Solved Another stablization question about using Mercalli software

With the Mercalli software, I am assuming that you stabilize before inserting video into platinum 12. Then you insert the media into platinum as you normally do. Is there anything special you have to do before inserting the media? Someone wrote you need to render it after using Mercalli software. I am confused about that. Do you stabilize, then render, then insert into sony platinum? If so, does Mercalli have a rendering option within the software.If not, how do you render it.Thanks for any help.

I just read your topic about you having to render video before inserting into platinum12. Where is the rendering option in the Mercalli software? Once you have stabilized the video clip and inserted it into platinum 12, you can then edit it normally? Even shorten it more, insert pictures over the clip etc? Thanks again Derek. I am looking forward to you tutorial on this subject.

easyrider wrote: I just read your topic about you having to render video before inserting into platinum12. Where is the rendering option in the Mercalli software? Once you have stabilized the video clip and inserted it into platinum 12, you can then edit it normally? Even shorten it more, insert pictures over the clip etc? Thanks again Derek. I am looking forward to you tutorial on this subject.

In Mercalli 4 SAL, use the "Export" (Export stabilized media) option, top toolbar, towards the left. That will allow you to set the export directory, quality (low, medium, high), setup (Media Encoder Settings), an option to combine videos, and View Mode (View Results, Horizontal Compare, or Vertical Compare [the view selected will appear in your exported/rendered file]).

In the "Settings" options, the video encoders available are;
AVC-h.264 (mp4)
AVC-h.264 (mov)
MJpeg (mov)
Apple ProRes (mov) (this will render a ProRes 422 HQ)
HEVC-h.265 (mov)

For my trials, I have been dragging my clip into Mercalli, analyzing, applying various settings, then export/render. Then that file I bring into SMS13P.

- From the camera into computer
- From computer into Mercalli, export to computer
- From computer (stabilized version) into SMS13P, make edits, color, effects, etc, then render to computer.

Hope this helps, but there may be other ways of doing it. I'm just starting to get familiar with Mercalli myself.

Also, if you are only working on one file (or only exporting/rendering one file), if you check the Combine Videos option, you will have an opportunity to name your export/rendered file, otherwise Mercalli wants to write the stabilized file over your original file (if you haven't changed the output directory).

Eagle Six wrote:

easyrider wrote: I just read your topic about you having to render video before inserting into platinum12. Where is the rendering option in the Mercalli software? Once you have stabilized the video clip and inserted it into platinum 12, you can then edit it normally? Even shorten it more, insert pictures over the clip etc? Thanks again Derek. I am looking forward to you tutorial on this subject.

In Mercalli 4 SAL, use the "Export" (Export stabilized media) option, top toolbar, towards the left. That will allow you to set the export directory, quality (low, medium, high), setup (Media Encoder Settings), an option to combine videos, and View Mode (View Results, Horizontal Compare, or Vertical Compare [the view selected will appear in your exported/rendered file]).

In the "Settings" options, the video encoders available are;
AVC-h.264 (mp4)
AVC-h.264 (mov)
MJpeg (mov)
Apple ProRes (mov) (this will render a ProRes 422 HQ)
HEVC-h.265 (mov)

For my trials, I have been dragging my clip into Mercalli, analyzing, applying various settings, then export/render. Then that file I bring into SMS13P.

- From the camera into computer
- From computer into Mercalli, export to computer
- From computer (stabilized version) into SMS13P, make edits, color, effects, etc, then render to computer.

Hope this helps, but there may be other ways of doing it. I'm just starting to get familiar with Mercalli myself.

Also, if you are only working on one file (or only exporting/rendering one file), if you check the Combine Videos option, you will have an opportunity to name your export/rendered file, otherwise Mercalli wants to write the stabilized file over your original file (if you haven't changed the output directory).

George,
What I have found is that Mercalli creates a new file with the original file name with 'Mercalli' added after it. I have noticed that the Mercalli stabilized file gets increased in size 10 fold !

