AVI output is terrible quality and adds black border

Wreckage

Newbie Location: Brisbane, Australia Joined: Aug 08, 2015 18:46 Messages: 15 Offline

Solved by

Aug 08, 2015 20:52

Hello. I purchased PowerDirector Deluxe a couple of days ago and have been finding my way around it.

I thought I had everything under control until I viewed the output.

I've joined four clips from a cheap action-cam, added some audio, played around with adjusting speeds, etc. and all seemed to go well, except when I viewed the produced movie, the resolution was terribly noisy, and none of my viewers (VLC, WMP, JetAudio, etc.) will show it without a huge, black border around the movie. Prior to using PowerDirector the clips were clear and will fill the viewing window.

Here is the MediaInfo on the impupt files (Output information below):

.....

General

Complete name : H:\Movie_Projects\xxxx.avi

Format : AVI

Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave

File size : 125 MiBDuration : 2mn 7s

Overall bit rate : 8 250 Kbps

Movie name : Lions_12

Director : WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe

Writing application : Lavf55.48.100

VideoID : 0

Format : MPEG-4 Visual

Format profile : Simple@L3

Format settings, BVOP : No

Format settings, QPel : No

Format settings, GMC : No warppoints

Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)

Codec ID : DIVX

Codec ID/Info : Project Mayo

Codec ID/Hint : DivX 4

Duration : 2mn 7s

Bit rate : 8 102 Kbps

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 404 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 16:9

Frame rate : 60.000 fps

Color space : YUV

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Progressive

Compression mode : Lossy

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.464

Stream size : 123 MiB (98%)

Writing library : Lavc55.69.100

AudioID : 1

Format : MPEG Audio

Format version : Version 1

Format profile : Layer 3

Mode : Joint stereo

Mode extension : MS Stereo

Codec ID : 55

Codec ID/Hint : MP3

Duration : 2mn 7s

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 128 Kbps

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz

Compression mode : Lossy

Stream size : 1.94 MiB (2%

)Alignment : Aligned on interleaves

Interleave, duration : 26 ms (1.57 video frames)

Interleave, preload duratio : 26 ms

Writing library : LAME3.99

..................

Here is the Output (After Produce);

...........

General

Complete name : H:\Movie_Projects\xxxxxx

Format : AVI

Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave

Commercial name : DV

Format profile : OpenDML

File size : 1.47 GiB

Duration : 7mn 17s

Overall bit rate mode : Constant

Overall bit rate : 28.8 Mbps

Video

ID : 0

Format : DV

Duration : 7mn 17s

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 24.4 Mbps

Encoded bit rate : 28.8 Mbps

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 576 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 16:9

Frame rate mode : Constant

Frame rate : 25.000 fps

Standard : PAL

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Interlaced

Scan order : Bottom Field First

Compression mode : Lossy

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 2.357

Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:00

Time code source : Subcode time code

Stream size : 1.47 GiB (100%)

Audio

ID : 0-0

Format : PCM

Muxing mode : DV

Muxing mode, more info : Muxed in Video #1

Duration : 7mn 17s

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 1 536 Kbps

Encoded bit rate : 0 bps

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Bit depth : 16 bits

Stream size : 80.1 MiB (5%)

Encoded stream size : 0.00 Byte (0%)

..............

If anybody has any suggestions, I'd be very grateful.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 09. 2015 00:28

Everything is inevitable

James Dotson

Senior Contributor Location: Tennessee Joined: Aug 24, 2009 20:40 Messages: 3066 Offline

Aug 08, 2015 23:27

A couple of things I noticed. You went from 720x404 to 720x576. That may reduce quality and/or introduce black bars. You also went from progressive to interlaced. I would suggest producing in mp4. You really gain nothing but size by using AVI in this situation. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Wreckage

Newbie Location: Brisbane, Australia Joined: Aug 08, 2015 18:46 Messages: 15 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 00:40

Quote: A couple of things I noticed. You went from 720x404 to 720x576.

Thanks for the reply, Jaime-esque. How do I resolve the above, do you think?

I would suggest producing in mp4.

That option isn't available to me, unfortunately. I have only AVI, MPEG-2, Windows Media, Quicktime, H.264 AVC, and Audio.

MPEG-2 gives me a better quality image, but the border remains, as does M2TS format. In fact the border is present in the Produce window as soon as I hit 'Produce', so this seems to be something that needs to be fixed prior to editing.

This is really holding me back at the moment, but I'll keep fiddling. Suggestions appreciated.

Cheers.

......Edit to add resolution;

Well... There's a trap for young players, eh? It seems that it's vitally important how the Preview window is set up initially.

Where's the tutorial on that, mmm? ;

As per the image, it seems each CLIP must be positioned correctly to fill the window, and then the Produced movie will fill the screen. This seems very unintuitive and unnecessary, but there you are. Is there a way of applying these settings uniformly to all clips added? The adjusting marks don't appear until the 'Clip' button is selected (as apposed to 'Movie').

