Video help wanted

dswanson · Post by **dswanson** » 08 Dec 2006, 13:11

Hi,

I've been making a few videos using Fraps and Matthias Neusinger's recorder module but seem to end up with poor results once compressed, especially if completed in MS Movie maker.

I use Virtualdub for the editing and compression and when played in VirtualDub they look good and sharp. Once compressed to Mpeg4 or in Movie Maker, they become dark, fuzzy and pixellated. I can improve the darkeness & fuzziness with virtual dub filters but the pixellation remains.

Anybody point me in the right direction to fix this ? I'm currently building a mini warbird airshow and hope to post this if I can improve the final presentation.

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 08 Dec 2006, 14:36

Which mpeg4 codec are you using? And is this done from Virtualdub?

Ian

dswanson · Post by **dswanson** » 09 Dec 2006, 18:30

Ian,

All the manipulation is done in virtualdub and the only MPEG 4 codec it sees is XVID - xvidvfw.dll which is what I use. I've tried several times to install the win media 9 codecs from the MS site but always unsuccessful. I tried copying the wmv9vcm.dll from another PC onto my own (system32 folder) but virtualdub still can't see it. I can't see any codec import tool within virtualdub and visiting the various sites virtualdub refers you to has just got me confused !!

Any suggestions ?

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 09 Dec 2006, 23:50

Trying out a few things here.

Ian

PS Mods - this thread might be better in Developers/Hardware

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 10 Dec 2006, 00:42

Finally got a video recorded in FRAPS.

If you go here: http://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=6#6, near the bottom is WMV9 VCM codec - install that and you will have the Windows Media Codec 9 available to VDub.

I see no degradation on compression using eithe WMV9 (one pass CBR) or Xvid - what screen size is your FRAPS video, and what screen size is your final video? Also how much is the file size reduced?

Ian

dswanson · Post by **dswanson** » 11 Dec 2006, 09:14

Ian,

I have tried that download before but will try installing again.

My screen resolution is 1280 x 1024 and is captured by fraps at half that (640 x 512). The final video resolution is the same as at capture and the file compression is from 22MB to 6MB.

Should I be shrinking the video and if so to what sort of size ?

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 11 Dec 2006, 10:17

Degsy

I will try again later with FRAPS (just to make sure I have it working ok) but my initial test showed a FRAPS 512 x 512 file of 30 seconds was about 130Mb which compressed down to about 18Mb with both Xvid and WMV.

Maybe the initial file needs to be of higher quality.

Anyone else help out with FRAPS settings - I use Vdub etc for other video so until we have the initial video correct I am not much help :sad:

Ian

dswanson · Post by **dswanson** » 13 Dec 2006, 12:49

Ian,

I installed the WM9 codec from the site you detailed and I can now see it in virtualdub. I tried a few compressions of fraps avi files and found that the size compression is minimal compared to the xvid codec I was using, but when played in WM9 I still get the same sort of poor image as I did with xvid. I also noticed that if I used the 2:1 reduction filter in virtualdub and saved via the WM9 codec the file would not play in WM9 whereas it does when saved with the filter via xvid. :think:

I can't improve my screen resolution from 1280 x 1024 so am unsure how I can increase the source quality. When the raw fraps file is played in virtualdub it looks the same quality as the standard MS replay. :k:

It's all a mystery !! :huf:

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 13 Dec 2006, 21:46

I've run Recorder and Fraps several times tonight. I'm using a 1024 x768 window, saving in Fraps at full size and 25 fps.. Must try half size to see if that is a problem.

I'm getting AVI file sizes of 325 Mb. When compressed using Xvid and (Lame MP3 for audio) and resized to 640 x480 in Vdub, the final file size is 5Mb - yes FIVE mb. (Ignore the subject matter!)

http://www.btinternet.com/~calypsomedia ... 206_25.avi

The problem has to be the file from Fraps - it isn't big enough to be comressed to a quality file.

When I load my Fraps file into Vdub, under File Information, I get the following.

What frame size and frame rate do you get?

dswanson · Post by **dswanson** » 18 Dec 2006, 12:50

Ian,

Thanks for your research on my behalf - your results look good. I don't normally reduce the frame size before compression - perhaps that's the problem.

I'll try recording again at a lower resolution and reduce the video before compression. I see you also get the dark image at the start of the video which often resolves later. Is there any way of preventing this ? I usually brighten the video using the virtualdub filter but it still doesn't stop it.