Tips to convert DV files to mp4 h.264

Help/How To
1

Hello everyone! I need help with converting various DV video files to a format that is suitable for storing it, because the DV format takes up a lot of space. I’m fairly new to the subject, and I don’t have much experience in video editing.

First, I have downloaded all my files to my hard drive using dvgrab (I previously used Ubuntu). The detail of the file format is as follows:

General
Complete name : D:\Dario\02. Videos\2018\dvgrab-2018.04.22_22-01-57.dv
Format : DV
Commercial name : DVCPRO
File size : 1 000 MiB
Duration : 4 min 51 s
Overall bit rate mode : Constant
Overall bit rate : 28.8 Mb/s
Recorded date : 2018-04-22 22:01:57.000

Video
Format : DV
Commercial name : DVCPRO
Duration : 4 min 51 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 24.4 Mb/s
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 (29970/1000) FPS
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:1:1
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Bottom Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 2.357
Time code of first frame : 01:11:44;21
Time code source : Subcode time code
Stream size : 849 MiB (85%)

Audio
ID : 0
Format : PCM
Format settings : Big / Signed
Duration : 4 min 51 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 536 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 53.4 MiB (5%)

I would like you to recommend me some tips to try to lose the lowest possible quality when converting to an MP4 (H.264) format. I have read that I should deinterlace the files with “AviDemux Yadif x2” before using Shotcut, but I am not sure.
Another issue, the original resolution is 720x480, should I keep it, or work with a higher resolution? The same frame rate?
The main idea is to be able to put together several videos that belong to the same event and store the result in a format that is more practical to share, store and play on a PC.

I have done several tests doing different exports, from Shotcut and using the downloaded DV files. I’m still not convinced with the results. I have used the default mp4 settings, and then I have raised the quality from 55% (crf 23) to 60% (crf 20). With these changes I have noticed that the size goes up a lot but the final quality still does not convince me at all. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

(Sorry for the translation, blame Google :P)

2

Try Handbrake to convert the DV video to mp4.

I used a 720X480 4:3 150 MB DV video clip. Converted it to mp4 H.264. The file size was reduced to 18.5 MB.

I put both videos in Shotcut. Here’s a frame export of the videos.
I don’t see a noticeable loss of quality.

DV to Mp4

6 Likes
3

Thanks for the tip. Why do you recommend Handbrake? But Shotcut can handle DV files too, what is the advantage. I paste this answer from another topic brian, it mentions that interlace need to be done outside Shotcut.

4

You can certainly use Shotcut to export the DV videos to mp4.
I use Shotcut as a video editor not a video converter, that’s why I recommended Handbrake.

4 Likes
5

I understand, but I mentioned that post because of this: “Deinterlacing in Shotcut (either explicitly specified by the user or implicitly by using a filter that requires it) will lose half of the temporal resolution. Shotcut handles interlaced sources “fine” as long as you output the same format (resolution and scan type) or if you don’t mind losing half the temporal information (e.g. output 30fps progressive).”
My intention is produce a progressive output, so If I understand well I have to deinterlace before use Shotcut, right?

6

Someone with more knowledge about interlacing will need to reply to this.

7

No, you only need to deinterlace outside Shotcut if you want to convert your NTSC video to 59.94 fps progressive. Otherwise, if you are content with 29.97 fps progressive, then Shotcut can do that.

8

For the highest possible quality, I recommend doubling the framerate and upscaling. “AviDemux Yadif x2” can do that. But so can handbrake.

For handbrake, choose:

  • framerate: 59.94
  • resolution: 720x1280 (or 1920x1080 if you want)
  • deinterlace: yadif/bob
9

Thanks brian for the help! I’ve tried Avidemux, but I can’t open DV files. Avidemux says “can’t find demuxer for xxx.dv file”:

After that, I’ve tried Handbrake, but I couldn’t set output size to 1280x720. See next capture:

imagen
imagen1004×660 25.8 KB

The idea at the end, is to combine several videos in Shotcut, but the previous process is making a bit complicated the task.

10

I think there are other resources on the Internet to provide support for Handbrake. Maybe something like this:

11

Hi,
i would suggest you, simply use any third party app, it will more usefull for you

12

Brian, for some reason I can resize the video beyond 913x480. See output resolution. Maybe it’s a restriction of Handbrake. I couldn’t find a resize filter neither.

imagen
imagen1004×643 26.1 KB

I was busy following this post:

I achieved very good results using Avisynth and QTGMC. Now I have to figure out how to compress directly with ffmpeg.

14

Sorry for the beginner question, but: I have a bunch of old home movies in .DV format, which won’t play on my current computer. I would like to convert them to .MP4, or any standard format which can be read by current media players.

15

Why does Shotcut not implement Yadif2x to upconvert 50i to 50p for example, or a simple Linear filter like in VLC, would be quite useful.

17

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