What is your setup for AVISynth regarding SNES videos in HD as well as cropping the borders?
I usually don't crop borders.
Preparation:
1. get Avisynth, AvsPmod (Avisynth editor), VirtualDub, x264vfw, lame, mkvtoolnix
2. get the movie's BizHawk version
Dump video:
1. start BizHawk (EmuHawk), load ROM file, pause, disable "always double-size framebuffer" in "menu | SNES | Options"
2. load movie file, start AVI recording (Lagarith codec, enable null frames, use multithreading, RGB mode)
3. unpause, disable speed throttling, wait until movie finishes
Edit video:
1. create directory with the same name as the AVI file, put it in there and rename to "00.avi"
2. create empty text file "00.avs", open in AvsPmod, enter text:
Language: Avisynth
Load("00") # assuming 256x224, convert to 512x720
# Several "Load" calls can be chained together: Load("00a") + Load("00b") + Load("00c")
# Note that you should use the "hires_x" and "hires_y" parameters if you know that the game doesn't use horz. or vert. hi-res.
# If at least one file is > 239p then they should all be loaded as 1080p to minimize blank lines.
function Load(string FileName, bool "hires_x", bool "hires_y", bool "_1080p", bool "fix_audio", bool "fix_aspect") {
hires_x = default(hires_x, false)
hires_y = default(hires_y, false)
_1080p = default(_1080p, false) # 720p if false
fix_audio = default(fix_audio, false)
fix_aspect = default(fix_aspect, false)
AVISource(FileName + ".avi") # 60.0985 fps (NTSC) or 50.0070 fps (PAL)
Fix_FPS # required for Youtube
((!hires_x) && (Width > 256)) ? ReduceX : last # reduce the width if it's known to be low-res
((!hires_y) && (Height > 239)) ? ReduceY : last # reduce the height if it's known to be low-res
(fix_audio) ? Fix_AudioSampleRate : last # required if the audio encoder doesn't accept non-standard rates
(!_1080p) ? Get_720p : Get_1080p # resize
(fix_aspect) ? Fix_AspectRatio : Resize_X(2) # if false then at least adjust for h.264 color subsampling
}
function Fix_FPS(clip c) { # resulting audio is 44028 Hz (NTSC) or 44094 Hz (PAL)
c
i = (abs(FrameRate - 60) < abs(FrameRate - 50)) ? 60 : 50
AssumeFPS(i, true)
}
function ReduceX(clip c) {c.PointResize(c.Width / 2, c.Height )}
function ReduceY(clip c) {c.PointResize(c.Width, c.Height / 2)}
function Fix_AudioSampleRate(clip c) {c.ResampleAudio(44100)}
function Get_720p(clip c) {
c
(Height == 224) ? Resize_Y(3).Letterbox( 720) : last # (NTSC) 48 blank lines
(Height == 448) ? Letterbox( 720) : last # (NTSC) 272 blank lines
(Height == 239) ? Resize_Y(3).Letterbox( 720) : last # (PAL) 3 blank lines
(Height == 478) ? Letterbox( 720) : last # (PAL) 272 blank lines
}
function Get_1080p(clip c) {
c
(Height == 224) ? Resize_Y(4).Letterbox(1080) : last # (NTSC) 184 blank lines
(Height == 448) ? Resize_Y(2).Letterbox(1080) : last # (NTSC) 184 blank lines
(Height == 239) ? Resize_Y(4).Letterbox(1080) : last # (PAL) 124 blank lines
(Height == 478) ? Resize_Y(2).Letterbox(1080) : last # (PAL) 124 blank lines
}
function Resize_X(clip c, int i) {c.PointResize(c.Width * i, c.Height )}
function Resize_Y(clip c, int i) {c.PointResize(c.Width, c.Height * i)}
function Letterbox(clip c, int new_Height) {
c
i1 = int((new_Height - Height) / 2)
i2 = new_Height - Height - i1
AddBorders(0, i1, 0, i2)
}
function Fix_AspectRatio(clip c) { # not required if you put the output file into an MKV file and set the aspect ratio there
c
Spline64Resize(Height * 4 / 3, Height)
}
3. save, open script file in VirtualDub
Encode video:
1. set video encoding to "Fast Recompress" and video compression to x264vfw (convert to YUV, CRF=16, VirtualDub hack checked)
2. set audio encoding to "Full processing mode" and audio compression to Lame MP3, e.g. 44100Hz 192kbps CBR (or extract the audio and compress it with an external encoder)
3. encode to "01.avi" (and "01.wav" if using an external encoder)
4. open the new AVI (and WAV) file in MKVToolNix GUI, set the aspect ratio to 4:3
Then upload to Youtube.
