Color Correcting the Dragon Box - 3 Part Spectacular

[ect5150]

-ect5150: The way my guide works is that it applies to video... read the full thing. A lot of what other people are doing is just screenshots. I plan to write a guide on how to conver vcf settings to avisynth scripts later on.

That's not my problem. I can get this stuff to work in AVISynth just fine, but the guide is great by the way on getting us started.

When you find artifacting like that that adversely effects other parts of the video when you try to correct it, you have to instead do an apply-range in avisynth and apply it only to the segments with the artifacting. It's more a result of us working with mpeg2 video than anything. Which episode are you working on there? I'll take a look if I have time over the weekend and give my suggestions on correcting it.

DBZ Episode 34.

I was hoping to avoid trimming the segments and applying different settings per segment as it is time intense (one episode wouldn't be bad... but 291 episodes? ouch!) But you're right. It may be the only answer.

Also, if you're giving that episode a shot, I would try the Krillin scene first. It is the part where Kaio starts to talk to him. The scene darkens and shy behind him is green as it gets darker. The artifacts appear as it gets darker. I'm sure there is a fix if we trim the segments and apply different settings though.

-As for using the eyecatches, no, because almost all of the elements (OP, ED, Episode, NEP, and Eyecatch) are from completely different elements and usually have different color casts. Meaning that you have to color correct each of these elements individually. BTW, if half of an episode doesn't respond well to color cast removal, it's likely that that portion of the episode may have come from a different film element that's aged differently than the rest of the episode, meaning you have to remove color cast and apply correction differently there as well.

Gotcha, makes sense actually.

I'll try using some of the recommended settings again, but I'll count on trimming up the video later. I'll try to post a sample video for all to view shortly so we have more than just screen shots to view.

[Corpsecreate]

The eyecatches are actually different for every single episode, they did not use the same one (for some reason). Each eyecatch goes for a different duration than the others and the jitter/flicker is different for each one.

[Ashura]

At least on original Dragonball it's much the same. The intro has a different color cast than the rest, but each intro is a completely different element as well. Same for the NEPs, etc. I think they found the best film masters they had for each individual piece of each episode and then looped them together. This may also be the reason they didn't color correct it, because each piece was so differently aged.

I'm not saying all the color casts on each of these things might not end up being similar to the rest of the episode, but it's safe to assume that they're usually pretty different.

[ect5150]

Ugh. I give up on the artistry, I'll just help out with the other items (the artifacting is killing me).

I would love to see someone turn this screen shot over (removal of the green sky from ep 34).


Here are two FUNI BluRays just for reference from 34 (if you even want to call it a reference):


And here was someone's attempt at it.

As usually, click to enlarge (to save on everyone's bandwidth).

[Corpsecreate]

Here is my extremely quick attempt:

[ect5150]

Here is my extremely quick attempt:

What settings are you using? Whenever I try that one in video, I get artifacts out the wazoo. Maybe I just suck at colors!

[Corpsecreate]

I dont know what settings I used, I didnt save them. I'm sure the rest of the episode would have artifacts though (I didnt check).

[ect5150]

I dont know what settings I used, I didnt save them. I'm sure the rest of the episode would have artifacts though (I didnt check).

Personally, I can't get it to look that nice (I always had artifacts).

Also, the one problem is that scene doesn't have a nice scene break in it... so just applying the settings to those frames doesn't mean we can switch out easily to fix the green sky.

[Corpsecreate]

I did an encode of episode 30 with some filters and colour corrections applied to episode 30. All corrections are artifact free. The video is a split screen comparison of the original vs filtered. Take a look!

http://www.mediafire.com/?7ijm3ry5h4furtb

(Finally this forum is back to life!)

[SaiyaJedi]

@Ashura:

It's my first time viewing the thread, but I will say that while I don't like too much tampering with the film stock (as it gets into nitpicky things like the animators' original intent with the colors in any given scene), you do a good job of keeping things natural and making them brighter without getting oversaturated or losing detail. I like in particular how your shot of Yamcha in the moonlight from the first Dragon Ball movie freshens up the colors without moving everything into the blue range and destroying all the subtle gradations the way FUNimation's uncut DVD does.

