AutoOverlay (PKA AutoAlign) discussion

[random.next]

You haven't specified a destination width for the first two OverlayRenders, might that be the issue?

Width and height are optional.

[spoRv]

OK, now it works! And yes, it's painly slow and result is... well, as expected!

Exinpaint has great potential, and works quite well with still images; but, also with still shots - I mean it, with fixed camera - it create different parts for each frame, even when surroundings are not moving/changing. Maybe one day we will see a great neural net inpaint technique, but until then, I think this would be useless for movie restoration - indeed, "ambilight" (I like this term!) is much less distracting, but I still prefer old plain black angles!

[random.next]

It may be more appropriate if reduce resolution before, fill angles, upscale back and overlay original render by mask.

[spoRv]

It will be great to have a simple function like this:

Code:

overlayimpaint(overlaid_clip, start_frame, end_frame, ref_frame)

where only a shot from overlaid_clip (from start_frame to end_frame) would use the inpainting, and the inpaint angles are all from a single ref_frame (that would be the nicest); I know it would work only for static shots, but would still be useful IMHO!

An advanced version could be like:

Code:

overlayimpaint(overlaid_clip, start_frame, end_frame, ref_frame_topleft, ref_frame_topright, ref_frame_bottomleft, ref_frame_bottomright)

when there are different "good" frames for different corners. I know it's a super-nerdy function, but would be nice to have it, and do not use it, instead of have need of it, without have it - you know, like the line about gun in AVP (and also in Prometheus, and probably in many other movies!)

[random.next]

In the future releases of AutoOverlay I'll add an ability to override the overlay function by the user one with signature like: Overlay(clip src, clip over, x, y, angle, overWidth, overHeight...)
It will give more flexibility to finally compose the frame.

[spoRv]

This plugin is really great as is now, but can't wait to see its development!

[Colek]

You only have to generate statistic file once, even after you've changed some settings such as MaxDiff?

[random.next]

You only have to generate statistic file once, even after you've changed some settings such as MaxDiff?

If the frame info was already written to statfile then it just read from it. Otherwise OverlayEngine use given args and write stat to file for current frame.
You should test different maxDiff and other params in some scenes without statfile before analysis pass.
After that you are able to check the first/last frame of every scene in overlay editor (press D to show difference).

[spoRv]

@random.next: let's say we have an open matte 1.78:1 1080p capture, and want to align it with a 1.33:1 SD capture; which settings are advised to be used?

Meanwhile, I'm patiently waiting for the step-by-step guide aiming to children, with explaining images if possible!

[Colek]

Interesting, if I am running analysis pass for way longer (lets say it takes 10 hours), it slows down with processing next frames very much (to like 0.8 FPS). But if I restart VirtualDub and run analysis pass again, it will start over from the point where I've stopped it, and continue with regular speed (~5-7 FPS).