How to increase brightness in avi videos?

[Skybird]

Whatever I download is waayyyy too dark, 60% of the movies are usualy pitchblack, but in all three players where I tried them in, colour, contrast and brightness controls are locked.

[Konovalov]

This is a great question. I have come across problems like this also. Anyone have any ideas?

[Perilscope]

VirtualDub does it with the "filters".

http://www.virtualdub.org/

[Skybird]

It is done via editing the original data? Does this mean that these videos are intentionally recorded so dark that even setting a gamma of 2.0 does not allow me to see more in the dark fields (but lesser in the lighter fields, if there happen to be any)?

I avoided AVI captures in the past, and if it is like this, then I can live very well with avoiding them in the future as well.

[Perilscope]

It is done via editing the original data?
If the brightness is blocked, of course you need to re-encode the video with higher brightness if you want it higher.

I avoided AVI captures in the past, and if it is like this, then I can live very well with avoiding them in the future as well.
So be it... what can I say, they put the word "capture" because it can do that to, but it's mainly a powerful linear video editing tool. By the way, VirtualDub does not install, you just click on the EXE, so no harm done if you do not like it or too intimidating for you, you just toss the folder in the trash and that's it. ;)

[Skybird]

Yes, I just meant I find it so stupid to intentionally record movies that damn dark that one cannot see anything. Player software has brightness controls, like a TV. Why intentionally locking these controls? Stupid. It's always the case with AVIs. It's never the case with WMFs.

[Skybird]

tried it anyway, with four different AVIs. And it did not load any of them - each of them, it complained, being another kind of additional format that it would not operate for not being compatible.

Well, worth an attempt, no AVIs for me, then.

[Gizzmoe]

tried it anyway, with four different AVIs. And it did not load any of them - each of them, it complained, being another kind of additional format that it would not operate for not being compatible.

Then you need to install a codec pack like K-Lite:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Mega_Codec_Pack.htm

[CB..]

i have this problem with games aswell....fairly inexplicable...some games just are unplayable simply because they are far too dark...quite literaly a pitch black screen with some vague shapes moving about..no amount of gamma correction or brightness adjustment touches it..i have a program called powerstrip which sometime does the trick allowing me to adjust the gamma from there but still there are many games that this program is incompatible with..

foxes me

[Skybird]

tried it anyway, with four different AVIs. And it did not load any of them - each of them, it complained, being another kind of additional format that it would not operate for not being compatible.

Then you need to install a codec pack like K-Lite:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Mega_Codec_Pack.htm
Thanks, that worked, though not easily accessible. Any way how I could save the lightened video without reserving several GB for what before was just 50 MB, and spending half an hour for the saving? The help file is for inside only, I did not understand even half of what I red.

[Gizzmoe]

Goto Audio and make sure that "Direct Stream Copy" is selected.

Then go to Video/Compress, select Xvid, Configure

Profile @ Level: Advanced Simple @ L5
Encoding type: Single Pass
Target quantizer: 3
Quality preset: General Purpose
Click Other Options, set "FourCC used" to DivX.

If you want to change wmv or MPEG2 files you need VirtualDub-MPEG2:
http://fcchandler.home.comcast.net/stable/

Or play the videos with BSplayer (comes with K-Lite), you can change the brightness and other things in Video/Color Controls.

[Skybird]

Okay, I'll try that and blindly follow what oyu typed - I have no idea what it is that I am switching on that way. :)

[tycho102]

Whatever I download is waayyyy too dark, 60% of the movies are usualy pitchblack, but in all three players where I tried them in, colour, contrast and brightness controls are locked.

You have to change your movie engine. In Windows, that means you're going to have to enable VMR9 to change things. I have no idea how to get that done with Windows Media Player. I think you have to enable VMR9 support for your video card, and then WMP will use it automatically.

[Skybird]

Whatever I download is waayyyy too dark, 60% of the movies are usualy pitchblack, but in all three players where I tried them in, colour, contrast and brightness controls are locked.

You have to change your movie engine. In Windows, that means you're going to have to enable VMR9 to change things. I have no idea how to get that done with Windows Media Player. I think you have to enable VMR9 support for your video card, and then WMP will use it automatically.
Hä?

However, with Virtual Dub I found out now how to increase brightness - it is shown in the right of the two parrallel monitors, the left shows the original. But I did not find out how to save the manipulated version via the save-option. I tried that four times now, but the newly created AVI always was the old dark one.

:huh: The help file does not really elp to enlighten me. It's not really intuitive. Wwhat must I do?

[Perilscope]

A bit me, a lot Gizzmoe, gave you all the info you need to do so.

Here I made a quick HowTo in pictures ;-)

Load your video, than click on VIDEO and after FILTERS
http://www.nettouring.com/mm/images/public/VirtualDub_Filters.png


After that choose ADD as shown below
http://www.nettouring.com/mm/images/public/VirtualDub_Filters_02.png

After that you need to save it, Gizzmoe above gave you the setting to compress it nice nice! Thought I do not use Divx, I use Xvid.