Guernsey wrote:
Will this also remove the borders on the sides?
There should be no borders to the left or to the right, unless the game put them there. If so then they would appear on a real CRT TV, and should not be removed before the 4:3 resize. Likewise with the borders on the top or bottom. But even if a game uses horz. borders it wouldn't change much since 4:3 on a 16:9 display results in horz. borders anyway.
You can use for example AvsPmod's preview function to add Crop commands to the script.
Note that you need at least 720 lines to enable HD quality and the 60 Hz functionality on Youtube.
Do I copy the whole thing or just the part with the algorithms? Also, So just to be clear:
PointResize(last.width * 8,last.height * 8)
Do I replace the Point Resize with the width and height with the asterisk? Or do I remove the asterisk and just put in the numbers?
Actual encoders use an AVISynth script. An example of a script (this one's quite outdated).
The 4:3 aspect is based on feos' script which can be seen here in its early state.
The method I've stated is for VirtualDub but can be translated easily to AVISynth.
So the script in the first link is outdated and the other one in the second link is the updated one?
Aktan wrote:
Well I went ahead and tried it, and things didn't go so well, lol. Here is the revised version:
Still two resizes, but the difference is that chroma is now being upscaled, then downscaled via point resize, so it should be the same.
So that is what I use with AVISynth? This is gonna be more complicated than I realize. So I basically do the the two resizes for HD SNES Videos using AVISynth or Virtualdub? And I change the aspect ratio from 1:1 to 4:3 when I finish?
I am still somewhat confused. Do you do two resizes in Virtualdub? One as Nearest Neighbor and the other as Lanczos3? Do you go compute aspect ratio or absolute pixels? Do you go through cropping and/or Null Transform in order to remove the borders? I am just trying to make sure I got the correct information before I do anything.
Please feel free to PM me about this.
As these games were intended to be viewed on a CRT, yes. 4:3 is the correct aspect ratio here.
Guernsey wrote:
Or should keep the borders?
Do the dumps (or playback in the emulator) have the borders you mentioned initially, prior to their upscaling? I only ask because SNES dumps are generally 8:7 and depending on how PowerDirector is handling the upscaling, it could be trying to keep the original aspect ratio and adding these itself. Ideally you want the dumped footage to take up the entire 4:3 frame, so it depends if these borders are part of the game or not.
When adding a filter to Virtualdub, you can crop prior to the filter's processing. The easiest way to do this without changing the video is to go Video > Filters > Add > Null Transform and hit "OK". On the side, you can select "cropping" and adjust this however you feel is necessary, but for SNES dumps you shouldn't have to do this.
I posted something with a couple of methods of using VirtualDub for nearest neighbor upscaling if you wanted ideas on how to upscale the dumped footage without the need of PowerDirector.
That is right. PowerDirector is in 4:3 by default and they video I dump is usually the 8:7 ratio (256 x 224) where the editor shows the borders on the sides prior to my upscaling it. As for the Virtualdub thing, you can use that Null Transform feature to "crop" the videos? I am gonna try that to see if I get a good result. Also, do use the resize feature twice when resizing in Virtualdub?
creaothceann wrote:
Guernsey wrote:
Could Virtualdub do that or is it only using editors like PowerDirector?
Personally I prefer to do all my editing with Avisynth (scripting language), and encoding with VirtualDub (incl. codecs for h.264 and MP3) (or x264 (video) and lame (audio)). Never heard of PowerDirector before.
I mostly use PowerDirector and Virtualdub myself but I rarely use Avisynth. PowerDirector is a video editor by Cyberlink where people who cannot afford editors like Premiere can edit their videos.
HP 15 Home
Windows 10 Home
4.00 GB
64 bit Operating System, x64 based processor
It does playback fairly well in VLC but it slows down on my editor for some reason.
Would you happen to have the exact model number? I want to find out what CPU. It not playing back in the editor is fine as long as your edits and final file plays fine in VLC, no?
I guess you are right.
