Grainy playback on HD camcorder

Equaliser123

Hammyman wrote: »

Increase the file size or bit rate for a given length of time of the recording or set it to record in an uncompressed format. What you are experiencing is compression noise or artifacting which is caused by compressing the data to reduce the file size. Same happens to JPGs when you increase the compression to make the file size smaller.

Thanks for that. Any ideas where it will be on the camcorder?

Equaliser123

Hammyman wrote: »

Increase the file size or bit rate for a given length of time of the recording or set it to record in an uncompressed format. What you are experiencing is compression noise or artifacting which is caused by compressing the data to reduce the file size. Same happens to JPGs when you increase the compression to make the file size smaller.

Just checked and the bit rate is variable which appears to mean that it is automatic. Can't see any way to alter it.

Hammyman

Looking in the manual, you can set the resolution for 3 different settings for 1080p. Have you tried the 1080 60i SF ?

santer_2

I have a Sony Mini DV camera which produces better results than the Sony HDR TG3, the TG3 only produces a more watchable video at the medium size - HQ setting, using FH the video appears as if scissors have been used on the edges, and is very sensitive to movement

Equaliser123

Hammyman wrote: »

Looking in the manual, you can set the resolution for 3 different settings for 1080p. Have you tried the 1080 60i SF ?

No. But I will. Thanks again.

paddyrg

1080/60i is an interlaced, not progressive format, so it is not a 1080p setting.

Can you post a framegrab full size so we can see the problem you mean? Grain/sensor noise is likely to be from having a small sensor, whereas MPEG artifacting (blockiness, banding, mosquitoes) is down to the fact domestic camcorders use low low bitrates which break down on fast pans, etc.

A sensor collects photons, and a large sensor collects more photons than a small one. Imagine it as an array of buckets, and photons land in them - HD sensors have to use smaller buckets, so are more prone to random noise affecting the signal. You can help this with good quality lenses, however domestic camcorders have pretty terrible lenses as a rule, so images get noisy early.

If it is sensor noise (short-lived little dots, image looks dirty), you can try neatvideo.com which is a cheap and incredibly effective tool for the price ($99 for HD, but there is a free low-res version to demonstrate it in action). It can rescue noisy video.

If it is the MPEG compression artifacting, it is hard to rescue. Good DSLR's use 44Mbps (4GB card lasts 12 minutes), domestic camcorders use 13-17ish Mbps to make the cards last longer, but lose quality correspondingly.

But feel free to post a link to a full-res capture (or a 5 sec sample clip straight from the camera, unconverted), or PM me if you prefer - I know rather a lot about codecs, video quality, compression etc so may be able to tell you the best way to fix your video where possible.

Wannie_2

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Yes, laptop has a graphics card already installed and 3GB RAM. Will try a different media player.

Reckon the SD card is OK? Told that anything above Class 4 is ok.

Which brand and model of laptop?

Equaliser123

paddyrg wrote: »

1080/60i is an interlaced, not progressive format, so it is not a 1080p setting.

Can you post a framegrab full size so we can see the problem you mean? Grain/sensor noise is likely to be from having a small sensor, whereas MPEG artifacting (blockiness, banding, mosquitoes) is down to the fact domestic camcorders use low low bitrates which break down on fast pans, etc.

A sensor collects photons, and a large sensor collects more photons than a small one. Imagine it as an array of buckets, and photons land in them - HD sensors have to use smaller buckets, so are more prone to random noise affecting the signal. You can help this with good quality lenses, however domestic camcorders have pretty terrible lenses as a rule, so images get noisy early.

If it is sensor noise (short-lived little dots, image looks dirty), you can try neatvideo.com which is a cheap and incredibly effective tool for the price ($99 for HD, but there is a free low-res version to demonstrate it in action). It can rescue noisy video.

If it is the MPEG compression artifacting, it is hard to rescue. Good DSLR's use 44Mbps (4GB card lasts 12 minutes), domestic camcorders use 13-17ish Mbps to make the cards last longer, but lose quality correspondingly.

But feel free to post a link to a full-res capture (or a 5 sec sample clip straight from the camera, unconverted), or PM me if you prefer - I know rather a lot about codecs, video quality, compression etc so may be able to tell you the best way to fix your video where possible.

Thanks for that. Away for the weekend but will try and sort something out next week.

paddyrg

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Thanks for that. Away for the weekend but will try and sort something out next week.

No worries. Best bet is to PM me, as I lose track of threads :-)