Author Topic: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial  (Read 348776 times)

Drake

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How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« on: July 26, 2009, 02:29:19 AM »
2014 update: Note, this is a very outdated tutorial.
There are various ways to get decent HD-quality videos up on Youtube now, which generally follow the same sort of flow. Youtube's post-processing has gotten significantly better since this was written.
Record your video using some lossless recording program (30fps is all that's needed since Youtube limits the framerate), join multiple parts together using VirtualDub or something similar and upscale the video to 960x720 (DO NOT ADD LETTERBOXING), and encode the video (AVI is perfectly fine) using x264 or something. You don't really have to use MeGUI to encode.

Read the latest posts for tips on various things.



You might often see a Touhou video on Youtube that looks like this. Then later you go and see something like this and go HOW DO I DO THAT?!???


First of all, download a recording program that can record uncompressed video such as Fraps or CamStudio. CamStudio has a free trial and stuff, but you'll probably just want to go buy the program anyways. Secondly, go grab MeGUI here. You'll also need Avisynth. Not only that, but a bunch of filters. Go get those elsewhere. I'm not sure which you need, but just get as many as you think will be useful, lol.



Record your video using the program. If possible, record at 60 fps instead of the default 30fps some programs use.





Programs like Fraps usually cut videos into segments to keep audio and video in sync and other such things. This is where you'll want VirtualDub. Well, get it anyways; it's a good program.



Open the first part of your avi video with VirtualDub. The amount of frames pop up at the bottom, you can watch it and trim off unneeded segments, if need be. Under File, choose "Append AVI segment". Choose the next video in line and it'll put itself on the end of your clip. Do this until all your files are in one video.



At the moment, don't bother with much else unless you know what you're doing. Choose "Save as AVI". The rendering process takes a while to finish, so just wait it out.



Now, you have one giant file with your entire video. This is the time to open MeGUI. If it's your first time, it'll ask you for a bunch of updates. Just choose them all.



Under Tools, choose AVS Script Creator. This should open up a new window. For Video Input, choose your new giant AVI file. A preview window should pop up, just exit.
Go to the Edit menu. Here it should show four placeholder options with a # in front. Replace them with these lines:

BicubicResize(960, 720, 0, 0.5) # Bicubic (Neutral)
AddBorders(160, 0, 160, 0, 0)
ConvertToYV12()





You can also switch "Neutral" with "Sharp" and "Soft". Sharp might be good for some videos, but I just go with Neutral.
Click Save at the bottom. Another window should pop up with BIG. Just exit again.

In the Encoder settings option, you should have a bunch of options. I haven't experimented much, but Youtube likes x264 video, so choose "x264: *scratchpad*. If the File format underneath it isn't set to MP4, set it.



Click Config. Ignore most of the stuff, set the bitrate option at the top to something like 5000. The bitrate does not enable HD video, it just improves the quality once a standard has been set. I'm setting in to 10000 for lols.



For the Audio Input option, once again choose your full video file. Under Encoder settings here, choose Lame MP3: *scratchpad*.
NOTE: YOUTUBE NO LONGER HAS FAAC SUPPORT OR SOMETHING. LAME MP3 ALL THE WAY.
Press Config. If the ABR level isn't set to 192 already, set it. Don't bother with anything higher, Youtube dumbs it down.

At the bottom of the screen, click AutoEncode. Container should say MP4. Under Size and Bitrate, choose No Target Size and hit Queue.



Go to the Queue menu. There should be three items on the list; an MP3 file, an x264 MP4 file and a muxer. Just go to the bottom and hit Start.



Once again, just wait. Set Priorities to Normal, or if you're not using the computer while you wait, Above Normal. Above Normal kills your processing speed for absolutely everything else, but Normal just kind of slows things down. You'll have to change Priority three times as it processes different files.




And this should be it. You have for new MP4 file, in a fairly small file. Well, at least enough to throw onto Youtube.



For those thinking that it's a lot of work, it only really is to install the programs. This is generally what you do.

