Specific suggestions for improving old video

bjtap1

Member Joined: Nov 19, 2010 21:36 Messages: 79 Offline

Solved by

Nov 30, 2020 10:15

Using Director Suite 365. I am currently in the process of editing old video (nearly 30 years old). I do not have access to the original 8 mm tapes anymore and the files are now mp4. My concern is using PowerDirector 19 and Color Director 9 I find that I cannot make the video look quite as good as several other video editing programs I have. I know this is totally subjective when looking at the video and comparing but I would like suggestions on exactly what specific settings and plugins to 'play with' you would use to improve the looks of older video using Director Suite 365. The video is 720x480. Data rate is 1938 kbps, total bitrate is 2048kbps, and frame rate is 29.97.
Thanks. Barry
Clarification: I am not asking what exact settings to be 'set at'. I am asking what settings and plugins you would use.

LET ME SIMPLIFY: Please give suggestions on plugins available to Director Suite 365.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Nov 30. 2020 18:37

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Nov 30, 2020 19:57

Your needs are very subjective but you're asking for specific recommendations, and it's hard to give you any solid answers. Generally speaking, there aren't any magical 1-click plugins; instead most of the work is done with the Fix/ Enhance tool and various FX.

There are people on the forum with vast experience in restoring old 8mm, Super8 and VHS ,and you can you can search the forum using those terms for the kinds of tools and workflows they've discussed.

It would be easier to give you specific steps if you could share one or two actual clips (or small sections of them) so everyone here can see what you're working with. Upload them to YouTube or to a public folder on Google Drive or OneDrive and paste the link to it/them here. Please see this FAQ for more info.

bjtap1

Member Joined: Nov 19, 2010 21:36 Messages: 79 Offline

Dec 01, 2020 17:19

Thanks optodata for your reply. I posted a video on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFZaSg30JBY that shows the 'final' product, that is, post PowerDirector. One can see the 'lower quality'. My concern is that I seem to get slightly better results with other video editors and that is why I want to know what plugins (add ons) other users use for their old video. For example any New Blue etc.. I am not asking for specific settings, only what plugins.
Thanks

For the youtube video I only used Cyberlink adjustments in PowerDirector and ColorDirector.

BTW: at about 2:58 into the video appears to be better... I believe that may have something due to the fact it was recorded at or after sunset... as darkness approached.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 01. 2020 17:30

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Dec 01, 2020 18:05

Ok. You're discussing "plug-ins" and "add-ons" when you're actually asking about Effects (FX) like NewBlue, color presets and LUTs along with other settings like exposure and contrast in the Fix/Enhance tool.

CL refers to plug-ins as individual separate modules like the Multi-Cam Designer and Action Camera Center (they're listed under the Plug-ins menu) but none of them are useful for the kinds of changes you're looking to make.

To my eyes, you footage looks like genuine 8mm content and I'm not sure what you're looking to change.

You could bring out bolder colors by using a Color Preset like Underwater or one of the Landscape HDR Warm/Cold color look-up tables (LUTs). It will take a long time to render the final video so make sure you like what you see before producing.

You can split your timeline clips if necessary to apply different presets or CLUTs to different scenes, and you can add an FX track below the clips and place NewBlueFX or BorisFX there.

I hope some of the other members with more experience will chime in now that we can see what you're working with.