VSX7 time-lapse video mp4 quality issues

[Ken Berry]

FWIW, I just downloaded both the SmartPackage and the final mp4, and I too could not see anything to complain about. With the SmartPackage, like Trevor, I increased the duration of each frame a little so as to give more time to actually see the final video clip. But apart from that, the final quality was good on my 24 inch full HD 1920 x 1080 monitor. And like others, I can see absolutely no pixelation or blockiness.

Mind you, when I output in AVCHD format, I used a slightly higher bitrate (20 Mbps) than I did for the mp4 output (15 Mbps). But while I could see a slightly increased quality in the AVCHD, there was nothing at all wrong with the mp4 output either.

[lata]

Hi the_hefay--all

How are you adding your images to the timeline.?

I have been carrying out a few timelapse recordings with good results.
Normally I insert images to the timeline by right Click timeline Insert Photo.
I make sure adding Auto transitions is off, then I resize the image durations to 1 frame. As I say all my tests were good.

Then I thought I would try the Insert Photo for timelapse strobe, I don’t have to resize the images as that is selected. during the import process. All images were inserted as 1 frame (480)
Then I rendered to MP4 the quality was terrible.
When I viewed the MP4 video duration (16seconds) compared to the project image duration (19 seconds) there was a big difference, three seconds had been lost.
Effectively one frame in 6 is dropped?

The pulsation caused by loosing those frames looked awful, I mean really bad.

Ok
I am writing this as I test, I have repeated the tests and created a bad video however the 16 second video now shows as 19 seconds, still bad and pulsates, I think I am cracking up, certainly confused……….

I need to repeat those tests?

Can you try adding your images to the timeline as above using Insert Photo not as “Insert Photo for timelapse strobe”

[canuck]

Trevor,
are you using the images from "the-hefay's" SmartPackage? It contains only 30 images so if the duration is set for 1 frame how to you get a 16 second video?

[rwernyei]

Trevor states 1 frame (480) @ 30fps = 16 secs.

*Rendering the 480 frames @ 25fps = 19.2 secs.

[canuck]

Trevor states 1 frame (480) @ 30fps = 16 secs.

*Rendering the 480 frames @ 25fps = 19.2 secs.

If you have 30 images and your fps is 30 (as is shown in the posters vsp project file) , then the video duration is 1 second. Where do the 480 frames come from?

Maybe I don't understand how timelapse works but ....

[lata]

Hi Canuck / rwernyei

Sorry guys if I did not make it clear, “the_hefay’s” samples were too short to test the quality so I took my own series of images 480 in all taken at 6 second intervals.

I said in my post “I have been carrying out a few timelapse recordings with good results.”

All renders were done using 25fps as I live in UK and use Pal

The images were added to the timeline (right Click Add Photo)
Changing the image duration to 1 frame each.
The project was then rendered to Pal MP4 at 25fps not 30 fps. = 19sec 04 frames
Good results.

Repeated the above but added the images using “Insert Photo for Timelapse” set to 1 frame.
Immediately rendered using same template at 25fps duration now 15sec 24frames
Very poor results.

Now I don’t have any idea why I lost those frames

rwernyei, you did make me worried regarding 30 fps, but I have viewed the properties of both of my samples and they are both 25fps.
Interesting though that the problem sample does calculate to 30fps.

I will make the 480 images available for download 113Mb

Try this link, use the images to create your own timelapse

http://1drv.ms/1nwNsIX

Hi Guys

Post updated

I have found the reason for my poor video, when I opened the VSP provided by “the_hefay” the project used NTSC standards.
Video Studio X7 uses the last projects properties for all new projects.

I started a new project, I had not noticed the projects frame rate of 29.97, I added my images, rendered to MP4 standard template, For me being in UK used 25 fps.

As I did not choose Same as Project Properties I would have thought the render would use all images/frames at 25 fps creating a good video, but not so frames are dropped causing the judder.

I guess the lesson to be learnt is to be careful when working with a mix of Pal and Ntsc.

Other than that all my timelapse renders are good.
Sorry for any confusion.

[the_hefay]

Thanks everyone for your responses and input. Sorry I'm so late to respond all the time. My schedule's pretty crazy at the moment.