You know, if they're searching for a way to continue their Blu-Ray release on a smaller budget, they really ought to consider hiring you. And I'm only half-joking about that.

[AnimeMaakuo]

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[Corpsecreate]

I dont know if a patch can be applied to make the colours change (I doubt it) but I have been working on a full-series colour correction using the R2 Dragon Boxes for quite some time now so that might be of some interest to you...

[ect5150]

I uploaded my Dragon Box R2 DVDS in my HDD, my computer, and was wondering is there anyway to color correct the Dragon Boxes? For instance, making a patch and simply applying it to the .ISO files, making the animation change? Or is it not that simple to change the whole series like that? Also, "color correcting" it doesn't always make sense to me because what if those weren't the animators original intent? Is there really a way to "color correct" the Dragon Box?

Actually, I think there is... although it might require you to rip the MPEG2 files directly to the HDD and play them there. If you decode the video stream via ffdshow, there is an option to run an AVISynth script on the video in real time. These color correction settings can be input through an AVISynth script. Something like the below shot (which is just me running a real time cropping script):



Of course, the color correction script is uglier and bit more complicated, but I'm sure it's possible - but just a crap load of work (I thought I saved an example of what the script looked like, but now I can't find it).

[Corpsecreate]

It can be done using avisynth, I have it working right now. If I wasnt struggling to breathe in real life right now, I'd upload a vid of it working.

[ect5150]

It can be done using avisynth, I have it working right now. If I wasnt struggling to breathe in real life right now, I'd upload a vid of it working.

Yeah, but I think he just wants to play the disc image... not use AVISynth to do a re-encode of it... which isn't a bad idea really...

[ect5150]

Is anyone actively working on this project/idea across any episodes? I have a bunch of episodes encoded and though I might try to redo everything using what I know from this thread and another (discussing the audio sync issues kei17 pointed out).

I thought I would do some of my favorite episodes and then possibly the DBox The Movies set and was wondering if anyone wanted to pool resources. My ultimate plan is to just have AVISynth scripts for all to use as it is a single file that can have all adjustments.
Many of us can just rip the DVDs and use the AVISynth file and whammo - instant color correction.
So far I'm keeping adjustments to a minimum (as that appears the best way to avoid visual artifacts), but here are a few comparison shots so far:





It's from DB episode 119. I love the episode, but the colors always bothered me - but no more! I figure many people might benefit from this as it seems like the US might get a DB Dbox release?

Also, for those familiar with it, here is the AVISynth script:

Code: Select all

#video bitrate: 5000 kbits/sec
#audio bitrate: 160 kbits/sec with delay -275 ms
LoadVirtualdubplugin("C:\Video\Programs\VirtualDub\plugins\gradation.vdf", "gradation",1)
LoadVirtualdubplugin("C:\Video\Programs\VirtualDub\plugins\Hue.vdf", "hue",1)

DGDecode_mpeg2source(".\VTS_01_1.d2v",info=3)
ColorMatrix(hints=true,interlaced=true)
tfm(d2v="VTS_01_1.d2v",slow=2,PP=0,mode=5).tdecimate()
ConvertToRGB32()

