Imported video is pixelated (new user)

[SVOhio]

Problem: I imported screen captures I had in mp4 format and they are severely pixelated and I don't know why?

I'm a 20+ year Corel Draw user, first-time Video Studio Ultimate (VS) user and downloaded it today. I need to edit 20 mp4 video screen captures for a project. If I play these in on any video player on my 24" monitor they are perfect and sharp. I import them into VS and they are pixelated beyond comprehension.

What I've tried: I read a number of posts and downloaded a video converter (BroSoft) and nothing improved. I would assume VS would have defaults and I don't know how to reset those. Another post stated they cleared the Smart Proxy files through the Smart Proxy Manager, but my Smart Proxy is on but no files were there.

I need this to work tonight and need some help to resolve this issue.

[tletter]

first-time Video Studio Ultimate (VS) user and downloaded it today.

Trial or fully licensed version?

I imported screen captures I had in mp4 format and they are severely pixelated and I don't know why?

Let VS match the properties of the video clips when you first create your VSP.

It is possible that there's something unusual about the properties of your video screen captures, but you'd need to tell us the properties or provide a sample clip.

tletter
https://www.youtube.com/user/tletter

[SVOhio]

Fully licensed. It did ask to match properties on the first import and I did let it.

Original file properties:

File format: MPEG-4
File size: 42.7 MB
Duration: 362.279 seconds

Video type: H.264 main Profile Video
Total frames: 6,308
Attributes: 24 bigts, 1920x1080, 16:9
Frame rate: 17.412 frames/sec
Data rate: 181 Kbps

Audio type: MPEG AAC Audio
Total samples: 17,389,425
Attributes: 48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
Bit rate: 168 Kbps

[Ken Berry]

The Frame Rate is a significant problem. It makes me assume that the original video was taken on a smartphone which uses variable frame rates. Video Studio has trouble with those.

I know you said you have tried a converter program. The one we use here with success is freeware Handbrake. That should at least produce a video with a standard frame rate and normally with no pixelation.

But I suspect you might still have trouble with the way it plays after conversion (not the way it looks in terms of pixels). That's because 17.412 is fairly different from standard frame rates. You are fairly obviously from Ohio and thus would be using NTSC standards. The standard rates there are 29.97 frames per second (evened up to 30 fps) and 60 fps.

However, I suppose 15 fps could also be considered standard. In Handbrake, if you go into the Video tab about a third the way down (in a line of tabs that go Summary, Dimensions, Filters, Video etc) you can select 15 fps there as the output frame rate.

[tletter]

Attributes: 24 bigts, 1920x1080, 16:9
Data rate: 181 Kbps

YT recommends 8 Mbps for 1080p, however, your data rate is much less than that. Even the YT recommended bitrate of 360p is 1 Mbps which is much greater than that of your source video. That being said, you report that they play "on any video player on my 24" monitor they are perfect and sharp". Hence it would appear the VS can't handle your video clips in their default format.

my Smart Proxy is on but no files were there

This is odd as by default VS creates Smart Proxy files using a resolution threshold of 480p. So perhaps VS doesn't recognize your video clips as 1080p.

Frame rate: 17.412 frames/sec

This frame rate is low and non-standard, for example, the recommended minimum for video sharing site like YT is 24 fps. VS probably can't handle the non-standard nature of your frame rate so the output isn't likely to be very good. You might want to run your video clips through HandBrake and output to a standard fps.

tletter
https://www.youtube.com/user/tletter

[SVOhio]

Ken & tletter:

Thanks for your replies, insights and explanations. All your property number analysis is informative and educational, I do appreciate it and it will be use full as I learn.

Before moving on, these videos are NOT smart phone videos, and I was wrong, they are recorded using a 24" desktop monitor through HDMI, not a 17" laptop monitor, for laptop/desktop presentation use... not as movies or home videos and play clearly on 24" monitors. Second, what does being from Ohio have to do with anything? In possibly seeking to purchases a video editor, I had used two free video editors which I've tested these files on beforehand (Bandicam, VEED.IO), which actually work well and have no problem with the video resolution on output, but these editors don't have enhanced features.