I don't know about you, but this would seem to be information of VITAL importance to we newbies. Cheers.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 09. 2015 01:20

Everything is inevitable

James Dotson

Senior Contributor Location: Tennessee Joined: Aug 24, 2009 20:40 Messages: 3066 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 01:29

For mp4 you select h.264. Then there is a drop down menu to choose mp4. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 01:31

Hi wreckage -

You shouldn't have to be doing that. Aren't you effectively cropping out part of the scene?

Jaime-esque's advice about rendering in MPEG-4, rather than AVI, is good. AVI gives you no control.

I don't have the Deluxe version, but according to *this* it can output MPEG-4 - check under H.264 dropdown (under M2TS)

Is your AVI straight off the camera or has it been converted? What's the camera? I noticed MediaInfo says "WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe".

Here, I can import a 720x404 AVI - output as MPEG-4 720x480 - no letterboxing & decent quality (given that it's SD).

Cheers - Tony

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 09. 2015 13:46

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Wreckage

Newbie Location: Brisbane, Australia Joined: Aug 08, 2015 18:46 Messages: 15 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 02:38

Quote: Hi wreckage -

You shouldn't have to be doing that. Aren't you effectively cropping out part of the scene?

Hello, ynotfish. Thank-you for your reply.

Well, as far as 'doing that' goes, I obviously do have to, or else it doesn't work. I ended up with about 7 clips after splitting and each one had to be expanded in the Preview window in order to Produce properly. I forgot to resize one clip and in the finished production, the movie suddenly went to the smaller size, then big again. BTW, each clip ended up subtly different with small borders appearing/disappearing during playback of the Produced movie.

Does anybody know what's going on here?

Jaimesque's advice about rendring in MPEG-4, rather than AVI, is good. AVI gives you no control.

Yes. Thanks, Jaime-esque. I found the MP4 option and the image quality was a lot better.

Is your AVI straight off the camera or has it been converted? What's the camera? I noticed MediaInfo says "WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe".

Yes. I converted it a number of times in my quest for a decent editor. I found Windows MovieMaker to be good, but unreliable so I was playing around with formats to try to find the secret to reliable editing. The same went for Lightworks. It looked promising but again, too unreliable. The result was too much wasted time and effort.

The camera is a $65, Chinese 'Sport DV' action-cam that I bought as a test. Now that I'm getting a little more serious I'd like to upgrade, but it seems there are few (non GoPro) cams with an external mic. connection that are worth looking at. Maybe in a few months there will be a wider selection.

Here, I can import a 720x404 AVI - output as MPEG-4 720x480 - no letterboxing & decent quality (given that it's SD).

Cheers - Tony

I'm not sure what you mean there. I'd really like to know why I have to resize my clips, and if there is a way to have it done by default. Also, it seems that by the way you fellers are talking, it shouldn't be happening at all. Is that the case, or is it just an anomaly of the clips being re-processed/converted?

Thanks again for all your help.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 09. 2015 02:42

Everything is inevitable

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 02:50

To eradicate possible errors, it would be best to go back to the original file straight from your camera. There are all kinds of things that can go wrong with using file converters, & that may be a factor here.

Can you post the MediaInfo report for that original clip? Is it really an AVI? Unusual for an action cam. That's how best to determine the most appropriate output format & profile.

I won't confuse the issue with square & non-square pixels.

Cheers - Tony
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Wreckage

Newbie Location: Brisbane, Australia Joined: Aug 08, 2015 18:46 Messages: 15 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 03:20

Thanks, ynotfish.

Please see attached txt for file info on original cam output. Yes.. it's *.avi.

Cheers.

Oh.. the cam is one of these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DV-HD-1080P-Helmet-Head-Camera-Waterproof-Sports-Action-Cam-Car-Camcorder-DVR-/301552616200?hash=item4635efc308

Filename	Input_Orig_avi.txt	Download
Description	MediaInfo text file
Filesize	2 Kbytes
Downloaded:	265 time(s)

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 09. 2015 03:22

Everything is inevitable

James Dotson

Senior Contributor Location: Tennessee Joined: Aug 24, 2009 20:40 Messages: 3066 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 03:40

They use an avi container for h.264 mp4. The original is also 720p, so you will get much better results if you start with that file. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Aug 09, 2015 03:45

Good information!

So - it started life as as 1280x720p @ 10MBps 60fps. I'm not surprised it's suffering now.

Insert the original clip in the timeline & go to Produce.

Select AVC H.264 - MPEG-4 - 1280x720/30p 16MBps

If you want you can click on the + button and change the framerate to 60 & the bitrate to 10000

Click start.

That should give you a better result!

Cheers - Tony

Edit: We're singing the same song James!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 09. 2015 03:47

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Wreckage

Newbie Location: Brisbane, Australia Joined: Aug 08, 2015 18:46 Messages: 15 Offline

Aug 10, 2015 05:57

Thank-you people for all your great help and tips! I'm grateful.

I would still like to know what is the intended use of the 'Clip' button that allows the resizing of the clip.

What's it really for?

Anyway, you've given me a great introduction to PowerDirector and you can almost guarantee I'll have more questions down the track.

Cheers. Everything is inevitable