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HQ3GOP (3GOP setting optimized for PAL users)
  • Hi guys,

    here's a new 3-GOP setting for PAL users - right now the setting is adjusted for 24H, HBR/25p, FSH/50i and 720p50 (720p50 is 6-GOP).

    edit: V2 is adjusted for all modes.

    It's based on a lot of things I've learnt from @bkmcwd and @driftwood (great guys!!). Actually it's bkmcwd's "Duke Beta 1" with a matrix driftwood once gave to me (back then I called it "high quality"… "HQ"… since it's a sharp matrix). From there on I've fine-tuned the setting…

    This is an "overall" setting producing pretty large I-Frames on highly detailed scenes but at the same time it's also very "sensitive" to motion. I think adjusting the ratio of I- and B-Frames for 1080i-modes (25p/50i/30p/60i) is the most complicated thing to solve with 3GOP settings. In this setting I feel the ratio of I- and B-Frames is just right for HBR/25p and FSH/50i - it shows smooth motion but also a pretty much compression-free image when shooting highly detailed scenes (for instance landscapes with wide depth of field). The setting is also very capable of shooting low key scenes (very good quantization, fine & artifact-free "noise" - attachment #1).

    Regarding codecs I am not at all an "expert" in any way… this setting is purely the result of "detective work". However, the benchmarks and the actual footage look really good.

    With Auto-anything turned off the setting runs stable in 24H, HBR/25p, FSH/50i and 720p50 on SanDisk 95MB/s SDHC 32BG cards (and faster). I've also successfully tested HBR/25p mode on a SanDisk 30MB/s 16GB card (24H requires a faster card). Spanning not yet tested. In camera playback works.

    Check it out!

  • 38 Replies sorted by
  • Hi all and Hi @towi - I was wondering which one of the HQ3GOP versions are concidered the top settings for PAL recording? (I mostly shood documentaries). Thanks!

  • Not sure about Spizz T6 but HQ3GOP has been very stable for me and spans reliably on Sandisk Extreme 64GB 95mbs card.

  • is HQ3GOP more stable than Spizz T6? (24H / HBR25)

  • Hello Towi. I'm a Pal user and i found your patch just now. Good alternative to Driftwood's Spizz. It 's very interesting and stable. Thanks.

  • yes, correct: no P-Frames. In 3GOP only the second frame is a P-frame. So when spanning only the first clip contains a P-frame.

  • No P-frames in V12, that is, in the sample file.

  • Update: HQ3GOP V12

    For some reason the bitrate set for SH/H (low modes) apparently also affects the performance of the FSH/SH modes. The low modes (SH/H) obviously also affect the spanning capabilities of the respective high modes (FSH/SH)! Who would have thought ...

    Latest adjustments:

    • FSH/SH Bitrate set back to 68Mbps

    • SH/H Bitrate lowered to 51Mbps

    HQ3GOP now also spans on SanDisk 30MB/s SDHC 16GB cards (tested by shooting my codec torture movie until the cards was full... a bit over 30 minutes, 4 files spanned).


    Attached a chart of the latest 25p from the said spanning test...

    HQ3GOP_V12_CTM_Loop.jpg
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    HQ3GOP_V12.zip
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  • Update: HQ3GOP V11

    Latest adjustment:

    • FSH/SH Bitrate slightly lowered to 66.7M to improve spanning in 25p on highly demanding scenes

    Attached charts of the latest 25p ...

    1.) Codec Torture Movie with motion

    2.) highly detailed outdoor daylight scene (windless, so actually no motion; therefore large I-Frames and pretty small B-Frames on this scene)


    25p still runs stable on SanDisk 30MB/s 16GB cards. However, for reliable spanning in 25p SanDisk 95MB/s SDXC 64GB cards should be used (SanDisk 95MB/s SDHC 32GB card should also work fine... not yet tested with V11)

    HQ3GOP_V11_CTM_Loop.jpg
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    HQ3GOP_V11_ODL.jpg
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    HQ3GOP_V11.zip
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  • yet another Update: HQ3GOP V10

    Latest adjustment:

    • HBR/25p now spans at 64M (without compromising IQ)

    Spanning has been tested on a modified version of my Codec Torture Movie on a SanDisk 95MB/s SDXC 64GB card. I've stopped recording after 32 minutes. 5 files spanned. In camera playback of the 32min file works.

    Attached charts of the latest 25p ...