In my opinion, the data rate and frame rate are not the issue. Here is why:

1. No matter the Frame/Data rate, if I record a video at those setting on a 24", and they play back at that same resolution, I should expect that resolution on anything 24" and smaller.
2. If I can dump these videos into other inferior editors and not have any pixelation issues, then the issue is not the file properties, frame rates, etc. I do agree, based on your combined analysis these should be better, but clearly not the problem. The problem and concern I see is the setup of VS and its capability. Two glaring issues stand out and there may be more.
3. The only issue is VS capability.... very disappointing if it cannot be corrected.

Additional issue:
• Smart Proxy apparently is not working properly - why?

Let's forget about frames and data rates for now. I agree, they may be an issue but an issue is a symptom, but clearly not the problem if other cheap software doesn't have that issue. What is the workaround? So, I'm not disagreeing with your wisdom and experience but I need problem solvers, not nay-sayers. Unless there is something in your combined wisdom I should be modifying in VS settings for compatibility, or would be regular adjustments on a per video basis, I've only been offered one resolution - Handbrake. So let me ask this. Could I do a workaround and use VS to re-record this? I can play these videos on a 24" monitor with descent resolution and use VS to record these videos and then edit them?

[Ken Berry]

The reference to Ohio obviously came from your username, plus of course the fact that it tells us you are in the US where NTSC video is used. You had not otherwise mentioned that. NTSC standard frame rates were, as I said, 29.97/30 and 60, with 15 being a possibility. Outside the US many countries don't use NTSC but another system called PAL, and standard frame rates for that are quite different: 25 and 50. So Ohio was relevant in that sense in telling us what the relevant standard frame rates should be.

The other thing is we have in fact admitted that VS is the problem here in the sense that it cannot process video which has a variable frame rate as yours does. In that sense it doesn't matter if the video was filmed using a smartphone or as you suggest a desktop monitor. Whatever filmed it uses a variable frame rate, and VS can't handle it, period. Yes, there may be other programs that can, including freebies. But the makers of VS have not given the program that ability. The only thing we can suggest is what we have already suggested: using a third party video conversion program to convert the frame rate from variable to a standard one which VS can recognize and edit. A number of us use Handbrake, but that is just a personal preference, but any other conversion program should be able to do the job.

As for SmartProxy, that was designed to help users who have high resolution video which their computers are not powerful enough to edit from their own resources. It makes low resolution copies ('proxies') which the computer can handle more easily, and when you apply filters etc and finish your editing, all the edits are then applied to the original video. SmartProxy can be set to run automatically in Preferences, though you can also make them manually. But it takes time to make the proxies. They are not produced instantly, so you have to be patient. But in any case, I would have thought your computer has enough power to process your videos without the need to create proxies.

As for your suggestion of using VS to re-record the video by playing it on your monitor and having VS film it. I guess that is a possibility though you would need a good quality webcam connected to your computer to do so -- one which is capable of High Definition (1920 x 1080) filming. It would be set to record at a standard frame rate. But you would achieve the same result if you have access to a video camera which films high definition at a standard frame rate, and use that to film the monitor. Then insert that video into VS. But at the end of the day I just don't know how re-recording like this might affect the end quality of the video. I believe you would get better quality by going the Handbrake/converter program route. Or ultimately use one of your other programs which can handle variable frame rates natively.

[tletter]

but I need problem solvers, not nay-sayers

Then provide some samples of your source video so that people can actually investigate the issue.

tletter
https://www.youtube.com/user/tletter

[Ken Berry]

tletter's suggestion is a good one. You won't be able, for file size reasons, to attach it here. But if you have an account with something like Dropbox, you can upload a small file taken from your video captures, and post the URL for it here.

