI (ext file needed?).

Thanks for helping me work my way through this!

[jagabo]

You don't need VirtualDub just open your script (from the first post) in HCGui.

[theseeker2]

You don't need VirtualDub just open your script (from the first post) in HCGui.

Ah, that makes sense, thanks.

When I open my script in HCGui it says there is no function named QTGMC. I have everything all setup in VirtualDub2 and AviSynth+ to work with 64-bit, and from what I can tell HCGui is a 32-bit app, so maybe I'm running into some DLL issues here?

[jagabo]

Normally a 32 editor/encoder will require 32 bit AviSynth and 32 bit filters. And a 64 bit editor/encoder will require 64 bit AviSynth and 64 bit filters. Both 32 and 64 bit AviSynth can be installed on the same 64 bit Windows OS. But I don't think there is a 64 bit version of HCEnc.

It is possible to use mix and match 64 bit and 32 bit AviSynth filters using MP_Pipeline. I believe you will have to install 32 bit AviSynth but you won't have to track down all the 32 filters required by QTGMC.

http://avisynth.nl/index.php/MP_Pipeline

Your script would look like:

MP_Pipeline("""

### platform: win64

SetFilterMTMode ("QTGMC", 2)
AVISource("temp.avi")
ConvertToYV12(interlaced=true)
AssumeTFF()
QTGMC(preset="Slower")
Crop(0,0,0,-8)
AddBorders(0,0,0,8)
Prefetch(10) 

### ###

### platform: win32

# nothing here

### ###

""")

Processing will be a little slower.

Or you could use a 64 bit MPEG 2 encoder that supports AVS scripts as input. ffmpeg has an MPEG 2 encoder though it's not as well regarded as HCEnc.

[theseeker2]

That worked! Thanks jagabo.