Read the info, I know it;s hard a bit, but it is worth it, this program ROCKS!:rock: ;)

[TteFAboB]

Oh wow! My turn to ask questions!

Perilscope how do I get a mouse cursor like that? Mine doesn't change orientation and size like yours! Please let me how where to get it. :88)

:smug: ;)

[Skybird]

Ah yes, I am to that point exactly like you described it, Perilscope, sorry if my wording was not precise enough. But when I next save it then - it is the dark default setting again, although the setting produces lighter images within the program. The savin does not include the filtered movie, but resets it to default.
Is there a special hidden save option, maybe under a different label?

[Perilscope]

So Skybird did you manage to do it? If you didn't, and If it's not too much to ask, which AVI are you trying to brighten up, I can try the same video you are trying to edit. Tell me where or how to get it and I will try it too.

Alternatively, even better, tell us step by step what you do, maybe we can find out the point your are missing? If it works for us it must work for you. You must succeed.;)


...Perilscope how do I get a mouse cursor like that? Mine doesn't change orientation and size like yours!...)
Huh! It's not my cursor that you see on the pictures, it's a "Preset" addition found in PaintShopPro.:smug:

[Gizzmoe]

Gizzmoe above gave you the setting to compress it nice nice! Thought I do not use Divx, I use Xvid.
I also do and I gave him the settings for Xvid! Only the FourCC (the video codec identifier in AVI files) was set to Divx, that has the effect that the player uses Divx to decompress the video. I assume that more people have Divx installed than Xvid, they couldn´t play the Xvid video if the FourCC was set to Xvid. Xvid OTOH can play both Divx and Xvid files. So whenever you wanna share your video with lots of people it´s better to use the Divx identifier.

[Perilscope]

I also do and I gave him the settings for Xvid! Only the FourCC (the video codec identifier in AVI files) was set to Divx, that has the effect that the player uses Divx to decompress the video. I assume that more people have Divx installed than Xvid, they couldn´t play the Xvid video if the FourCC was set to Xvid. Xvid OTOH can play both Divx and Xvid files. So whenever you wanna share your video with lots of people it´s better to use the Divx identifier.
I understand what you mean Gizzmoe, and you are right, less problem for the majority.:up:

It's only that I am "over" protective of XviD. I think you know the story behind XviD and Divx back then, when the two split apart. I chose to follow XviD, and whenever I can I put forward XviD. But like you said for the majority its better the Divx FourCC.;)

[Skybird]

So Skybird did you manage to do it? If you didn't, and If it's not too much to ask, which AVI are you trying to brighten up, I can try the same video you are trying to edit. Tell me where or how to get it and I will try it too.

Alternatively, even better, tell us step by step what you do, maybe we can find out the point your are missing? If it works for us it must work for you. You must succeed.;)


...Perilscope how do I get a mouse cursor like that? Mine doesn't change orientation and size like yours!...)
Huh! It's not my cursor that you see on the pictures, it's a "Preset" addition found in PaintShopPro.:smug:

the two videos on Top by Arthur Lewis:
http://www.nr.no/~pab/il2.html
these have locked controls in media player, and are partially pitchblack.

I did EXACTLY like you said. Load them into virtualDub, get the brightness filter up, have it set to around +12% brightness, -87% contrast. Then mark the complete video, so that the bar on bottom turns light blue completely. The right monitor then shows the video lightened up, I can watch it - but I can'tT save it. when doing it, the recording nevertheless is dark. My settings are exactly those Gizzmoe gave.

[Gizzmoe]

I´ve watched "Stranger" and it looks good on my system.

I don´t know why VirtualDub doesn´t use the filter when you save the AVI. It should work when "Video/Full processing mode" is selected.

Like I said earlier, you should try and play the video with BSplayer, the color/brightness controls aren´t locked there.

[Skybird]

I´ve watched "Stranger" and it looks good on my system.

I don´t know why VirtualDub doesn´t use the filter when you save the AVI. It should work when "Video/Full processing mode" is selected.

Like I said earlier, you should try and play the video with BSplayer, the color/brightness controls aren´t locked there.

I searched desperately if maybe there is a button that needs to be pressed to actually make the selected filter not only active during replay, but also when saving. I spend one hour reading the help file, but found it confusing only,m since I lack too much background knowledge on the matter of video.

I look for that BSplayer.

Thanks.

[Skybird]

BSplayer is easy to handle, but does not more for me than Virtual Dub: both allow me to watch the movie lightened up, but not to save it. It's a player only. I want to save those movies for a friend who still is on a 28 K dialup (!)

[Gizzmoe]

Is "Video/Full processing mode" selected before you save them?

[Skybird]

Is "Video/Full processing mode" selected before you save them?
Yes .

[Gizzmoe]

Well, give your friend the videos plus BSplayer, he can then decide for himself if he wants to change the brightness. I´ve watched both videos now, they are not too dark on my system/monitor.

