Converting and correcting SWV downloaded films/compilations/loops.

[mucowag]

A brief tutorial on dealing with SWV downloaded films/compilations/loops.

The same probably applies to files lifted from DVDs, but I have no experience
of their DVDs. This should convert them with as little degradation as possible.

The native files are in .MOV format, so they would be historically compatible with
Apple machines, but are actually mp4 H264 encoded.
SWV states one can simply change the file extension to .mp4, then you have an mp4
file, but it is in the wrong aspect ratio (704 x 480).

The reason for this is that they were originally compiled this way for release on DVD.
This is concisely explained by J4ZZ in this excellent informative post here:

http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/t27...r-dar-far.html

Video editors usually require videos to already be in either 4:3 or 16:9 AR,
If not, you will get a "windowed/letterboxed" result, there are many examples
on the forum, but it should really be corrected back to the original 640 x 480 for
proper viewing anyway, even if you are not planing to edit it.

Here is an example of an actual downloaded Nudie cuties compilation video.
(Media Player Classic gives these comprehensive properties).

The original file properties as downloaded from SWV: (.MOV 985 Mb).
Video: MPEG4 Video (H264) 704x480 (109:80) 29.97fps 1154kbps
[V: Apple Video Media Handler (h264 main L3.0, yuv420p, 704x480, 1154 kb/s)]
Audio: AAC 48000Hz stereo 159kbps
[A: Apple Sound Media Handler (aac lc, 48000 Hz, stereo, 159 kb/s)]

As you see it is already an mp4, so there is no point in coverting it to another
format like AVI, WMV, or anything else for that matter.
I then use AVCfree to convert to 640 x 480 (AR 4:3), using the properties above.
Sound, and any subtitle track can be removed at the same time.

The file properties after conversion: (.MP4 980 Mb).
Video: MPEG4 Video (H264) 640x480 29.97fps 1211kbps
[V: h264 constrained baseline L1.3, yuv420p, 640x480, 1211 kb/s]
Audio: AAC 48000Hz stereo 96kbps
[A: SoundHandler (aac lc, 48000 Hz, stereo, 96 kb/s)]

I can then use Windows movie maker to edit the film, or chop out individual
loops or scenes one at a time, saving each as an mp4. Sound can also be removed
if necessary. When saving the movie or clips choose "custom setting" and enter
the parameters as shown in the properties above.

I just happen to use AVCfree and WMM, but the same methods should apply to
whichever utility you use.
Hope this is of some use.

[mucowag]

An additional tutorial concerning the framerate.

There appears to be an issue regarding the framerate of some SWV compilations.
I used an original SWV downloaded Nudie cuties native MOV for these figures.

In Windows, right clicking on the file and properties, shows a framerate of only 24fps.
On further investigation, this seems to be just an average/median result.

This is the simple properties result from MPCHC:
Video: MPEG4 Video (H264) 704x480 (109:80) 120fps 1285kbps [V: Apple Video Media Handler (h264 main L3.0, yuv420p, 704x480, 1285 kb/s)]
Audio: AAC 48000Hz stereo 159kbps [A: Apple Sound Media Handler (aac lc, 48000 Hz, stereo, 159 kb/s)]

As you can see it shows a completely spurious 120fps, clearly wrong.

This is the framerate entry from the MPCHC "Media info" detailed list:
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 24.516 FPS
Minimum frame rate : 9.914 FPS
Maximum frame rate : 29.970 FPS

As you can see it has detected a variable frame rate, which must be causing the other false results.
This could be caused by any number of things:
The way SWV has encoded it in the first place.
Maybe different bits of the compilation actually do have different framerates,
The trailers at the beginning and end,
That swirling SWV logo,
The splices/blanks between the loops,
Any blank video areas (noise) at the beginning and end.

If you re-encode just using "original" framerate, the result is likely to be at only 24fps.

I always force a re-encode at the maximum, 29.97 fps, and have had no issues so far.