Anyways, I added photos using the "insert photo for time-lapse/strobe" option by right-clicking on the timeline. I'll try adding them a different way and see if anything changes. I also, see that sp1 is now available for download. So I'll go ahead and install it, but I'm not sure what "fixes" it has and whether or not it would address my problem or not.

[the_hefay]

ok. I'm still not satisfied with what I'm seeing. I went ahead and made a time-lapse with a different series of photos and the results were much better. Although it was satisfactory, it was not as good as I had hoped.

Some have suggested different codecs. I only have one available in the drop down box for mp4 files. Am I missing something?

Also, I am using windows media player to view the videos. Is there a better program to use for viewing the mp4's? If the mp4 I put in dropbox looks great, perhaps it's the video player and not the rendering.

[lata]

Hi

Video Playback

I have been using Video Studio to play the sample video.
I can play in large view by pressing the “enlarge” icon next to the Scissors.
Also whilst playing the clip, double clicking the preview screen will play in full screen.
I also use VCL Media Player, that seems to play most formats.

Your sample is only 1 second long so I little difficult to view the quality but what I can see looks ok, playing at 50% speed looks a little jerky – to be expected – but no pixilation – the video looks ok.

I will do a new timelapse and upload the MP4 to Dropbox, and if you see poor quality then as you say it may be your playback and not the rendering.

Video Studio MPEG 4 options from Share

I see 8 options as first image below, although showing as Pal, you should see NTSC
Second image for AVC h264 options

[the_hefay]

I get those same options also. However, I only see one codec as a choice for mp4 so I'm sure if that's what is normal or not. Also, here is the link for the full length mp4 time-lapse that I did. The tree branches at the top of the screen do well. The vegetation, dirt, etc. at the bottom are mushy. The clouds have good moments and bad moments as far as quality goes. And the top of the silo completely disappears a couple of times. That's what I see anyways.

mp4 codec

CVSx7 mp4 codec.jpg (75.27 KiB) Viewed 4361 times

https://www.dropbox.com/s/64i1lx9ite922 ... %20mp4.mp4

[canuck]

I am sorry I cannot see any of the problems you mention - have viewed it on my computer (which does not have a good video system) as well as one my Samsung HD TV - no problems that I can see. Can you pinpoint the times where you see the problems?

[the_hefay]

4.2 sec. - the top of the silo disappears.

entire video - little blocky sections all over the ground.

5.23 sec. - a box forms around the silo.

4.14 to 5.25 - clouds are almost complete mush. Movement can be seen, but very little detail.

I just built myself a new computer. The only thing I reused was the hdd's and the case. I've rendered the video on the old system and this new one and the results are the same for me. Very puzzling how you can view my video in good quality and I can't. If you look back at the cropped screen shots I posted on page one, that shows exactly what I'm seeing. Notice that the silo is missing it's top in the mp4 screenshot.

[rwernyei]

I too, downloaded your SmartPackaged files and saw no visible visual artifacts, pixelation or blockiness. IMO, they look pretty good. I went back and looked at your cropped screenshots and did not see any of your noted problems. Seems like your GPU's settings-Antialiasing and Anisotropic Filtering might be the culprit.

Visual examples of GPU filtering:
http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/aa-af-guide#1
http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/aa-af-guide#2

[the_hefay]

Interesting. I'm not sure how the screenshots can look different to me on all my computers and not to you. They are both .jpeg files and therefore if there is any AA or AF issues with my any of my computers, both .jpeg's should be the affected the same. When viewed on either of my computers or on my laptop, (that would be three completely different hardware setups and 2 different operating systems) the screenshots are very much different. The top of the silo is gone in the mp4 screen shot and is distinct in the wmv screen shot. I'm not saying that there can't be an AA or AF issue with the video viewing.

I'm not trying to be argumentative. I appreciate everyone's input. But the .jpg's are not the same quality. They are most certainly different. One has detail. One doesn't. If they are the same quality, then I'm losing it.

[rwernyei]

I see the cropped screenshots with the unusual artifacts just like you. The problems are I do not see them exhibited in any of your provided videos when viewing and possibly the way the screenshots were taken. The screenshot capture software could have applied some anti-flickering or smoothing that blended fields causing this phenomena.