How can I bob deinterlace?
 

Hello-
I have some 30 fps avi files which I would like to bob deinterlace and increase the frame rate to 60 fps. I have tried the directions here: http://www.100fps.com/ but I can't seem to get virtualdub to open my avs file. I've tried it on 2 computers and have followed directions to a "t" but I still cannot get it to work. As such I have 2 questions:
1. What could I be doing wrong that causes my avs file to not be read by virtualdub?
2. Are there any reasonably priced commercial software alternatives that are capable of bob interlace?

Just so you know, my AVS script reads:
AVISource("test.avi")
separatefields

The video and the script are in the same folder. I have tried numerous variations on this script with no success. The error message I recieve states:

Avisynth open failure:
Unrecognized exception!
(C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\test\example.avs, line 1)

Please help. I've been searching for days for a solution to no avail. Thanks-

Hi Mike,

In your script, you need to specify the exact path of your avi file. So instead of just AVISource("test.avi"), you need to tell it where it's located. (ie. AVISource("C:\FolderName\Test.avi").

Also, the filter "separatefields" does not bob deinterlaces your video. Separatefields creates fields from a progressive video. If you want to bob deinterlace, just try bob(). There's a better bob deinterlacer out there called KernelDeinterlace. You can get it here. Be sure to download the filter that fits your AVISynth version. There's version 2.0x and 2.5. That site has a bunch of other useful AVISynth filters, too.

Also, when AVISynth gives you an error, generally it tells you where the errors is occuring. In your case, it was at line 1 of your script.

Thanks for the reply and the link to the other filters. I have tried using the exact path name (this is one of the many variations in the code that I mentioned above). In fact, I copied and pasted the location from the address bar and it still didn't work. As you said, it seems my error is not something with any particular procedure....I just simply can't open the avs file in Vdub.

Had the same problem. When I save the avs file from notepad it saved it as example.avs.txt Might want to check. I finally opened AVIsynth's example file, changed the text to read as I wanted and then did a "save"....not "save as". That did the trick for me.

Hmm, that's odd. Can you open your AVS file in Windows Media Player Classic? Is Virtual Dub the only program causing you trouble?

Jim-
I definitely have it saved as an .avs file and it still doesn't work. I even went back and double checked with no different results.

Kim-
I can't open it in my only version of windows media player. I actually get the exact same error message displayed.

Well, since the error is referring to line 1 of the script, maybe you should check the filename and make sure it's correct and that the extension shows an AVI file. Could it be an MPG file?

Also, what version of AVISynth are you using? Do you have other scripts that work/not work?

If it's still giving you an error, I suggest reinstalling AVISynth.

If you play back the straight avi file with PowerDVD or WinDVD with the BOB deinterlacing option setup, you can see a "bob" deinterlaced version of you video without any special effort!

Thanks again for the replies.
Kin-
The file is definitely an avi file. I am using avisynth 2.08. I have tried unistalling and reinstalling with no difference. I do not have any other scripts that are giving me problems although I likewise have no scripts that are working for me (I've never used it before).

Lawrence-
I need a new outputted file that is bob deinterlaced so the dvd options won't work for me. Thanks anyhow though.

You're aware that a proper bob-deinterlaced file is 60 fps. If you reduce that frame rate to 30fps to make a regular DV codec avi file, you may as well have done a discard fields deinterlace.

I don't want a reduced frame rate. I want 60 fps. It is for data analysis and not post-production viewing.

I know I can do that directly from Vegas.

Avisynth 2.08 is pretty outdated, try getting Avisynth 2.5.5 and see if that helps. Here's the link.

Hope this helps! :/

Thanks. It did get me somewhere but now I have a different error. Now when I open the .avs file I get the following error:
Avisynth open failure:
AVISource: couldn't locate a decompressor for fourcc dvsd
(C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\test\example.avs, line 1)

Virtual Dub requires a VFW codec to decode DV files. The one I use is the Panasonic DV Codec. You can get it here.