    1.) spanning test

    2.) highly detailed texture, narrow DOF, fast pans

    3.) lowkey scene with pans


    edit: spannning has also been successfully tested in 25p mode on a SanDisk 95MB/s SDHC 32GB card (I've stopped recording after 32 minutes). Out of curiosity I've also tested spanning in 25p on a SanDisk 30MB/s SDHC 16GB card. I've stopped recording after 12 minutes. 2 files spanned. I wouldn't use a 30MB/s card for spanning anyway... however, it's good to know that 25p spannend once even on this card.

    HQ3GOP10_CTM_Lopop_span.jpg
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    HQ3GOP10_tex_pan.jpg
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    HQ3GOP10_LK_pan.jpg
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    HQ3GOP_V10.zip
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  • it's getting even better ...

    Update: HQ3GOP V9

    Latest adjustment:

    • modified Matrix for 1080i modes (HBR/FSH). B-Frames go even larger and quantization is more balanced.

    • FH increased to 60M. Spans in 1080i50 mode.

    For the time being myself I consider V9 as the "final" version. However, if you encounter errors please let me know…

    So here's a summery of what HQ3GOP is about:


    The purpose of HQ3GOP was/is to make the highest possible image quality and at the same time the smoothest motion in 25p/50i in an all around setting (suitable for both bright high definition scenes as well as low key scenes) while also providing excellent 24p at the same time in a 3GOP setting.

    I've been working intensively on the soon to be released Spizz T6 setting (especially with regard to PAL modes). The upcoming Spizz T6 is really, really great! However 25p in Spizz T6 is designed to span reliably in 25p mode (it does!). In HQ3GOP 25p doesn't span on extremely stressing scenes such as my Code Torture Movie. But HQ3GOP is not aimed at spanning in HBR/25p mode… it's aimed at max. IQ and achieving the max. frame size with very good quantization while still being stable (of course) in 25p. In my opinion the setting does provide exactly this. edit: HQ3GOP V10 now also spans in 25p mode!

    • high resolving & pretty sharp matrix still showing very smooth motion

    • HBR/25p and FSH/50i show no (or only very little) compression artifacts on fine edges when shooting high definition scenes with motion

    • fine "grain"-like noise without macroblocking also in 25p

    • AVCHD 1080 modes are 3GOP, AVCHD 720p modes are 6GOP

    • up to 140M in 24H/24p mode

    • up to 110M in 24L/24p mode (spans)

    • up to 66M in HBR/1080p25 and FSH/1080i50 modes

    • up to 60M in FH/1080i50 mode (spans)

    • up to 60M in SH/720p50 mode (spans)

    • in camera playback works in all modes

    • contains the Pasadena Pulse Audio Patch V2 B2 by Per Lichtman


    All modes have been successfully tested shooting my Codec Torture Movie with a very sharp lens on...

    • SanDisk 95MB/s SDXC 64GB cards

    • SanDisk 95MB/s SDHC 32GB cards

    • SanDisk 30MB/s SDHC 16GB cards

    Two copies of each of the respective cards have been tested. This is why I think it's highly unlikely that you encounter card speed errors when you use one of these cards (however, I still would recommend to use 95MB/s cards). You also won't encounter mosquito noise even when the codec hits the frame limit. You also won't see the codec run in fallback mode.


    Reliable spanning probably requires SDXC cards (SanDisk 95MB/s SDXC 64GB).

    According to @bkmcwd spanning can only be considered reliable when the camera spans over 30 minutes shooting a highly stressing scene (containing high frequency details, high contrast and motion). I think this is a very reasonable assumption and I've tested spanning accordingly.

    So here's a copy of my spanning report from above supplemented by the lately adjusted FH mode and the new 25p/50i matrix. Spanning has been tested on a modified version of my Codec Torture Movie on SanDisk 95MB/s SDXC 64GB cards.

    • 24H: doesn't span. Camera stops recording as soon as the file size is 4.29GB. The file finishes correctly.

    • 24L: Spans at 110M bitrate. I've stopped recording after 32 minutes. 7 files spanned. In camera playback doesn't work with a 32min spanned file. Of course the files look fine on the computer. (However, several single files tested played back in camera just fine.)

    • HBR/25p: doesn't span. Camera stops recording as soon as the file size is 4.29GB. The file finishes correctly. edit: HQ3GOP V10 now also spans in 25p mode!

    • FH/1080i50: Spans at 62M bitrate (trick mode). I've stopped recording after 32 minutes. 5 files spanned. In camera playback of the 32min file works.

    • 720p50: Spans at 60M bitrate. I've stopped recording after 32 minutes. 4 files spanned. In camera playback of the 32min file works.


