Video Submission Guidelines and Tutorial [2011 Version] (Basic)

[brolly]

Yeah, it would be more like 20 lines lol

 

[shaybe]

Thank you for the tutorial, now I can try and make some videos for the Japanese games on my lists

[Cranhill]

i would like to give this a try, but the tutorial seems a bit old now, is this still the best settings and same tools to try this out with or is there newer better ways to do this.

[gfzy]

Fraps isn't really an option for me anymore, as I don't have convenient access to Windows outside of a virtual machine.  Retroarch has the ability to capture video using ffmpeg, including the ability to specify the desired codecs, options, etc to be used.  By default it captures using lossless RGB-x264 and flac into an mkv container.  I would appreciate some feedback for a couple questions I have though.

 

Firstly, none of the video editing tools I've tested appear to like each of RGB-x264, flac and mkv and some don't appear to like any.  I've already done about 20 captures using these default settings (probably averaging at least 30 minutes of gameplay per capture) and if possible I'd like to salvage the effort.  If I use ffmpeg to remux to avi, re-encode to x264 (using the option -qp 0 which I believe should be lossless) and decode to unsigned 16-bit little endian PCM (what my earlier fraps captures appears to have used), there shouldn't be any difference from if I'd just captured the video with these settings from the start, correct?  What I'm really wondering is if something would/could be lost even if the quality of the audio/video is maintained, for example how efficiently the information is stored or possibly something to do with the accuracy of the audio/video's timing.

 

My second question has to do with the resolution of the video.  By default, Retroarch appears to capture the video as the native resolution of the system.  Does the point at which the upscaling (to 640x480) is done impact the final quality of the video?  I wouldn't expect it to for something like playstation (natively 320x240) as it's just doubling in each direction, but I could see it mattering for something like Super Nintendo or any other system with a bit of an oddball native resolution.

[Nologic]

If you are just submitting source material for Circo to do final edits...I'd just send him the MKV's as you have them...don't upscale them or anything.

 

This will save you bandwidth and time...Circo has a monster of a system...and it's a simple batch process for him to convert everything over with FFMpeg.

 

For trimming and other basic operations have you looked at AVIDemux? As it can work with anything FFMpeg creates since it's based upon it.

 

If you were looking to create finalized content...AVIDemux will allow you to create the same look as what Circo does...I actually have a FFMpeg command line string that will do the same...don't know where the hell I put it...but I got it somewhere.

[gfzy]

I did try avidemux but it didn't like RGB-x264 and wouldn't display any video (instead just showing all green).  It also complained about the audio codec when opening the file and wouldn't output any sound on playback.  If I remember correctly, VLC is also based on libav/ffmpeg and it didn't like the original game captures either.  Of the video editors/media players that I have tested, the only media player that actually worked completely was gstreamer.

 

I went ahead and upscaled these captures while re-encoding, but for any future captures, I'll take your advice.  Thanks.

[Nologic]

You may want to try something like the following with a bash script.

 

Prep for AviDemux

ffmpeg -i <InFile.mkv> -c:v ffvhuff -c:a pcm_s16le -f matroska -y <OutFile.mkv>

Post AviDemux & Prep for Circo

ffmpeg -i <InFile.mkv> -c:v libx264 -crf 0 -preset Slow -c:a flac -f matroska -y <OutFile.mkv>

[gfzy]

Sorry for the delayed response nologic, the last few days have been a bit busy for me.  I'm just curious, why do you recommend ffvhuff?  Opening anything encoded with libx264 would normally cause avidemux to complain about b-frames and those encoded with ffvhuff don't.  Is that related?

 

edit:  I tried editing a few videos in ffvhuff with avidemux.  It gave an error message stating that the video codec wasn't compatible with mkv (even though the source material was using an mkv container).  If I tried saving the video as an avi it would stretch a minute long clip into a video over a minute long.

 

I figured out the latter issue.  I wasn't using a keyframe for the start and end-points and tried to just copy the streams.  Having avidemux re-encode (still to ffvhuff and pcm) when I saved the file solved the problem.  If I'd ever actually copied streams while editing in virtualdub, I'm guessing I'd have run into the same problem.

 

Also, I'm guessing the answer to the earlier question about "why ffvhuff" is that it's lossless and avidemux can re-encode to it (while it can't re-encode to h.264).