SHORT VERSION
-Record video
-Join all the pieces together with VirtualDub and save
-Open MeGUI and create a script with the video
-Go to the Edit tab and resize
BicubicResize(960, 720, 0, 0.5) # Bicubic (Neutral)
AddBorders(160, 0, 160, 0, 0)
ConvertToYV12()

-Set to mp4 video (x264) and configure bitrate
-Set audio to the video (FAAC)
-AutoEncode with no target size
-Mux it and done.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 12:10:28 AM by Drake »

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c l e a r

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2009, 05:36:58 AM »
yay, thanks Drake for making our lives wonderful again!

I'm going to try it sometime soon.

Ghaleon

  • Long twintail-o-holic
Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2009, 07:30:57 PM »
I tried it (game other than touhou so I don't really wanna link it here >=P), and it worked great! Thanks a bunch drake >=).

edit: arrrgh.. so that video I mentioned has 2 parts.. Part 2 which I uploaded after..  has no HD, and it's quite visible. The kicker is that part 1 has hd, and I SAVED MY SETTINGS in megui, and just loaded em up with part 2 and reused it. Right-clicking the mp4 and checking properties also yields the same everything (except the non hd one has more bps for some reason).. blahflakjfas.

update:
I think I figured it out (not sure yet, uploading a 3rd part for a video). I THINK the problem is the part where I copy and paste:
BicubicResize(960, 720, 0, 0.5) # Bicubic (Neutral)
AddBorders(160, 0, 160, 0, 0)
ConvertToYV12()
under the edit part of the aviscript window. Out of habit I would delete the (blank) line after "converttoyv12()".. and hit next Resulting in the preview window showing up. Tried it again and..well it was bigger (like stated in allcaps). Go figure how a blank line can screw it all up.
« Last Edit: August 02, 2009, 03:00:48 AM by Ghaleon »

meronpan

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2009, 11:22:51 PM »
wholy cow, that's beautiful!  i'll have to try this next time i upload something (not that my replays are any good... but at least then they'll be *beautifully* mediocre. ^^;)

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2009, 01:01:01 AM »
That seems like a lot of effort but if the video quality is anywhere near the quality of your TAS video i guess its worth it. I might try this out later, i don't know.

Drake

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2009, 01:44:20 AM »
Once you figure out how everything works it's actually really easy.

Just gonna edit the first post.

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2009, 06:28:49 AM »
Once you figure out how everything works it's actually really easy.

Vouched :)

Back in November when I first came across this method from a friend, it felt pretty involved, but most of the hassle comes from just finding and installing the programs. After encoding two or so videos, I pretty much had the very simple process memorized with the sole exception of the code for changing the video size (but hey, we all copy and paste that stuff anyway).

If you have the ability to record Touhou at full size 640x480 without any FPS jumps, then you should really settle for nothing less than an HD upload. It'll be better in the long run.

And if you're too lazy to get VirtualDub for splicing up videos, even something like Windows Movie Maker would be sufficient. (Personally, I like Camtasia).

Edit: Looking through this guide, 3000 bitrate is actually fine. It will enable HD in YouTube. I can't imagine what the filesize would be with a bitrate of 10,000 >_>
« Last Edit: August 05, 2009, 06:32:05 AM by bjw »

Drake

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2009, 07:01:46 AM »
I know, I had a 12 second video and it ended up like 100MB or something lol

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #8 on: August 06, 2009, 01:25:13 AM »
Well the short version certainly makes it less confusing to us birdbrains. I'll still have to wait though cause i can't really record anything at 60fps with that 2.16ghz processor of mine. (Vista might even make things worse.)

Alice Fact

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2009, 01:40:39 PM »
of course it never hurts to know the long version, and uh not be such a birdbrain
Regarding score threads: For the time being, I'm not going to be online much; I would suggest that you simply do as you normally do, because I will come back and I will want those threads when I do.