[Skybird]

BSplaer did not install without longer access to the internet (which it demands time and again, btw.). He is also a total noob concerning computers. Until I managed to explain to him how to set rightness via VirtualDub - if I send him that one - several days could pass by :).He gets one of the Chinese movies and the two by Scragbat then. Those have unlocked controls in WMP.

[Perilscope]

Well, first, just like Gizzmoe I watched the "Stranger" movie, and the brightness seem just fine.
So considering these video problems, and your topic about exposure here (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=97024), I see that you definitely have a problem viewing stuff with your PC, because the first image isn't so dark to me, you actually over exposed the second one. Proof that you don't see things the way you should.

Second, I downloaded the "Stranger" movie and processed it and it worked for me.
Here is an image showing the difference of both.
http://www.nettouring.com/mm/images/public/VirtualDub_Filters_Before_and_After.png

And here is a little clip I made and recorded with my digital camera, you can see the movies playing simultaneously side by side, on the left the original, and on the right the one I brightened up with VirtualDub. Therefore, if it works for us, it must work for you.
Simultaneous Video (http://www.nettouring.com/mm/video/public/VirtualDub_Filters_Simultaneous.avi)

I also made a live "ON SCREEN" demo of how I do it: Watch it. (http://www.nettouring.com/mm/video/public/VirtualDub_OnScreen_Demo.avi)

I hope it helps, somehow... Because at this point I do not know what to do or say?:hmm:

[Skybird]

Perilscope,

you don't understand my problem. My problem IS NOT how to use Virtual Dub to get a brighter picture. I did exactly the things you guys told me, and as you showed in yoiur video. Exactly the same (only that I decrease contrast, instead of increasing it). In the software, you have two monitors - the left the default video, the right the reworked video. I see the same like in your screenshot. My left picture is as dark as in your shot, the right is much brighter, like in your shot.

IT's JUST THAT AFTER VIEWING IT - I CAN'T SAVE IT. I can save it, of course, but the save is as dark as ever, then, as if no brightening took place.

The dark video problem is something that many people experience, like me. If the differences were not so massive, I would simply assume it is different background.liight in the room where the monitor is positioned, different monitor settings, and different screen qualities. But the differences are too big to explain them this way.

[Perilscope]

you don't understand my problem. My problem IS NOT how to use Virtual Dub to get a brighter picture. I did exactly the things you guys told me, and as you showed in yoiur video.
The explanation and videos I gave you above was mostly to see if you are doing like us.
By watching it you might have seen something different, now we know you are doing the same thing.


IT's JUST THAT AFTER VIEWING IT - I CAN'T SAVE IT. I can save it, of course, but the save is as dark as ever, then, as if no brightening took place.
This problem is puzzling me big time, I really want to solve this problem, but I can't see for myself you PC hardware, screen, settings, drivers and so on...

Did you try to do another type of "Filtering" to see if the other filters work?:hmm:

[Skybird]

No, I did something better instead: I simply closed the file. Thanks, nevertheless!

P.S. Just tried this yesterday: copied the original file to CD, and after having created the AVI with lighter settings and saved it, deleted the dark default on the HD, assuming that when clicking the new file, maybe the sysytem would somehow link back to the dark original video. Didn't work.

[stabiz]

Whatever I download is waayyyy too dark, 60% of the movies are usualy pitchblack, but in all three players where I tried them in, colour, contrast and brightness controls are locked.

Skybird, the answer might be much easier than all the advise you have got so far. I suffered the same when I tried a new driver for my graphics card. Everything went dark, not pitch black, but way to dark. (Not the desktop or webbrowsing and such, only avi`s and other videos)

I tried another driver (nvidia), and everything is fine again.

Try some different drivers, mate.

[Skybird]

No, that problem is YEARS old and has seen many different driver version, nVidia for the most, and a short intermezzo with Omegas and Katalysts as well.

[Wim Libaers]

It is done via editing the original data? Does this mean that these videos are intentionally recorded so dark that even setting a gamma of 2.0 does not allow me to see more in the dark fields (but lesser in the lighter fields, if there happen to be any)?

I avoided AVI captures in the past, and if it is like this, then I can live very well with avoiding them in the future as well.

It may be a difference in monitor settings. If the one who recorded the movie has monitor settings that are pretty bright, he might turn the gamma down a bit. Then you may have a monitor set to pretty dark settings (and on some old monitors, any setting will be pretty dark, I've worked with one such bad monitor where most videos look 50% black, while looking fine on a less abused monitor - that was an extreme case though, the only one I've seen that was this bad).

[Skybird]

as I said somewehre above, the brightness difference is far too big as that it could be explained with miniotr settings due to different technical quality, drivers, or ambient light. Guessing by what was said here about codecs, I think it has something to do with missing codecs. I realized that two movies were adjustable in WMP after I had that collection of codecs installed. I meanwhile deinstalled that player for it collided with my security settings and firewall - and gone is the adjustability of the very same movies.