[Nologic]

Yeah it was because it was lossless...however I didn't know about the streaching...so good catch and fix there.

[Riffman81]

So I'm wanting to get in on making video snaps for EmuMovies now that I have more time on my hands. Does anyone have the settings used for FRAPS? I read the tutorial at the beginning of the thread but there's some options in FRAPS that I'm not sure about.

[Circo]

Here are my FRAPS settings

 

[Riffman81]

Thanks Circo! I'll upload some samples to my folder before I do anything serious and you can tell me if I'm doing everything to standard. Then I'll put some real work into getting some snaps together. Do you have a list for each console/emulator as to what is missing or needed?

 

EDIT: added video snap .avi files for Batman - Revenge of the Joker (USA) (Proto) for SNES to my folder. Have a look and let me know if it's up to par. I followed the tutorial, just want to be sure.

[the_poon]

Hi Circo,

 

I followed your guide here:

 

http://emumovies.com/forums/index.php/topic/2547-video-submission-guidelines-and-tutorial-2011-version-basic/

 

But am struggling with the TSCC codec information; is it still preferable to XViD? The toltecs videos (see link below) were captured with Camtasia (MP4) as FRAPS was having none of it.

 

They wouldn't load into VirtualDUB. The videos play fine through Hyperspin and Windows Media Player. Am I missing something obvious from your guide to video submission. I hope not, as I would very much like to lock myself away from my screaming children and contribute heavily to this most worthy project.

 

I was capturing the video from ScummVM if that helps.

 

 

/Upload Here/the_poon

 

 

Have a butchers when you get a second and tell me where I'm going wrong!

 

the_poon

[Shermo]

I'm currently going through some of my roms without video. As I have only around 25-50 per system was going to do them myself also a few GameCube games with the new plugins (Mario tennis for example) no longer glitch. At the same time I was going to submit them here as well.

You have no issues with me using shadowplay? Caputures 60fps and is high quality.

[the_poon]

Circo suggested to me previously that shadowplay was an option as it is an effortless 60fps capture. I'm sure that as long as all the other criteria are met (aspect ratio, no filters applied, etc) then it would be approved.

 

 

Don't hold me to this though!

[Shermo]

I would of thought the same.But have to check!Have around a 100 to do be nice if there is more than 1 person using them. But will wait for conformation

[Circo]

Shadowplay is just a capture method, and a great one, doesn't change submission guidelines just the first step

[Shermo]

Just sent one over to ftp call of duty 2 big red one in shermo/nintendo gamecube submissions

 

if that is what you are after i will continue to do some more

[the_poon]

Hey Shermo, it appears that your intro video is at 30fps whilst your gameplay and complete videos are at 25fps. Are you able to up the framerate to 60fps?

[Shermo]

Hey Shermo, it appears that your intro video is at 30fps whilst your gameplay and complete videos are at 25fps. Are you able to up the framerate to 60fps?

 

Yeah i'll have a look at set everything to native, just ran game again at it's locked at 30fps. I will fiddle about. I'll be back

 

 

EDIT

 

60fps ain't going to happen, it's locked as it speeds everything up. Quite comical lol

[the_poon]

Sorry, what I meant was that you can set Fraps or Shadowplay to record the video at 60fps regardless of the emulator framerate.

 

[Shermo]

I see lol 

 

Well shadowplay decided to record at 59.9fps so it reverts to 30fps but i can edit in sony vegas and get it to 60fps ill set it to 480p on there and everyone can check it out, then i will continue doing some more

[Nologic]

The 60fps captures should only be done on games that can actually render at constant 60fps+ otherwise you are just doubling fames or at best blending between frames, nether gains any real quality...just a larger file size.

[Shermo]

Ok understood

 

I have looked through the COD one i did and quality is a bit rubbish, for now I have started on the PS2 games I will be uploading to the FTP today and tomorrow have got around 9 or 10 to do off the list. Have done 3 already, just give me a shout if they are rubbish 

 

I used a fresh install on PCSX 2 left it to native, using Sony vegas to trim as virtualdub hates shadowplay stuff for some reason 

[Circo]

I havent had an issue with shadowplay in vdub but whatever you want to cut in is perfectly fine.  I also have a bunch of ps2 vids to upload that I have done in the past week or so.  I went through and finished #-B everything that was missing so if you want to do one in there best to skip it