    Unlike @bkmcwd's 3GOP settings in HQ3GOP Auto Modes have not been tested (since personally I don't use any… except of Auto Focus occasionally). Auto Modes may work reliable … but I simply don't know. Out of curiosity I've tested HBR/25p today on my Codec Torture Movie with "I-Contrast" and "I-Dynamik" set to the respective max setting on a SanDisk 30MB/s SDHC 16GB card exposed correctly and also heavily overexposed. The camera didn't crash. However, again, the setting has not been tested sufficiently with all Auto modes enabled (shutter or aperture priority or so...).

    My special thanks of course go to @bkmcwd and @driftwood!!!


    Attached charts of the latest 25p on my Codec Torture Movie, 25p Low Key and 50i (FH setting) spanning test.

    25p_CodecTorture.jpg
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    25P_LowKey.jpg
    1400 x 777 - 388K
    50i_Spanning_Test.jpg
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    HQ3GOP_V9.zip
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  • Update: HQ3GOP V8

    24L bitrate lowered to 112M. Now reliably spanning in 24L mode.

    HQ3GOP V8 has been tested with regard to spanning on a modified version of my codec torture movie with SanDisk 95MB/s SDXC 64GB cards.

    • 24H: Doesn't span. Camera stops recording as soon as the file size is 4.29GB. In camera playback works.

    • 24L: I've stopped recording after 32 minutes. 7 files spanned. In camera playback doesn't work with a 32min spanned file. Of course the files look fine on the computer. (However, several single files tested played back in camera.)

    • HBR/25p: Camera stopped recording after 25 minutes. 3 files spanned. The file has been finished correctly and in camera playback of the spanned 25min file works. The same goes for FSH/50i. However, as noted above, 25p has spanned on a demanding real world scene (I've stopped recording after 45 minutes, in camera playback worked).

    • 720p50: I've stopped recording after 32 minutes. 4 files spanned. In camera playback of the 32min file works.

    Attached charts from the spanning test in 24L and 720p50 mode. In addition a chart of a detailed "landscape" scene with motion shot in 720p50 mode.

    24L_CTM_Spanning.jpg
    1216 x 856 - 793K
    720p50_CTM_Spanning.jpg
    1260 x 853 - 809K
    720p50_ODL_motion.jpg
    1290 x 855 - 637K
    HQ3GOP_V8.zip
    1K
  • some Streamparser JM-SP decoder charts re HBR/25p ...

    25p_CT_static.jpg
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    25p_CT_motion.jpg
    807 x 886 - 292K
    25p_CT_foliage_motion.jpg
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    25p_lowkey.jpg
    807 x 890 - 282K
    25p_lowkey_soft.jpg
    803 x 884 - 275K
  • Impressive!

  • Update: HQ3GOP V7

    Improvements on all modes (modified Scaling Tables on all modes).

    In HBR/25p, on highly detailed scenes, this setting shows the largest I-Frames of any (stable) setting available (above 800K). At the same time it's very sensitive to motion... so B-Frames go pretty large when required. Also Streamparser's JM-SP decoder values look very good.

    HBR/25p survived my Codec Torture Movie for around 15 minutes even on cl.10 SanDisk 30MB/s SDHC 16 GB cards (2 files spanned). This is why I fully expect reliable spanning even on demanding real world scenes. All other modes also survived my Codec Torture Movie for several minutes on SanDisk 30MB/s SDHC 16 GB cards (only 720p60 not yet tested on this card... but successfully tested on SanDisk 95MB/s SDHC 32GB cards).

    24H_codectorture_Frames5.PNG
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    HQ3GOP7_ctm_loopV2_Frames2.PNG
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    HQ3GOP_V7.zip
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  • While HQ3GOP V6 in 25p mode does not span more than 2 files on my codec torture movie it does span on demanding real world scenes. Today I've successfully recorded 45 minutes (6 files spanned) of a highly detailed "landscape" scene. Average bitrate utilzed around 64M.

  • Update: HQ3GOP_V6 (V4 and V5 not posted... so V6 is the successor of V3)

    Completely revised version. There are 2 settings: one for PAL modes, one for NTSC modes.

    All modes have been tested and survived my codec torture movie (this one: http://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/137209#Comment_137209 ... but uncompressed, of course) for several minutes. However, since I myself shoot 24p and PAL modes I've done more tests in 25p/50i than in 30p/60i. In HBR/25p mode the setting spanned on my codec torture movie on SanDisk 95MB/s SDHC 32GB cards. 30p/60i also runs stable but reliable spanning needs further tweaking (however, I think it spans on less demanding scenes).

    Please check it out and let me know your findings.

    HQ3GOP_V6.zip
    2K
  • @spreeni

    could you please try this preliminary version of Spizz T6?

    Many thanks!

    EDIT: please use the third attachment

    Cluster-X Spizz T6 towi retuned V2.zip
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    Cluster-X Spizz T6 towi retuned v2.zip
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    Cluster-X Spizz T6 towi retuned final.zip
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  • @spreeni

    at the moment I don't have the time to adjust HQ3GOP further.

    In the meantime you may try these modifications:

    • Video Bitrate FSH/SH=68000000

    • 1080i Top Setting=67741

    • 1080i Bottom Setting=60967

    • 720p Top Setting=67737

    • 720p Bottom Setting=60963

    Please also try Spizz T6 in 25p/50i mode and let us know your findings -thanks!

    Spizz T6 Info: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/138134#Comment_138134

    setting: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/134530#Comment_134530

  • Hi Towi, I tried the beta2 a few days ago and wanted to shoot some test recordings in FSH (PAL). But unfortunately I had a freeze immediately after start record (after 1 or two seconds). This happened after 10 recordings which were o.k. - so I thought this has to do with the early beta state. I will try your settings again later - it's good to know, that in this setting the PAL side is in focus of development.

  • The last time I've mentioned that FloMo2.02 is not stable in HBR/25p mode you've attacked me and you were asking for a proof.

    This time I've prepared one. Here is FloMo in Action on SanDisk SDXC 95MB/s 64GB shooting my Codec Torture Movie: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/99380599/GH2_FloMo_SDXC64GB.mov And this isn't even overexposed (overexposed torture chart is more prone to crash, of course).

    I've just made another one - especially for you. FloMo mosquito noise, original MTS file (100% reproducible all the time): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/99380599/mosquito_noise.zip

    Back then FlowMotion was the reason I've started to create my own codec torture movie. Fast pans suddenly stopping on a highly detailed scene or someone passing in front of the lens while shooting a highly detailed scene caused either mosquito noise or card speed error.

    HQ3GOP and also all of @bkmcwd's 3GOP settings do not show mosquito noise in HBR/25p mode. The way I shoot (all M… no auto-anything) they also don't produce card speed errors… not even on my codec torture movie.

  • @trollwi

    FlowMotion 2.02 actually runs out of competition in HBR/25p mode since it is not really stable in this mode

    Same old bullshit, eh?

    /thread

  • @Towi, I'm glad to see that you you're developing these, your own, settings. I only have a GF2, for now, but will give your latest ver.3 a workout in 720p_50 mode.

  • HQ3GOP V3

    • 720p50 improved

    • 720p60 improved

    HQ3GOP_v3.zip
    1K
  • For your reference here is HQ3GOP compared to several 3GOP settings in HBR/25p and 24H.

    The settings are Duke Beta 4, FlowMotion 2.02, Spizz Trial 4 (modified by me for better 25p), Valkyrie 444 TZ2, Valkyrie 444 TZ4.2.

    The scene is a static texture with narrow DOF (still containing quite some fine details to resolve... see first attachment).

    note: FlowMotion 2.02 actually runs out of competition in HBR/25p mode since it is not really stable in this mode (card speed error even on SanDisk SDXC 95MB/s 64GB and/or it shows mosquito noise on very demanding scenes).

    also note on the HQ3GOP HBR/25p chart I was walking around ... this is why the stream shows some waving from frame nr. 200 and on...

    tex_scene.jpg
    800 x 450 - 161K
    HQ3GOP_Duke_HBR25p.jpg
    1233 x 934 - 615K
    HQ3GOP_FloMo2_HBR25p.jpg
    1262 x 937 - 603K
    HQ3GOP_SpizzT42_HBR25p.jpg
    1241 x 938 - 620K
    HQ3GOP_ValkTZ2_HBR25p.jpg
    1316 x 937 - 609K
    HQ3GOP_ValkTZ4_HBR25p.jpg
    1282 x 937 - 606K
    HQ3GOP_Duke_24H.jpg
    1277 x 931 - 575K
    HQ3GOP_FloMo2_24H.jpg
    1232 x 936 - 572K
    HQ3GOP_SpizzT42_24H.jpg
    1321 x 936 - 580K
    HQ3GOP_ValkTZ2_24H.jpg
    1237 x 940 - 586K
    HQ3GOP_ValkTZ4_24H.jpg
    1239 x 936 - 583K
  • @Fool4UAnyway

    I like that movie

    I hate it ... it's absolutely merciless and unbribable :-)