[SVOhio]

Ken & tletter,

So, I did locate video and audio settings for the recording software. I respectfully understand what you mean and how increasing the fps and data rates can have an impact so you taught me something helpful. I generated output using Movie Maker and VSU and there is a distinct difference in rendering. I've used 4 different apps and their output rendering are better than VSU. My goal with your help, aside from in the future asking others and trying to improve fps and data rates before recording is whether there is a way to make adjustments to improve or match the resolution rendering of input? Bells and whistles don't matter if your rendering is less than what is imported, and I find it difficult to believe a $6.00 app can render video better than a $99.00 app?

I cannot provide the actual files due to sensitive information and I recorded a recreated sample from beginning to end as I did with the other with the same results. I provided an image what the default settings are for Video and Audio with the recording software. Interesting fact is that despite the video settings are defaulted to 30fps (and I think the suggestion was 60 minimum), when looking at the file properties of different recordings they are variable and not fixed to 30. So the fps property on a file can range from 3 to 30 fps.

Below are attachments as requested. Thanks for your experience, advice and guidance on this, I appreciate it.

About Each File

Sample_Recording.mp4: is the raw recording using Bandicam
Sample_Recording_Edited.mp4: edited using Movie Maker
VSU_Edited_Output.mp4: imported and edited result of raw video using VSU

Frame-Data-Rate-Settings.png: The default settings in Bandicam
Sample-Edited-Result.png: an image of how the Movie Maker result looks on my monitor
VSU_Edited_Result.png: an image of how VSU result looks in my monitor

[lata]

Bandicam settings show 30fps being used so which MP4 is the original recording.
You say “Sample_Recording.mp4: is the raw recording using Bandicam” yet this uses 5.288fps.
Nay lad I am from Yorkshire and that is a very low rate, fortunately there is little movement in the video. just wondering why setting 30fps results in a 5 fps video, I would check Bandicam again.

Video Studio---I would set the project properties to use the standard rate as used for the Lake Samples
Then insert the Mp4 to the top timeline
Add the titles
From Share choose Same as Project Settings, top left of options panel, a little greyed out.
File size may be a little large but it’s a starting point, reduce the project properties data rate.

Even so the 5 fps is concerning, Promise I wont mention that again.

[Ken Berry]

I can certainly see the poor quality with the blurriness of VSU_Edited_Output, so I can understand your concern. So I went back to basics using your Sample_Recording.mp4 clip. I inserted that in a New Project, got the message about matching Project Properties and said OK. Then went to Share and chose Same As Project Settings. Gave the new clip a name and pressed Start. Rendering took about two seconds. Playing back the new clip on VS and on VLC showed me a pristine clip with none of the blurry movement of VSU_Edited_Output. So that is worth trying.

Following Trevor's suggestion, and still using Sample_Recording, I went to Share and chose Custom output. I made the settings 1920 x 1080, Frame Based, 30 fps and a data rate of 5000 kbps. Rendering produced a new clip of 6385 kb, but with the same quality as the original and no blurriness. The original was of course only 510 kb in size, but the increased size was due to the significantly higher data rate and many more frames with the higher frame rate. So definitely something else worth trying if size is not a major concern.

[tletter]

I find it difficult to believe a $6.00 app can render video better than a $99.00 app?

I imported your Sample_Recording.mp4 into VS2021 and then rendered the project and posted the output to YT (https://youtu.be/XcHJ921SBvY). As can be seen the quality of the VS-rendered video matches that of the source video clip that you provided. Hence VS has no problem rendering your clip.

In short, the pixelation that you are seeing is not the fault of VS when the project properties are set correctly.

Sample_Recording.mp4: is the raw recording using Bandicam

Your source clip has a frame rate of 5.288fps, which as previously mentioned is much less than any standard video frame rate. However, as there is no discernible movement in your clip, the frame rate is irrelevant.

tletter
https://www.youtube.com/user/tletter

[SVOhio]

tletter (and Ken),

I apologize I couldn't respond yesterday. However, tletter you are correct and I discovered this on my own as well. My real issue is that in the SHARE window, it was saving under the project settings. Once I turned that off, then it matched the imported video, and looked as I expected.

Thanks to you both for all your patience, suggestions and help working this out.