Uploading PAL SD 4:3 to YouTube AND Mastering an old DVD Master

discburn wrote on 12/1/2018, 6:14 AM

Two in one question here, but very related...

I have an old movie I shot many moons ago. It’s PAL 4:3, Interlaced at Bottom Field First. I only have the PAL DVD master.

I've cleaned up some audio and video 'discrepancies' that modern technology enables. Now I want to upload it to YouTube. BUT, I’m reading that, for a better look, it should be Square Pixels - 640x480 not 720x576, yet keep the 4:3 display ratio. I know that YouTube does that automatically, but doing it oneself is supposed to give a better result?

1. Should I crop/resize it on the VPX timeline to 640x480?

2. While exporting, do I change 720x576 to 640x480?

3. MP4 and Progressive?

4. How well does VPX deinterlace to Progressive without losing half the data?

Additionally, I want to make and keep a new Master File. Other than the new DVD that I’m generating (PAL, 720x576, 4:3, BFF), is there a higher quality I can make and keep?

And, for YouTube, Vimeo, etc. what high quality Master can I make for uploading?

Many thanks in advance!

Seamus

Comments

emmrecs wrote on 12/1/2018, 11:29 AM

Hi Seamus.

I assume you've seen YT's own recommendations on this page?

  • I've never uploaded any 4:3 footage to YT so can't comment on the specifics you ask about; my personal inclination would NOT be to crop/resize in VPX, nor to change the ratio on export.
  • YT clearly likes/prefers mp4 and Progressive. As to losing "half the data", I've not seen that, but why not export a short section to mp4 and check it on your computer for any obvious loss of quality/detail.

As to the question about a higher quality export: no software can raise the quality of existing footage because it cannot "put in" what is not already there! DVD is, as you quite rightly say, Standard Definition; High Definition has, as you know, a completely different aspect ratio (usually) and more pixels in each frame. More pixels = higher bit rate to accommodate the "extra detail". But this "extra detail" is created during filming and maintained during the export process. Your DVD already lacks that "extra detail" because, depending on the original source video it was either never there to start with or was lost during the original export to DVD and it cannot be artificially recreated.

Having said all the above, I know and have used one program which can upscale existing video footage, Infognition's Video Enhancer, website here. I've had some good results and some not so impressive results when using this software, so caveat emptor!

HTH

Jeff

Win 11 Pro 64 bit, Intel i7 14700, 32 GB RAM, NVidia RTX 4060 and Intel UHD770 Graphics, Audient EVO 16 audio interface, VPX, MEP, Music Maker, Vegas Pro, PhotoStory Deluxe, Xara 3D Maker 7, Samplitude Pro X7 Suite, Reaper, Adobe Audition CC, 2 x Canon HG10 cameras, 1 x Canon EOS 600D, Akaso EK7000 Pro Action Cam

discburn wrote on 12/1/2018, 2:42 PM

Thanks Jeff.

Yes, I've seen YT's recommendations. And it is rather weird trying to crop/shrink and export 720x576 at 640x480.

I must say, I'm very pleased with the new DVD that VPX produced from the re-edit. The disc is, of course, PAL 720x576 Interlaced BFF 4:3 at approx. 8.5Mbps.

I think I will make an Mpeg 2 file with exactly the same settings as the DVD, for use with file players or USB sticks.

I'll also experiment with an MP4 720x576 4:3 Progressive at 8Mbps. Is there even such a setting in MP4?

Seamus