AssumeFPS

AssumeFPS (clip, float fps, bool "sync_audio")
AssumeFPS (clip, int numerator [, int denominator], bool "sync_audio")
AssumeFPS (clip1, clip2, bool "sync_audio")
AssumeFPS (clip, string preset, bool "sync_audio")

The AssumeFPSfilter changes the frame rate without changing the frame count (causing the video to play faster or slower). It only sets the framerate-parameter
If sync_audio is true, it also changes the audio sample rate by the same ratio, the pitch of the resulting audio gets shifted.

This is also a method to change only the sample rate of the audio alone.

In v2.55, if clip2 is present, the framerate of clip1 will be adjusted to match the one of clip2. This is useful when you want to add two clips with slightly different framerate.

In v2.57, the behaviour with respect to the framerate is a bit changed. The main issue is that users are allowed to specify the framerate as float, but the NTSC (FILM and Video) and PAL standards require ratios as framerate. Besides this AviSynth exports the framerate as a ratio, so when specifying a float, it will be converted to a ratio. The ratios of the standards are given by 24000/1001 for 23.976 (FILM) and 30000/1001 for 29.97 (Video). When specifying these floats, they are exported by AviSynth as ratios, but not as the standard ratios. One of the reasons for this is, that those floats are approximations (remember that 24000/1001 = 23.9760239760...), so how should AviSynth know how to choose the correct ratio? In order to overcome this issue, the user can use AssumeFPS(24000,1001) or simply AssumeFPS("ntsc_film").

Another problem is that the converted floats were (in v2.56 and older) exported with 64 bit precision, resulting in very large numerators and denominators, making some players crash. To overcome this, a smart float-ratio is added internally, and the framerates are approximated accurately by ratios of small numbers. For example, AssumeFPS(23.976) is converted to AssumeFPS(2997,125) as can be checked with Info.

Presets:

standardnumeratordenominator
"ntsc_film"240001001
"ntsc_video" 300001001
"ntsc_double"600001001
"ntsc_quad"1200001001
"ntsc_round_film"2997125
"ntsc_round_video"2997100
"ntsc_round_double"299750
"ntsc_round_quad"299725
"film"241
"pal_film"251
"pal_video"251
"pal_double"501
"pal_quad"1001

Examples PAL +4% Telecine conversion:

AVISource("FILM_clip.avi")             # Get 24fps clip
LanczosResize(768,576)                 # Resize to PAL square-pixel frame size.
AssumeFPS(25, 1, true)                 # Convert frame rate to PAL, also adjust audio.
SSRC(44100)                            # Restore audio sample rate to a standard rate.

The +4% speed up is conventionally used for displaying 24fps film on PAL television. The slight increase in pitch and tempo is readily accepted by viewers of PAL material.

AssumeScaledFPS

AssumeScaledFPS (clip, int "multiplier", int "divisor", bool "sync_audio")

The AssumeScaledFPSfilter scales the frame rate without changing the frame count. The numerator is multiplied by the multiplier, the denominator is multiplied by the divisor, the resulting rational FPS fraction is normalized, if either the resulting numerator or denominator exceed 31 bits the result is rounded and scaled. This allows exact rational scaling to be applied to the FPS property of a clip.

If sync_audio is true, it also changes the audio sample rate by the same ratio, the pitch of the resulting audio gets shifted.

Available in v2.56.

ChangeFPS

ChangeFPS (clip, float fps, bool "linear")
ChangeFPS (clip, int numerator [, int denominator], bool "linear")
ChangeFPS (clip1, clip2, bool "linear")
ChangeFPS (clip, string preset, bool "linear")

ChangeFPS changes the frame rate by deleting or duplicating frames.

Up to v2.05, the video gets truncated or filled up to preserve playback speed and play time (the number of frames was not changed). In later versions, the behaviour has been changed and the number of frames is increased or decreased like in ConvertFPS.

In v2.54, an option linear = true/false is added to ChangeFPS. This will make AviSynth request frames in a linear fashion, when skipping frames. Default is true.

In v2.56, if clip2 is present, the framerate of clip1 will be adjusted to match that of clip2.

In v2.57, the behaviour with respect to the framerate is a bit changed. See AssumeFPS.

Examples PAL->NTSC conversion:

AVISource("PAL_clip.avi")              # Get clip
Bob(height=480)                        # Separate fields and interpolate them to full height.
BicubicResize(640,480)                 # Resize to NTSC square-pixel frame size.
ChangeFPS(60000, 1001)                 # Convert field rate to NTSC, by duplicating fields.
SeparateFields.SelectEvery(4,0,3)      # Undo Bob, even field first. Use SelectEvery(4,1,2) for odd field first.
Weave                                  # Finish undoing Bob.

The effect is similar to 3-2 telecine pull down. Regular viewers of PAL material may notice a motion stutter that viewers of NTSC material readily ignore as for telecined film.