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2009, 03:07:11 AM »
Edit: Looking through this guide, 3000 bitrate is actually fine. It will enable HD in YouTube. I can't imagine what the filesize would be with a bitrate of 10,000 >_>

For those wishing to compare post-youtubing -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl_10sbDhFo&fmt=22 1500 bitrate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd-osUPs4H8&fmt=22 15000 bitrate

Drake

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #11 on: August 07, 2009, 03:09:44 AM »
Yup yup, much better.

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2009, 05:57:30 PM »
of course it never hurts to know the long version, and uh not be such a birdbrain

Well sometimes it just happens that i stumple across things that makes me confused. It can be anything from a guide on Gamefaqs or a tutorial about how to do stuff. It does become rather confusing when there is a giant wall of text describing how to do something simple.

The short version of Drakes guide here is good though. It make it so i don't have to read it all again in case i forget what to do next.

Now if i could just find out where the video was saved... i can't wait to see if i did everything right.

EDIT: Okay i tried to follow this tutorial but the quality i end up with after Youtube did their processing is pretty terrible and my old videos composed through Windows Movie Maker are better. A link for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9a5Y0M2f3o

Is there anyone who knows what i have done wrong?
« Last Edit: August 08, 2009, 08:44:57 PM by Zengeku »

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #13 on: August 08, 2009, 11:38:51 PM »
Okay i tried to follow this tutorial but the quality i end up with after Youtube did their processing is pretty terrible and my old videos composed through Windows Movie Maker are better. A link for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9a5Y0M2f3o

Did you make sure that your raw is actually being recorded in 640x480? In the Movies tab, make sure that "Full-size" is bubbled rather than "Half-size."

And as a little extra tidbit, disable the FPS counter in the corner :P

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #14 on: August 08, 2009, 11:47:41 PM »
Okay i tried to follow this tutorial but the quality i end up with after Youtube did their processing is pretty terrible and my old videos composed through Windows Movie Maker are better. A link for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9a5Y0M2f3o

Did you make sure that your raw is actually being recorded in 640x480? In the Movies tab, make sure that "Full-size" is bubbled rather than "Half-size."

And as a little extra tidbit, disable the FPS counter in the corner :P

Well actually the problem is pretty embarassing. I almost should switch out my avy for a Cirno one because i was really dumb. I simply forgot to set the bitrate properly. The option was left at 92...

Anyway i have made a video and i'm quite satisfied with the quality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwD9Xw8pC4s

Ghaleon

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #15 on: August 09, 2009, 12:12:35 AM »
Nice. I recommend we all collectively hug Drake until his eyeballs pop out.

LtC

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #16 on: August 09, 2009, 11:03:33 AM »
You can do it a bit more simple with Allok Video joiner. Just press a couple buttons and it joins the uncompressed files, encodes them to whatever you like and lets you change the resolution the same way instructed in this thread.


Helepolis

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #17 on: August 09, 2009, 12:27:38 PM »
This thread requires sticky.

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #18 on: August 09, 2009, 01:35:46 PM »
This thread requires sticky.

Indeed it does. This is way too useful to just being forgotten.

Drake, you were right btw. Its incredibly easy to do this once you've learned what to do. It doesn't even take a minute to make a video and the filesize ended up for me around 60-140 Mb compared to my original method through Windows Movie Maker where i had to upload files of 1-1.5 GB size in order to get quality which isn't anywhere as good as HD.
Thanks Drake ;)

Alice Fact

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #19 on: August 10, 2009, 07:47:31 AM »

splat, etc
Regarding score threads: For the time being, I'm not going to be online much; I would suggest that you simply do as you normally do, because I will come back and I will want those threads when I do.