HP 15 Notebook PC
Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU N3540 @ 2.16GHz
P/N: N5Y05UA#ABA
Aktan wrote:
Guernsey wrote:
XviD. There was a Youtube video explains how to resync in VBA
If you're doing editing, I would recommend using lossless like Lagarith. This is assuming you have enough space, though GB/GBA games resolution is tiny so you must be really strapped for space to not have enough for a capture. Also, Xvid includes B-frames which will make AVIs funky sometimes. Really highly recommend you go lossless Lagarith.
Lagarith is that huge? Well, I will that I guess......
I was referring to how when you playback your AVI recording in editors like Cyberlink PWerdirector or in media players like VideoLan where it seems like your video is seemingly a mess.
So I'm still confused. Your first post says it plays smoothly in VLC, but now you're saying it doesn't play smoothly in VLC? Which is it? As long as MPC and VLC plays it back right, it's fine. Video editors may do extra processing making it too slow to playback smoothly. What are your PC specs?
HP 15 Home
Windows 10 Home
4.00 GB
64 bit Operating System, x64 based processor
It does playback fairly well in VLC but it slows down on my editor for some reason.
Aktan wrote:
Guernsey wrote:
Well, that is what it looked like when I played it back on my editor as when I am played it back, I notice how sometimes the sound doesn't always match what I see on screen especially in games like Mother 3. I guess it might be due to the fact that I might need to fiddle with the settings with the emulator to get a better result. Does VBA do that? Or is it supposed to do that?
I don't remember exactly, since it's been a while, but VBA may have some minimal capture settings. What codec did you capture to?
XviD. There was a Youtube video explains how to resync in VBA
I have two questions:
1. Can video editor affect your AVI/MP4 videos even though they run smoothly in Media Player Classic or VLAN?
I'm not understanding your question. Can you rephrase?
I was referring to how when you playback your AVI recording in editors like Cyberlink PWerdirector or in media players like VideoLan where it seems like your video is seemingly a mess.
Aktan wrote:
Guernsey wrote:
2. How do you fix audio and video sync in emulators lot VBA 1.7.2. or 1.8.0? I need to record AVI but I wonder what settings in the emulator itself that I can use to stop lag or help the emulator resync the audio for video editors like Virtualdub?
I didn't think there was an A/V sync issue in VBA. Are you sure it's there?
Well, that is what it looked like when I played it back on my editor as when I am played it back, I notice how sometimes the sound doesn't always match what I see on screen especially in games like Mother 3. I guess it might be due to the fact that I might need to fiddle with the settings with the emulator to get a better result. Does VBA do that? Or is it supposed to do that?
I have two questions:
1. Can video editor affect your AVI/MP4 videos even though they run smoothly in Media Player Classic or VLAN?
2. How do you fix audio and video sync in emulators lot VBA 1.7.2. or 1.8.0? I need to record AVI but I wonder what settings in the emulator itself that I can use to stop lag or help the emulator resync the audio for video editors like Virtualdub?
Can anyone tell how to the audio and video desyncs in VBA? I am trying to make Mother 3 videos for Youtube and it seems like the sound and video don;t match together when I edit the videos on my Cyberlink editor although my VLAN media player doesn't have this problem.
A container doesn't influence the size of the file (except for a few percent at most). It depends on how the video is compressed., if at all.
http://www.pitivi.org/manual/codecscontainers.html
You can store a raw uncompressed video stream in any container, and it'll be absolutely massive.
For best results you could encode the video with the h.264 codec, which can be done e.g. with the command-line program x264 or with various plugins, e.g. x264vfw which can be used with VirtualDub.
The program contains x264 and x265 AVC codec 8bit/10bit. I also have a variety codecs included in the program.
YouTube's going to compress it in the long run but the encoders use qp 5/7/10 depending on the encoder (lower the number the higher the filesize).
If you don't want to tamper with that just use the default crf 15.
So just stick with the default settings?
Also do it by 2's so 200%, 400%, 600% etc.
It's going to look 1:1 tho not 4:3.
So do another Resize Filter and Select "Compute height from ratio" and make the value that went down (y value) be 100% since the x needs to be changed in that bit.
Also for this bit use Lanczos3.
So I have to use the resize filter twice? Or do just use it once for "Nearest Neighbor","Same as source","Codec friendly sizing" and "Relative"?
Should I just use the default settings for x264vfw/H.264 for the videos? I want to get high quality without getting a huge filesize. What settings are good for low file size and high quality?