ConvertFPS

ConvertFPS (clip, float new_rate, int "zone", int "vbi")
ConvertFPS (clip, int numerator [, int denominator], int "zone", int "vbi")
ConvertFPS (clip1, clip2, int "zone", int "vbi")
ConvertFPS (clip, string preset, int "zone", int "vbi")

The filter attempts to convert the frame rate of clip to new_rate without dropping or inserting frames, providing a smooth conversion with results similar to those of standalone converter boxes. The output will have (almost) the same duration as clip, but the number of frames will change proportional to the ratio of target and source frame rates.

In v2.56, if clip2 is present, the framerate of clip1 will be adjusted to match that of clip2.

In v2.57, the behaviour with respect to the framerate is a bit changed. See AssumeFPS.

The filter has two operating modes. If the optional argument zone is not present, it will blend adjacent video frames, weighted by a blend factor proportional to the frames' relative timing ("Blend Mode"). If zone is present, it will switch from one video frame to the next ("Switch Mode") whenever a new source frame begins, that is, usually somewhere in the middle of a target frame. Switch Mode assumes that the output will be shown on a TV where each frame is scanned from top to bottom. The parameter zone specifies the height of the transition region in which the current frame will be blended into the next.

Blend Mode will cause visible, although slight, blurring of motion. This is a typical artifact of frame rate conversion and can be seen on commercial video tapes and TV programs as well. When working with interlaced video, it is important to let the filter operate on individual fields, not on the interlaced frames. (See examples below.)

Switch Mode is an attempt to avoid motion blurring, but comes at the expense of slight flicker and motion artifacts. Horizontal and vertical pans may show a slight wobble. Still frames from this conversion show "broken" or "bent" vertical lines in moving scenes. Scene transitions may occur in the middle of a frame. Nevertheless, the results do look less blurry than in "Blend Mode".

Neither mode is perfect. Which one to choose depends on personal preference and on the footage to be converted. Switch Mode is probably only suitable if the output will be shown on a TV, not on a computer screen.

Frame rate conversion is inherently difficult. This filter implements two common methods used by commercial Prosumer-level converter systems. The results are typically quite good. More sophisticated systems employ motion interpolation algorithms, which are difficult to get right, but, if done right, do yield superior results.

Footage converted with this filter should not be converted again. Blurriness builds up quickly in subsequent generations.

The audio data are not touched by this filter. Audio will remain synchronized, although the length of the audio data may slightly differ from that of the video data after the conversion. This is because the output can only contain an integer number of frames. This effect will be more pronounced for shorter clips. The difference in length should be ignored.

Parameters:

new_rateTarget frame rate. Can be integer or floating point number. In Blend Mode, new_rate must be at least 2/3 (66.7%) of the source frame rate, or an error will occur. This is to prevent frame skipping. If you need to slow down the frame rate more than that, use Switch Mode.
zone(Optional) If specified, puts the filter into Switch Mode. Integer number greater or equal to zero. If zero, the filter will perform a hard switch, that is, it will immediately display the next frame below the switch line. If greater than zero, specifies the height (in lines) of the transition zone, where one frame is gradually blended into the next. zone=80 yields good results for full-size video (480/576 active lines). The transition is done in the same way as in PeculiarBlend(). zone must be less or equal than the number of lines of the target frame that correspond to the duration of the source frame. This is typically 5/6 or 6/5 of the target frame height, that is, a few hundred lines. An error occurs if a larger value is chosen.
vbi(Optional) In Switch Mode, specifies that the filter should apply a timing correction for the vertical blanking interval (VBI). Integer number greater than zero, indicating the height of the VBI of the target frames, in lines. Typically vbi=49 for PAL and vbi=45 for NTSC, but these values are not critical. Ignored in Blend Mode.

Examples NTSC->PAL conversion:

AVISource("NTSC_clip.avi")             # Get clip
Bob(height=576)                        # Separate fields and interpolate them to full height.
BicubicResize(768,576)                 # Resize to PAL square-pixel frame size. (Use 720,576 for CCIR.)
ConvertFPS(50)                         # Convert field rate to PAL, using Blend Mode.
SeparateFields.SelectEvery(4,0,3)      # Undo Bob, even field first. Use SelectEvery(4,1,2) for odd field first.
Weave                                  # Finish undoing Bob.

This example will also work with frame-based NTSC material, even with telecined film (movies). For film material, however, you will get better results by using an inverse-telecine filter and speeding up the frame rate from 23.976 to 25fps.

Not all parameter values are checked for sanity.

Changes:

v2.57added preset option; changed framerate behaviour; YV12 and RGB support for ConvertFPS, fixed blending ratio
v2.56added clip2 option in ChangeFPS, added AssumeScaledFPS
v2.55added clip2 option in AssumeFPS
v2.54added linear=true/false to ChangeFPS

$Date: 2006/12/06 20:33:16 $