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #20 on: August 12, 2009, 05:59:52 PM »
Er, I'm having trouble with this. I understand the process and all, but MeGUI isn't allowing me to open my LOLHUEG video file ):
It says I need AviSynth 2.5, but I already have it. ;_;

EDIT: Oops, nevermind. Turns out I downloaded the wrong AviSynth. I had 2.0, not 2.5. =w=b
*idiot*
« Last Edit: August 12, 2009, 06:02:40 PM by Serafie »

LHCling

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #21 on: August 13, 2009, 09:38:20 AM »
Adding so I don't forget:

Code: [Select]
BicubicResize(960, 600, 0, 0.5) # Bicubic (Neutral)
AddBorders(160, 60, 160, 60, 0)
ConvertToYV12()
For recording PC-98 HD'd.

EDIT: lol-fix.
« Last Edit: August 13, 2009, 09:41:23 AM by BaitySM »
[16:25] <Kuruminut> Shut up MS Word, "fangirlism" is totally a word
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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #22 on: August 15, 2009, 08:26:55 PM »
The games tend to lag when I record them. It seems most of the stuff you have to do is done after the recording, though. For the recording, do I use a codec (Xvid or whatever) or record it uncompressed? Never mind, stupid question. I'll ask this, then : Does recording uncompressed take a lot of ressources? I only have 2 GB of RAM.
"My friends are coming for Poker tonight. We will require Koolaid."

TheMasterSpark

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #23 on: August 15, 2009, 11:27:22 PM »
I seem to be doing something wrong somewhere in this process, as MeGUI gives me an error when it tries to process "job2", the one with the video Mode. I've followed the tutorial to the letter, although I've deviated slightly since I haven't downloaded any additional filters (Drake's instructions on those additional filters were a little too vague for me, heheh) nor did I get my Fraps video in more than a single segment. I guess it wasn't long enough.

Anyway, here's what I think is the problem, at least according to MeGUI's log,

"Standard error stream: C:\Program Files\megui\tools\x264\x264.exe: unrecognised option `--no-mbtree'"

I hope I've provided enough information here to give anyone a clue as to what it might be. Any help would be much appreciated. :)

Thanks!


Drake

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #24 on: August 16, 2009, 07:38:51 AM »
First: yes. Saving everything uncompressed constantly will take a lot of resources.

Second: Download the asdf filters.

When you first open MeGUI, a popup will appear, asking you to download filters. There should be a big list with check boxes. Just check them all, wait to download and continue on. Even if you don't do it the first time it should regularly show up.

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

TheMasterSpark

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #25 on: August 16, 2009, 08:30:32 AM »
I still can't get it to work, sadly. I did download all of the available updates (none of the presets that they ask if you wish to import though) and just to be sure I uninstalled MeGUI and did it all over again with the same outcome, sadly. I saw on another forum that someone else had had the same problem as me and it was solved by "putting in the latest version of x264.exe". Might that be the solution to this? Where do I find this latest version of the program? It's not like it carries a date-of-creation number with it, heheh. :)

Drake

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A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

TheMasterSpark

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #27 on: August 16, 2009, 11:54:18 PM »
Thank you for that link Captain, now it worked without a hitch. HD-quality uploads ahoy! :)

Edit: Oh and also, would there be a quick and convenient way to add custom music to the video clip, apart from shooting the footage with said music running in the background? I couldn't really find an option for it, although I probably didn't look very closely..
« Last Edit: August 16, 2009, 11:59:04 PM by MasterSpark »

Drake

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Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #28 on: August 17, 2009, 12:57:11 AM »
Instead of using the original avi file for the audio, use whatever music.

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

Re: How to upload Touhou videos in HD quality Tutorial
« Reply #29 on: August 17, 2009, 05:59:54 PM »
First: yes. Saving everything uncompressed constantly will take a lot of resources.

How can I make it take less ressources then? I tried recording IN Extra uncompressed. At first, it wasn't too bad, it just lagged at 55 FPS once in a while. But after Keine, it was full of lag spikes everywhere, and it froze completely for a good 5 seconds during the death fairy.

I'm mostly asking if I should lower the color depth to 16 bit or play around with the rendering rate, or if that just kills the point of recording in HD in the first place.
"My friends are coming for Poker tonight. We will require Koolaid."