Howto: The perfect AMV
 

I suppose you already have the latest version of VirtualDub, if not, get it from www.virtualdub.org. I always use the latest experimental build. ;)

So let's start with opening your file.

Now open the Filters dialog in VirtualDub.

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/7177/step1wo5.png

If your video resolution is high, add a 2:1 reduction (high quality) filter first.

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/1631/step2sn8.png

Then add a Resize filter and set one of the resolutions to the screen resolutions of your player, depending on your screen aspect ratio and the way you want to do the cropping of the video.

I have a 1.5' player with an aspect ratio of 1:1 (square screen) and a resolution of 128x128 so i set the h-res of the video to 128 and then crop on the sides to get the v-res to 128 as well. Don't use the cropping option in this section, as it doesn't seem to work properly.

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/8449/step3zf9.png

Hit OK and click Cropping, then drag the sides until you get the right aspect ratio:

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9040/step4vk0.png
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6569/step5rm6.png

Now add a HSV filter and change the saturation to 125-140% for more vivid colors.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/6318/step6bf6.png

And a Sharpen filter for better contrast. 20-25 should be enough for a crisp image, but preventing artifacts as well.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/6290/step7fj5.png

Hit OK.

That's it for the first part.

Part 2 will discuss framerate conversion for different AMV converter settings, and audio volume boost if the sound is too quiet on the player.

Stay tuned! 8)

Re: Howto: The perfect AMV
 

If you want I can include it in my guide too after you finish it :). That's be cool ;).

Okay, i'm back from "da ghetto" so it's time for part 2. :D

I'm sure you experienced those framerate "jumps" on your player. I'll show you how to get rid of them for good.

You see, VirtualDub's got this magical option:

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4567/step8rb3.png
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2315/step8jv3.png

Type in there the following numbers:

- 12 for the "high" framerate option of the AMV converter
- 10 for the "middle" framerate option of the AMV converter
- 8 for the "low" framerate option of the AMV converter.

That is for version 3.68 of the MP3 player utilities, other versions may have different settings. Open the AmvTransform.ini file in your converter folder and look for the corresponding framerate for your screen resolution.

For example: 128x128(8,10,12) means that you can use either 8, 10, or 12 fps, configurable in the Settings menu of your converter (low, middle and high). 128x128(0,16,0) means it's fixed at 16 fps and you can't change it in the converter's Settings menu (for version 4.15), but you can modify it directly in the INI to any framerate you would like if your chipset supports it. 8)

Now for the audio. Make sure you're in full processing mode.

The AMV converter may have a problem with your audio, usually there isn't a problem, but just to be sure, convert it:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/3130/step10ch5.png
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9582/step11lk8.png

Make sure it's 8-bit, in my case it was, so i left it unchanged.

Now crank up the volume! You'll have to experiment with it, depending on the initial loudness of the movie, so you don't overdrive it. If it sounds like crap, it's turned too loud. :lol:

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/2950/step12wk7.png

There is a more efficient and higher quality method of making the audio louder, but that involves a sound editing software like Sound Forge or Nero Wave Editor, and that will be discussed in an eventual part 3. ;)

Now you're all set, make sure both audio and video are set to uncompressed, then hit Save, wait for VirtualDub to process your video, then give the output file to your AMV converter and use the corresponding franerate settings to configure it. The image quality option never worked anyway and the focus option will have no effect on this properly scaled file.

Just remember, higher framerate = smoother playback = larger file. :P

Well, that was it. Best of luck in converting your video! 8)

All content in this guide is copyright (c) 2007 by Th3_uN1Qu3. Any material, text, graphics or media, are not to be reproduced without permission. Doing so would be an infringement to copyright laws and will be punished accordingly.

And that's done with the legal bullshit as well. You are allowed to post this guide elsewhere, just give proper credits and drop me a link, okay? :)

Revised on 19/08/07, 09:22AM

alex2pb, i'd better see that sticky updated first. :P

Any mods willing to update the VirtualDub sticky? I'll give you a hand!

Re: Howto: The perfect AMV
 

Hi, thanks for the guide :)

Can I ask, why do you need the 2:1 reduction filter before the resize? If you're resizing anyway, why do you need to reduce?

I still get frame tearing too, and have not been able to find a way of getting rid of it (tried deinterlace, all sorts of frame rates etc)

It allows for a sharper image. ;)

By "tearing" you mean that tearing you can see in motion-intensive games when vsync is off?

If so, i have experienced it too, but it was the source video at fault. I couldn't really do anything about it, as that was how it was initially recorded.

Deinterlacing is only for those low-res videos which draw only half of the image to allow for higher resolutions. If you look closely at such a video, it will have a blank line under each line of the picture. Deinterlacing removes those lines, it does nothing else.

By the way... You can save your VirtualDub settings by going into File -> Save processing settings, then you can load them from File -> Load processing settings. This way you won't have to set every filter once you close and reopen VirtualDub. Just remember to get the cropping right after loading the settings. ;)

Yes, pretty much exactly the same effect. It isn't with the source for me though because a) the movies / clips I've converted weren't tearing beforehand, and b) once converted to AMV they aren't tearing when played with the AMV player on my PC.

It's mostly noticeable when there is as lot of action / movement on screen, quite annoying. I'm wondering if my player runs at even less than 12 fps. I thought it ran at 16fps, and that works, but at 16 theres a big stutter every few seconds, 12 doesn't have this, but the tearing is still there.

That depends on your player the MP3 Player Utilities version you are using. 3.68 can use 8, 10 and 12 fps - corresponding to low, middle, high framerate options, while 4.15 always uses 16 fps on screens smaller than 2', and then it decreases to 12, respective 10 fps. It can be hacked to run at any framerate you want though if the chipset supports it. :D

Always remember to convert the fps rate with VirtualDub to the value you are going to use, otherwise you will get those jumps in the video.

I always use low framerate (8 fps) as i'm more interested in music than video on my player, i only carry around a music video and a couple anime episodes to watch with a friend when there's nothing else to do outside and just switch them every day.

There is some tearing in motion-intensive scenes indeed, but my player's crappy 1.5' screen has too much ghosting for the tearing to be noticeable. :lol: The ghosting is quite nice to have though, as i'm not bothered by the low framerate this way. :P

A little bump to remind you fellas. 8)