Avisynth: Filters that Distort the Image?

[ovg64]

Try this:

GripCrop(480, 480, overscan=2, source_anamorphic=false)
GripSize(resizer="BicubicResize")
Blur(0.2)
TemporalSmoother(1,2)
MergeChroma(blur(1.5)
MergeLuma(blur(0.2))
unfilter(50,50)
GripBorders()
LegalClip()

Dont go above Blur(0.7)

[muaddib]

Hi everybody,

Looking at this script made me think...
I have seen many scripts like this one.
First we soften, blur and smooth,
and just after that we sharp the image.
Is that the best approach?
Should we really do that?
I don't know, but it looks like to me a waste of work/time in the encode process.

[vhelp]

.
.
well, in my experience w/ most filters that "distort" the image, be it
* smoothers
* temporals
* sharpiners
* time-differends etc.
* even color tweakers..

All these will degrade your final encode to a point, but that's not what it's
all about..

Rather, if we can tweak the final encodes to:
* produce good overal quality, and
* at the same time, provide minimal size per CDR or DVDR media.

The key is too find the Right comination of "filtering" to achieve
the final output, w/out degrading the image too much, to the point of not
appreciating it, or considering worth while.

I think that (and would highly recommend) that we for now on include the
following, when posting a "the best script" or what-have-you, so that we
can get a better perspective of what one poster of script is saying, bla, bla
bla..

Quote:

* Source: ie: DVD project, VHS; Cable; or Sat Capture
* Capture device** : Analog vs. DV etc.

** this is important because this also helps us to get a perspective of what
to expect from a given script that is posted.

In short, posting a script (w/out mentioning it's origin) always leads me to
wonder, "what's this script based on" .. "dvd, or capture source ??"
I just see so many scripts being posted, but I can't place where they fit, a
lot of times. ie, is that script good for "dvd projects", or is it good for
"analog captures" etc. instead of running out and trying the script on the
wrong source. This would help to minimize the frustration of obtaining a
good encode (based on posted script) vs. "this script produces poor quality" - - like.. this script is best for VHS or Satellite caps, or dvd based
etc.. That's all.

I think this would help us out in the long run yeah ?

-vhelp

[kwag]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muaddib

Hi everybody,

Looking at this script made me think...
I have seen many scripts like this one.
First we soften, blur and smooth,
and just after that we sharp the image.
Is that the best approach?

You can blur what you have sharpened, but you can't sharpen what you have taken out

-kwag

[vhelp]

.
.
>> You can blur what you have sharpened, but you can't sharpen what
>> you have taken out

I agree. It (the sharpener) would sort of pixelate what was smoothed.

To try and help w/ the sharpining of the image after a smoothing,
It might help to raise the resolution a little, (though it does slow down the
encoding speed) and perform some sharpening, then bring the image
resolution back down again. This has an added "filtering" effect, but will
probably vary from source to source, and source type (capture vs. dvd
project)

Kwag.. on another note, I'm working on an mpeg-2 app that reads
in an d2v file and plays (no sound - yet maybe) I'm currently investing a
frameserving mechanism, but that's proving a pain in the butt. I'm gathering
all my "filtering" plugs (debugging them) first. Basically, it allows you to
feed in some filters and then provides you WSIWIG disoplay of the effects
via video (instead of one image at a time)

I was hopping to have it finished for posting this eveing, but I got tied up
w/ a bunch of other issues, then my pc crashed earlier, etc.
It's not much for a "try this", but it's ben a great challenge dealing w/ mpeg-2 sources (d2v) and messing around w/ it, and makes a good brain
teaser for more ideas

-vhelp

[muaddib]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwag

You can blur what you have sharpened, but you can't sharpen what you have taken out

Yes! That makes much more sense!

[ovg64]

Hey Guys sometimes what doesnt make sence work Tell You why
Blur(0.2) is so low that it almost doesnt change the image. now what I was able to do here is raise CQ from 56- 59 , now you might say the difference is not that much, but in an 1:50 min. movie i think it is. Moreover, if you trying to feed it in 1 CD as for the ORDER i didnt see any differece putting Unfilter at the beging here

Blur(0.2)
TemporalSmoother(1,2)
MergeChroma(blur(1.5)
MergeLuma(blur(0.2))
unfilter(50,50)
GripBorders()
LegalClip()

unfilter(50,50)
TemporalSmoother(1,2)
MergeChroma(blur(1.5)
MergeLuma(blur(0.2))
GripBorders()
LegalClip()

This is basicly the same script that you guys are using now I tell you i just encoded 8 MILE and the Quality look very good to me at 480x480, than again Im just learning something like you guys.