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Known Participant
January 21, 2021
Question

Blurry exports H.264

  • January 21, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 4532 views

Hello,

during the export,some clips are blurry(not all project). I checked the original footage and they`re not blurry at all. In the past, I solved the problem just replacing the blurry clip. However now this is not enough. I`ve tried to export in H.264 VBR2pass but without success. The original footage is in DV 720x576,captured in AVI if this helps.

 

Thanks in advance

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3 replies

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 21, 2021

Post screenshot export settings with left tab to output with an image.

 

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 21, 2021

This is how you export your video either 4;3 or widescreen.

Scale footage as little as possible in the timeline.

Remember SD footage will never look good full screen on a HD monitor or TV.

Known Participant
January 22, 2021

Thanks everybody for your replies. I tried to deinterlace with topaz lab video but it didn`t work. I did with Handbrake. I don`t know if the result it`s good, put it on timeline with progressive settings and exported asyou both siad. The result is this.

 

The bitrate that i have to use id 7.5 right or 5?

 

FlyingFourFun
Inspiring
January 21, 2021

Can you please post a picture of one frame of video.  There is several kinds of "blurry" and each has its own way to resolve.  if you want to try something (But I would wait for advice after you post your video frame sample) there is few things that jump out as possible without seeing the blurry video frame for myself.  (There is a picture icon when you create a reply that allows you to attach a photo).

 

1) You have an AVI @ 576 this to me means its likely an interlaced video.  If so some people might call that blurry when they export, because it has the effect of appearing like your looking through horizontal blinds.  Premier seems to play them back fine int he preview window, but combined with an export it sometimes looks really bad.  When we see your still frame, we will know what it is.

 

2) The bit rate you used on the export is too low.  if that's the case, it will look like lego bricks to different degree's depending on how low the bit rate used was.   Combined with frame size of the export (and upscaling) it will also play a  role in the 'blur' - please specify the bit rates you used also.  If your exporting 4K I try to not go under 50k unless I have a specific reason.  if you are using VBR, I tend to set the max to 60/65 and and the target to like 45/50 (I adjust based on how much noise is in the video and movement, both of which need more bit rate to improve display quality).

 

3) What frame size is your export.  If you are for example, exporting that 576i vertical, and trying to get it to scale up to a 2160p, and not doing anything about the type of upscale you are using, the video will also be blurry.  The work around that's "suitable" is to create a 4k time line, and put your lower frame size video on it.  Use the "transform" filter under the "distort" heading (NOT the scaling you see by default on every clip) and scale it up to fit the frame.  There is an option on type of scaling (which is the quality of the math used).

 

And the quality and type of upscale:

 

 

Some type of graphics images work better or worse with the different "Sampling" settings, which is why they are both presented.

 

This will improve dramatically the quality for the upscale for exporting in 4K (or high than what you started) but its not a miracle worker.    The reason why when you play an old AVI file in media player and it looks okay is typically Media player is handling that de-interlace and doing this scaling for you, and often, people don't scale up the video, they watch it at its defaults 1:1 pixel size.

 

As a side note, if scaling is your issue, and you want remarkable results purchase Topaz Video Enhance AI and it will work small miracles for you.  BUT be warned, it doesn't work on Interlaced video either so you have to deal with that.

 

 

Known Participant
January 21, 2021

Hi FlyingForFun. Thanks for the detailed answer. Yes, the video is an interlaced one and it has the horizontal blinds effect. Post here below a frame.

 

-FRAME SIZE.The setting of the Sequnce was 720x576 , exported in the same  frame size ,720x576.

-BITRATE: I used the VBR pass2  targetbitrate10,maximum bitrate 10. You say that you use max 60 and target 45-50. How do you get these numbers? My maximum in the box of birate is 17.4. I just post the window of my export windows.

I also have to say that the frame above had an upscale in effect control from 100 to 115 that contributed to the "Blurry"effect.

 

Thanks

FlyingFourFun
Inspiring
January 21, 2021

Okay lots of answers in that list;  Your source footage is in fact interlaced, in the screen shot you provided you will see it say "lower field first", that's a type of interlacing.  I would suggest you apply a de-interlace (or consider it);  Apply this effect BEFORE others.   Chance your sequence settings so its not a interlaced sequence also, or you will not be able to de-interlace it;  This step will be very important to remove some of the 'blur' especialy in places where there is movement on the frame (technicaly the 'blur' from interlacing is called combing btw).

 

the 115% zoom is not a big concern but with this source footage its likly contributing to your blur also.  When you start video of your original source quality, it will magnify flaws.  I would suggest if you can in your settings,  try and change the transform setting for zoom to BiCubic and see how it works for you, its often better results, but not always.

 

As for bit rate;  I was assuming your 4K output.  the following chart is a good reference for different format and bit rates upto 1080p if you have not seen this before.

 

Type Video Bitrate, Standard Frame Rate (24, 25, 30) Video Bitrate, High Frame Rate (48, 50, 60)

1080p8 Mbps12 Mbps
720p5 Mbps7.5 Mbps
480p2.5 Mbps4 Mbps
360p1 Mbps1.5 Mbps

 

I treat the above as the lowest,  so your rates are actually very good for this, maybe even high as toyr between 480p and 720p.  (based on the screen shoot I saw)  Based on your frame size, the system will not let you pick the rates I suggested, they are for 4K).

 

So and the end of all of this,  I believe what I am seeing for the 'blurry' in your video is a combination of low frame size, zoomed up, and interlaced footage.  Its possible to improve the output with a deinterlace (but dont forgot to use a deinterlaced sequence setting) and a little better upscale and if you can use less zoom.  15% on 4k is not too bad, but with your source footage it is a bigger impact.

 

Keep in mind that because you have interlaced footage your vertical res is only half of that 576.

 

Another few things you can try to improve that output is to apply a noise remove filter (you have a little bit of compression artifacts and noise.   Noise Remove can add lots of processing time (be warned).  I think some people also smooth out the compression and noise by apply a slight Gaussian blur  (I think people use 3%).  It will soften the picture, but some people enjoy that look, it reduced the pixelation you see with compression artificacts.

 

There is ways to make even bigger improvement to the quality using Topaz Labs Video Enhance AI, if this footage is really important to you, try thier download trial edition and see if its work the several hundred for you.  

 

With that said,  I think you will find deinterlacing, a marked improvement, tweek with noise removal or the blur for a bit more, and try to lower the zoom level.  I can see the combing from your interlaced video in her hair where there is a strand off to the side against the wall, on the neclace etc.  With motion, this will get much worse,  if you properly fix the interlacing issue it will make the biggest impact.  There are better ways than the built in tools in premier to deinterlace, but try the free included tools first.  If thats not enough improvement, post a seperate question here if you dotn already find a post about this. 

Known Participant
January 21, 2021

Of course in Premiere Pro