need help w/ VHS capture to MPG file [large images]

[808-buma]

Hey all,
just found one of my original anime tapes from the 80's - Good Morning Althea, and attempted to use my new capture card to get it into a digital format. Below is the original image capture:


the colors are very washed out and dark, so I tried to use my very limited knowledge of AVISynth scripting and came up with the following script:

Code: Select all

mpeg2source("G:\00-Video Files\PVR Recordings\Good Morning Althea.d2v")
Crop(0,0,-0,-8)
TomsMoComp(1,5,1)
mfrainbow()
SSXSharpen()
deen("w3d",4,10,12)
temporalcleaner()
mftoon()
Tweak(cont=1.3,sat=1.5,bright=-13, hue=0)
LanczosResize(720,480)

the crop was for some 'garbage' at the bottom of the screen and then resized it at the last step. With the above, I get the below image:


a lot better looking, but my main problem is with the reds. You see the banding in the images? Anyone know how to get rid or minimize that banding? Also, if you look closely, you see the figure has some pink tatoos on her face (and on her body as well) that seem to get very washed out. Any way to enhance it without washing it out?

Also, as this is the first time I'm trying to basically script for a whole movie file, any other tips any more experienced persons may have would also be appreciated.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

[808-buma]

come-on, anybody? please?

[NeoQuixotic]

First read this: http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/ ... tqual.html , then try out my modifed script.

Code: Select all

mpeg2source("G:\00-Video Files\PVR Recordings\Good Morning Althea.d2v")
TomsMoComp(1,5,1)
Crop(6,0,-6,-10)
ConvertToRGB32() #change colorspace for msmooth
msmooth(threshold=25,strength=2) #will cause a yellow tint if in YV12 colorspace
ConvertToYV12() #changing back to YV12
mftoon()
temporalcleaner()
Tweak(sat=1.1,cont=1.2,bright=-10)
LanczosResize(720,480)

I took out mfrainbow since this image didn't have rainbows, reduced to only mftoon for sharpening, changed deen with msmooth (for smoothing out the weird dot pattern), cropped a bit more, minor saturation, contrast , and brightness adjustments, color space conversions to avoid tinting issues, and slight change of filter order. Heres an image of what I got:

I'm fairly sure there is a better solution, but this should be fine.

[808-buma]

wow, thanks!

the image looks great, just have to play with the colors a little and I think it will be just great!

Yes, I do think that there is a better way - get a VCR with an S-Video out and try again. However, no one I know has an S-video out VCR...

oh well

must try this soon, thanks again