gradation(1,"000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f101112131415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f202122232425262728292a2b2c2d2e2f303132333435363738393a3b3c3d3e3f404142434445464748494a4b4c4d4e4f505152535455565758595a5b5c5d5e5f606162636465666768696a6b6c6d6e6f707172737475767778797a7b7c7d7e7f808182838485868788898a8b8c8d8e8f909192939495969798999a9b9c9d9e9fa0a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9aaabacadaeafb0b1b2b3b4b5b6b7b8b9babbbcbdbebfc0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9cacbcccdcecfd0d1d2d3d4d5d6d7d8d9dadbdcdddedfe0e1e2e3e4e5e6e7e8e9eaebecedeeeff0f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8f9fafbfcfdfeff000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f101112131415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f2122232425262728292a2b2c2d2e2f303132333435363738393a3b3c3d3e3f404142434445464748494a4b4c4d4e4f505152535455565758595a5b5c5d5e5f6162636465666768696a6b6c6d6e6f707172737475767778797a7b7c7d7e7f808182838485868788898a8b8c8d8e8f909192939495969798999a9b9c9d9ea0a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9aaabacadaeafb0b1b2b3b4b5b6b7b8b9babbbcbdbebfc0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9cacbcccdcecfd0d1d2d3d4d5d6d7d8d9dadbdcdddee0e1e2e3e4e5e6e7e8e9eaebecedeeeff0f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8f9fafbfcfdfeffffffffff000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f101112131415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f202122232425262728292a2b2c2d2e2f303132333435363738393a3b3c3d3e3f404142434445464748494a4b4c4d4e4f505152535455565758595a5b5c5d5e5f606162636465666768696a6b6c6d6e6f707172737475767778797a7b7c7d7e7f808182838485868788898a8b8c8d8e8f909192939495969798999a9b9c9d9e9fa0a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9aaabacadaeafb0b1b2b3b4b5b6b7b8b9babbbcbdbebfc0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9cacbcccdcecfd0d1d2d3d4d5d6d7d8d9dadbdcdddedfe0e1e2e3e4e5e6e7e8e9eaebecedeeeff0f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8f9fafbfcfdfeff0001020304050708090a0b0c0d0e0f1011121415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f2122232425262728292a2b2c2e2f3031323334353637383a3b3c3d3e3f4041424344454748494a4b4c4d4e4f5051525455565758595a5b5c5d5e5f6162636465666768696a6b6d6e6f7071727374757677787a7b7c7d7e7f8081828384858788898a8b8c8d8e8f9091929495969798999a9b9c9d9ea0a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9aaabadaeafb0b1b2b3b4b5b6b7b8babbbcbdbebfc0c1c2c3c4c5c7c8c9cacbcccdcecfd0d1d3d4d5d6d7d8d9dadbdcdddee0e1e2e3e4e5e6e7e8e9eaebedeeeff0f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8fafbfcfdfeffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f101112131415161718191a1b1c1d1e1f202122232425262728292a2b2c2d2e2f303132333435363738393a3b3c3d3e3f404142434445464748494a4b4c4d4e4f505152535455565758595a5b5c5d5e5f606162636465666768696a6b6c6d6e6f707172737475767778797a7b7c7d7e7f808182838485868788898a8b8c8d8e8f909192939495969798999a9b9c9d9e9fa0a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9aaabacadaeafb0b1b2b3b4b5b6b7b8b9babbbcbdbebfc0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9cacbcccdcecfd0d1d2d3d4d5d6d7d8d9dadbdcdddedfe0e1e2e3e4e5e6e7e8e9eaebecedeeeff0f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8f9fafbfcfdfeff","152222202020202020000ffff0000fbff0000ffff0000ebff0000ffff")
hue(10, 0, 0, 0, 20)
hue(-3, 0, 0, 0, 32)

Crop(8,0,-8,0)
ConvertToYV12()

All that is needed is to drop that textfile into the directory you ripped the episode to achieve those results.

So, anyone working on this? If so, let me know... I think I'm going to go work on DBZ Movie 6 as Metal Cooler in that movie is a bit green in the DBox...

[AnimeMaakuo]

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[BluezaBladeNZ]

I noticed that also. Did you adjust the red/magenta hue channels too?

[ect5150]

I noticed that also. Did you adjust the red/magenta hue channels too?

Just the magenta... after correcting the sky, some purples appeared too purple. Adjusting only the magenta seemed to fix it (it was only a minor adjustment).

The VirtualDub plugin cited in the original article isn't as robust as some of the photos people made in photoshop (which has a similar tool, but has more control). Maybe a better tool exists? I'll also go back go back and see if I can twist it a bit more.

It's for this reason I thought getting community eyes would produce better results.

[ect5150]

Found a different way to manipulate the hues than what is stated in the guide in the first post.

Can I get a few eyes/opinions on these before-&-after shots since my eyes sometimes miss coloring issues (I've focused on a way to minimize the artifacts mentioned in the guide that come about from playing around with the hues, but I think I've found the source of the artifacts and I'm able to compensate for the bulk of it).

Thanks in advance and as always, click to enlarge: