digitalFAQ.com Forum - Help restoring dot crawl, dropouts, and grain on VHS videos?

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Help restoring dot crawl, dropouts, and grain on VHS videos?

Hi:salute:

I need some help:o

I have a VCR tape that was filmed in 1988 using a HITACHI VK-C770 camera attached to Hitachi VT-7000E and Timer VT-TU70E (purchased in 1981:old:) I had to use a external light source as the camera did not capture light well and it had to be hooked up to a TV to see what you were recording. The actual VHS footage is only 1 hour long and captured using PAN NVHS960B>>Svideo>>CAMCORDER>>iee1394>>PC>>WinDV :book:

I have viewed the Raw DV on my Captured PC and its looks dark and there are chequered patterns in the bright areas, Ive posted 2 clips so that you can see what i mean

Ive installed AviSynth and Vdub, but no plugins as i dont know which ones i will need

I'm sure the 2 clips have other problems that im not aware off

Can the clip be restored in any way:praying:

Thanks

I wouldn't capture in DV if you can help it, will make any edits much easier

im assuming this is PAL from the use of the NV-HS960 deck
DV is actually acceptable in PAL land

what cam are you using as a DV converter?

Hi

Camcorder is UK PAL Panasonic NV GS200EB (3CCD) bought in 2004

Thanks

Odd. The first clip was played with a quality Panasonic S-VHS VCR with TBC, using s-video ... yet had dot crawl. I can only remove some of it. And I'm not sure it actually dot crawl, because standard dot crawl noise removal methods have no effect. I tried several. Standard noise reduction (NR) methods were used in my sample clip.

I somewhat wonder if the DV converter caused the "dot crawl" error!

Attachment 3746

It has dropouts.

Attachment 3747

And green chroma noise.
And chroma dropouts.
And just general analog grain noise.

Avisynth was first, then VirtualDub.

Code:

ffvideosource("C:\1988 one.avi")

ConvertToYV12

checkmate(thr=12, max=12, tthr2=10)

Deen() # remove edge noise

ConvertToYUY2

DePulse(h=100, l=1, d=15, debug=false)

DePulse(h=10, l=800, d=5, debug=false)

ChromaShift(C=-8, L=4) 

DeGrainMedian(limitY=15,limitUV=7,mode=0, norow=true)

ConvertToYUY2

- Checkmate (the dot crawl filter) had minimal effect, but a small improvement was there, so I left it.
- Deen knocked out some small edge noise.
- The two DePulse filters each attack different dropouts -- one black, one white.
- The chroma was offset. It's back where it belong now.

The degrain filter helped with general noise and some more dot crawl. The side effect is softening -- remove more noise, remove more detail. So it's about as best as can be done. You can, of course, try more tweaks.

VirtualDub is used for the masking, chroma noise removal, and more mild NR.

Code:

VirtualDub.audio.SetSource(1);

VirtualDub.audio.SetMode(0);

VirtualDub.audio.SetInterleave(1,500,1,0,0);

VirtualDub.audio.SetClipMode(1,1);

VirtualDub.audio.SetConversion(0,0,0,0,0);

VirtualDub.audio.SetVolume();

VirtualDub.audio.SetCompression();

VirtualDub.audio.EnableFilterGraph(0);

VirtualDub.video.SetInputFormat(11);

VirtualDub.video.SetOutputFormat(11);

VirtualDub.video.SetMode(3);

VirtualDub.video.SetSmartRendering(0);

VirtualDub.video.SetPreserveEmptyFrames(0);

VirtualDub.video.SetFrameRate2(0,0,1);

VirtualDub.video.SetIVTC(0, 0, 0, 0);

VirtualDub.video.SetCompression();

VirtualDub.video.filters.Clear();

VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("dynamic noise reduction (MMX)");

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[0].Config (12);

VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("Camcorder color denoise 1.6 MT");

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[1].Config(100,1);

VirtualDub.video.filters.Add("resize");

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[2].SetClipping(17,10,10,18);

VirtualDub.video.filters.instance[2].Config(100,100,1,4,3,1,720,576,4,3,1,4,1,0x000000);

VirtualDub.audio.filters.Clear();

It too hard to tell from a small clip if the NR is set too high (default), or should be removed entirely. Keep that in mind. Use judgment and see how it looks. You never wanted to overfilter!

The second clip had chroma noise and mild grain. That could be entirely done in VirtualDub.

I don't usually go into this much detail for Free Members, but like I to show off my dropout removal method. :cool2:

Wow

Thanks for your Help premiumcapture and lordsmurf:worthy:

Those uploads are much much better,cleaner looking:tiphat:

is there a script command i can add to 1988two.avi that makes the video a bit brighter
or should i leave it as it is

I'm tempted to add spline36resize(352,576):book: should i or would that look bad on a 1080p display:unsure:

After using zack81.avs, Do i then goto File>>Run Script and choose zack82-1.vcf, to use both scripts on this video

thanks again

You can play with HSV in Virtualdub or Gradian Curves in RGB. The funny thing with camcorders is that many try to adjust to light levels on their own, which can create video that requires different amounts of brightness correction, so take it piece by piece.

Video often appears lighter on TV. So if you make it look perfect on a non-calibrated professional monitor, it'll come out looking terrible when viewed on TV. Beware! This is a very common newbie mistake.

For those who use a tv as a monitor, this shouldnt be an issue. Computer screena also offer better color, so what you see may not be what you get in that sense either

Hi lordsmurf

Is there a plugin-in that ive not installed:smack: as i cant seem to get the .avs and .vcf script that you provided working

click on pics for larger version, Pics too large for forum

The .vcf plugin does not show up in the filters window and when loaded manually i get this error http://i61.tinypic.com/11iipkz.jpg

The .avs script throws up this error http://i61.tinypic.com/ne9vfl.jpg

Plugins installed http://i59.tinypic.com/207mhl1.jpg

I had some fun trying various filters with this source, try this script this is the best i could do:
https://www.mediafire.com/?ep99gy1hvyu652m

original:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...original-1.jpg

processed:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/imag...91988new-1.jpg

Dropout fix looks great! How did you do that?

Please attach images to the forum. http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/news...ly-upload.html
All of the tinypic/etc images are broken and/or require unsafe JS for that site.

I'd love to help -- but you have to put the images here!

Hi

Many thanks to premiumcapture,lordsmurf and themaster1 for your efforts in trying to help me :tiphat:
I seem to be having some difficulties in trying to get your scripts (.vcf and .avs) to work

Im sure i have the necessary plugins installed but i keep getting errors :unsure:

Attachement Picture 1 shows what plugins i have for Vdub

Attachement Picture 2 shows what plugins i have for AviSynth 2.5

Attachement Picture 3 shows what error i get when clicking on lordsmrufs .avs file :depressed:

Attachement Picture 4 shows what error i get when clicking on lordsmrufs .vcf file :confused:

Attachement Picture 5 shows what error i get when clicking on themaster1 .avs file

The jpegs are too big and I think the compression is making the text blurred out, try cropping out all the unnecessary space.

Open the two files with notepad (yes, notepad) and triple-check to see that you have all the filters on your computer. Once you are absolutely sure you have them, most likely its an issue of file location, but I am not good with avisynth so others might have better input.

Sorry

I have scaled them down, i only have MS Paint:oops: installed on my M90 notebook

forgot to mention the actual captured 1 hour DV file is now in C:/1989.avi

Ive made a copy as my orignal DV 1988.avi which is on my desktop, just want to make sure everything goes
ok before i work on the orignal

Hi lordsmurf

Can you tell me if VDUB version 1.10.4 is ok as i cant get the lovely scripts you provided to work ive been trying for weeks with no luck

should i uninstall VDUB and AVS + plugins and start from scratch as i dont no what the problem is as i installed everything plugin out there

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