#1  
03-11-2010, 03:10 PM
cyber-junkie cyber-junkie is offline
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Hi
This will be the beginning for me, I have some old videos transferred to dvd by amatures of old shows, etc. they are not real bad, what I need to figure out is what filters or how to remove the "blocky look" remove video noise (doesn't look like vhs chroma, but I am not sure) and sharpen just a little...is there a beginners tutorial for Virtualdub using just these 3 filters/enhancement? I don't really know where to begin.
Thanks

-- merged --

Surely there are average cleanup filters...the ones to start with?
Or...
Which are your favorite filters for general cleanup, maybe I can start there, there are so many filters in Virtualdub and I am sure some very detailed ones that you need to know what errors you are looking at to use correctly.
I am talking about the general ones needed for cleanup, I see the sharpen and the bright/contrast...are the main ones or should I add a noise reducer in to the mix? Where should I start?

-- merged --

OK...step by step...
I imported the file into virtualdub, I randomly applied filters based on name and what I thought, applied filters and it saved product as an .AVI file...I do not want to add anything to the original, How do I turn that back into a .ISO to burn back to dvd?
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  #2  
03-15-2010, 02:05 AM
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Is there any way to see a sample, either as JPEG frames or as an attached video file of some kind? That would help for the specific questions.

As far as "general advice", there are a few filters I always look to first:
  • Levels - tweak images just slightly, as needed, if needed
  • Hue/Saturation/Intensity - maybe increase/decrease saturation, tweak as needed, if needed
  • Temporal Cleaner - the default settings are way too strong, drop all the numbers on the left by half (30,10,4 = 15,5,2) and drop the numbers on the right by half and then ~half again (16,8 = 5,2) -- increasing these values will remove more noise, but can also add ghosting and chroma trails
Most VirtualDub filters are very task specific, created for one singular task. This is preferred anyway, as those generic "noise reduction" tickboxes in software often do both harm and good, a random mishmash of algorithms.

The filter you need is largely determined by the video you have.

For deblocking video, look to a mix of MSU Deblock and one of the static noise filters (there are several to try). I also own the commercial software NeatVideo, and use it as a VirtualDub plugin -- it's good for this task, too.

Sharpen tends to add noise and severe aliasing, so I rarely use it. It's a really crappy edge correction -- far inferior to a detailer or the Sharpness slider on a Panasonic AG-1980 VCR.

Brightness/contrast is also somewhere inferior to Levels. A bit harsh, whereas Levels is a bit more nuanced.

After you've filtered a video, and output it as an AVI (either uncompressed or as lossless HuffYUV compression), you'll have to re-encode it to an MPEG -- be sure to use good settings in the MPEG encoder, or you'll just re-introduce all the mess you fixed. After it's an MPEG file, re-author to DVD-Video format (with or without menus), and then "burn" to a file in ImgBurn to create the new ISO. ImgBurn can also burn the ISO to a new DVD.

Slow to answer questions last few days. Getting to them one by one.

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  #3  
03-15-2010, 10:43 AM
cyber-junkie cyber-junkie is offline
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ok

1) How do save a frame of a show/file, I do not want to try and upload the entire movie.

2) I think I was on the right track to getting virtualdub to work, but the .AVI file it made was huge...is this correct or did I not have it save correctly?

3) How do you get the file back to a .ISO or a file that I can burn back to dvd?
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  #4  
03-15-2010, 05:44 PM
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1. I'll have to write a new thread on this in a couple of days. About time, I guess, show how to both add still and video samples.

2. Under VIDEO > COMPRESSION you should select HuffYUV. If it's not already on your system, install it. There's a download in this forum, for convenience, search for it.

3. Read back to my last post. Right now you have an AVI. It must be converted to DVD-compliant MPEG-2, then authored, then burned as a new ISO (or VIDEO_TS folder) to be put back on DVD. These are all separate processes. Just open new threads, if you need more help. (MPEG under Conversion/Encoding subforum, authoring and burning under Authoring subforum)

I don't recall where your skill set is anymore. I try to communicate at the level of the member, then boost them up as time goes by.

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  #5  
03-20-2010, 01:08 PM
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A Virtual Dub tutorial is desperately needed! Can't even get the program to work because it FLATLY refuses to use the file's audio track...
While on the subject, might consider a companion guide on how to solve the WinRAR program puzzle, too...
Thanks in advance!
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  #6  
03-25-2010, 05:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dyfan View Post
A Virtual Dub tutorial is desperately needed! Can't even get the program to work because it FLATLY refuses to use the file's audio track...

While on the subject, might consider a companion guide on how to solve the WinRAR program puzzle, too...
Thanks in advance!
The audio issues you mentioned are generally due to the system not having the proper audio codecs installed.

I will, however, admit that I have two systems here -- both of them running on Windows Vista -- that have issues with AC3 audio in VirtualDub, even with system-wide AC3filter installed, and internal VirtualDub AC3 plugins installed. I don't understand what the malfunction is. I blame Vista (easy to do, right!?), but have no actually figured out the exact cause just yet. I just avoid those systems when I need to hear the audio in VrtualDub. It does still process and pass the audio -- it just won't play it for preview.

Not sure I follow you on the "WinRAR program puzzle" -- maybe open up a new Computer forum topic?

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  #7  
04-06-2010, 11:08 AM
dyfan dyfan is offline
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Will there eventually be a dedicated guide available here on how best to use VirtualDub?
Besides myself, members Cyber-Junkie and Deter have inquired the same more than once...
VirtualDub is obviously a great program, but nothing other than frustrating if one doesn't have a proper set of "instructions" to run it with...
On behalf of myself, those who have already asked for general user instructions and to those who will in the future no doubt land here way of the search engine- thank you...
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  #8  
04-11-2010, 10:20 AM
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Yes, working towards that goal.

Guide-writing can take time, because it happens between all the other tasks of daily projects and forum answers.

I won't forget.

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  #9  
04-11-2010, 10:45 AM
dyfan dyfan is offline
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In the interim, been using the 'suggestions' that are onboard with the program ("Help", "Contents")...

Multo Grazie!
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