On The Fly Cropping TVout

[jmk]

Hi There!

Fist of all, I want to say I'm very happy with your player and that I'm delighted to see developers are busy busy busy!

I would like the on-the fly cropping feature to support video overlay, so I can see the effect of the cropping on my television.
I'm using a GForce 5200 FX, with a composite cable to my television. (windows XP SP2)

[jmk]

Usually, when I know a video needs cropping, I use the option in "filters" to crop an image. This works well, but can't be done using a remote control...

When testing the on-the-fly crop function using standard hotkeys that I binded with my remote control, I can't see the effect on the television, just the uncropped image...

[jmk]

CRT Monitor
Using preferences -> crop -> WORKS (OSD gets cropped too)
on-the-fly crop using hotkeys -> WORKS (OSD doesn't get cropped )

Composite cable -> CRT TV
Using preferences -> crop -> WORKS (OSD gets cropped too)
on-the-fly crop using hotkeys -> NO EFFECT

Is this a feature that you are aware of being missing? Is it easy to fix/implement? I sure hope so!

Keep up the good work on your excellent player!

Greetings,
jmk

[DJ]

http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/win ... 1130-0335/

[jmk]

@DJ
I installed the latest 0.8.6-rc1 AND your nightlies, but with no effect.

The weird thing is, that when I press a hotkey for cropping, 1 line on my television temporally "blinks" for one frame or so, and then nothing, no change.

So if anyone can help?

[jmk]

Found it!

1. reset all setting to default (if necessary)
2. Go to Preferences -> video -> output modules -> check advanced options
3. Chance default to "DirectX 3D video output".
4. save

[jmk]

Now, on-the-fly cropping HAS the desired effect.
I think the default setting I changed was originally "DirectX video output" (without the "3d") that was not fully functional or something...

Also, I used a program called "autohotkey" to script 10 crops to the left, and 10 crops to the right, and bind that key to my remote. This speeds up things a lot.

Note: I used this version: 0.8.6-test2a-20061130-0335
Just like DJ ordered!

Now I never have to go near my PC to watch a movie! GREAT!

Greetings jmk

[jmk]

Using the settings described above, the on-the-fly cropping results in (unwanted) distortion of the image. It "compresses" the whole image, so that everything is thin...

I'm out of options now

[DJ]

This is because a 4x3 TV can not display cropped video in the correct aspect ratio. DirectX knows this! A 16x10 TV has internal controls for this adjustment so is not necessary to provide external control.

[jmk]

Ok, that make sense...

But can you make "directX 3D video output" so that it takes in account that my TV has NO internal controls for this adjustment? So it really crops instead of compressing it, making unrealistic thin faces?

When I select "directX video output"
- no change when I cycle aspect ratio (hotkey "a")
- no change when I cycle crop setting (hotkey "c")
- no change when I set the preferences video -> video cropping -> set it to 16:9. This setting would be helpful: Now I will see black bars on my 4:3 screen but not big ones, just the way I like it.
- Only thing that works: video -> filters -> crop -> pixelX, PixelY. I have to set each movie for the desired result.

[jmk]

When I select "directX 3D video output":
- destorted image when I cycle aspect ratio (hotkey "a")
- destorted image when I cycle crop setting (hotkey "c")
- destorted image when I set the preferences video -> video cropping -> set it to 16:9.
- Still works: video -> filters -> crop -> pixelX,PixelY

It seems my TV works great with PRE-processing, but not with POST-processing.

By the way, I use a PAL 4:3 CRT TV. NVIDIA 5200 FX

I hope this makes my problem clear. Will buying a NV 6600 make thins better for playing videos?

Greeting jmk

[DJ]

Once the video is cropped there are no adjustments that will make a 4x3 TV correct. The borders were part of the video to form compatibility for a 4x3 TV. There are a couple of programs I have seen that will allow you to make black borders.

http://www.videohelp.com

[jmk]

I solved my problem by making a script using AutoHotkey.
It uses Gspot(export function) to determine the video resolution, computes a desired crop setting, and runs vlc using that setting.

This way some 18:9 videos will always display as 16:9, no matter what actual resolution is used.
My script has the same effect as "preferences video -> video cropping -> set it to 16:9. "

[jmk]

Code: Select all

FileDelete, C:\binary\gspot 260b01\current_avi_res.txt Run GSpot.exe "%1%" loop { IfExist, C:\binary\gspot 260b01\current_avi_res.txt { FileReadLine sizeX_OLD, C:\binary\gspot 260b01\current_avi_res.txt, 1 FileReadLine sizeY_OLD, C:\binary\gspot 260b01\current_avi_res.txt, 2 WinClose GSpot break } } SetFormat, INTEGER, D sizeX_NEW := Ceil((sizeY_OLD / 9) * 16) sizeY_NEW = %sizeY_OLD% values: X: %sizeX_NEW% Y: %sizeY_NEW% run, "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc" "%1%" --filter crop --crop-geometry %sizeX_NEW%x%sizeY_NEW%

[jmk]

save this file as .AHK and change the export setting in Gspot:
Run Gspot, and change these settings under "export"
-enable export: ON
under format:
-set it to: custom, using the format below:
-direct it to ExportFormat.txt
under output files:
-Always append to the same file
C:\binary\gspot 260b01\current_avi_res.txt (just copy and paste)

-use notepad to edit ExportFormat.txt:

Code: Select all

%VIDEO_SIZE_X%\r\n%VIDEO_SIZE_Y%

also:
make a propercrop.bat file to use "open with..." on a videofile:

Code: Select all

@echo off "C:\binary\gspot 260b01\make propercrop.ahk" %1 %2 %3 %4

[jmk]

copy all Gspot files that come with the original Gspot .ZIP file to c:\windows\system32, so you can run Gspot from every location.

The system automatically runs .AHK script once AutoHotkey is installed.

Hope it comes to anyones help.
The on-the-fly options don't work, but now I can at least view a movie without having to change crop settings manually, using my remote.

Greetings jmk