They do have 4 tutorials on YouTube that help understand the process, which there appear to be many options of how to stabilize a video clip. I have sent some comments to them and they are extremely quick to respond.

Thank You MrGrunthunter, for the correction. I went back and reviewed what I had done with the exact same file and figured out how I went wrong. First I watched the Youtube video and in one the author mentioned the trick about checking the Combine Videos option, which allows you to rename the file and mentioned it was a nice work around compared to previous version of Mercalli that would overwrite the file. So, I never really tried without the Combine Video checked.

With some further testing, and I think this is what I also did........if you do not check the Combine Videos, it does exactly as you point out, writes the file back to the same folder with the same file name, adding "Mercalli" to the end of the file name. If you save/export it again, perhaps after making some adjustments, it will then warn you that the file exported previously with the "Mercalli" added, will then be overwritten.

And, to be more specific about the Combine Videos option, it actually allows you to select another folder and forces/allows you to enter a file name. I like this option as I often will render several versions and give them version names. I don't get a smooth playback in Mercalli (probably due to my old CPU/GPU struggling) and then need to view in a rendered version from my NLE.

As for the file size in the exported/rendered file, I get similar results as you have. If I use the ProRes 422 HQ codec, the file does result is a 9/10 folder size increase, as you mention. Using the h264 codec the files size is about 2.5 times the original size.

A more specific size comparison result was this:

Original from camera m2t file = 67 meg
Prores 422 HQ rendered from Mercalli file = 629 meg
Rendered out of SMS13P back to m2t file = 67 meg
The same file rendered from Mercalli in h264.mp4 = 187 meg

George
Just out of curiosity I decided to run some tests with a file I had recorded with my GoPro HERO 4. The 'original' mp4 file was 335,516 kb in size.
In Mercalli my setup was: STANDARD, SPORTS CAM, GoPro Hero 4 Wide and I exported in medium quality. I exported this file in ALL of the encorders with the following results:
ACV/H264 (mp4) FILE SIZE: 650,297 kb
ACV/H264 (mov) FILE SIZE: 650,297 kb
MJpeg (mov) FILE SIZE: 1,044,497 kb
Apple ProRes (mov) FILE SIZE: 4,643,497 kb
HEVC/H265 (mov) FILE SIZE: 210,295 kb

The HEVC/H265 was a surprise being the smallest file but then when I tried to import it into SMS13P all I got was the audio, no video

I then wanted to see what the INTENSIVE REPAIR setting would do and exported with the ACV/H264 encorder and ended up with a file size of 1,698,056 kb. I then imported it into SMS13P and exported it as a mp4 file and it then ended up being only 71,537 kb in size. INTERESTING

MrGrunthunter

This file size comparison thing is interesting, and it apparently is way over my head. I took a 14 second file as another test and these are the results:

Original file - ProRes 422 HQ - 352 meg
After Mercalli - ProRes 422 HQ - 570 meg
Original file rendered from SMS13P - DNxHD 220x - 383 meg
Mercalli file rendered from SMS13P - DNxHD 220x - 383 meg

It appears the settings and options used in Mercalli, along with the original file compared to the modified file processing requirements, and difference in codec, make for a difference in the resulting file sizes. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanatio0n for this. I'm also sure it is way beyond my current knowledge, and I'm positive it is beyond my allotted time and patience to try and determine the reason on my own!!

The good thing......the resulting file size from Mercalli has little effect on the rendered file after going through the NLE. It obviously will add to the space requirements for archiving, but for me, the times I'll be correcting footage with Mercalli is currently very few, so the storage space isn't an issue.

I've tested 2 clips I had on hand. The first was an h.264.mov file taken inside the cockpit on a very bumpy flight, for a EAA Young Eagles promo. In my opinion, this footage was beyond repair for even the best program. After running various test setting in Mercalli, my opinion still stands. Although Mercalli did make improvements, it didn't produce any attributable improvements.

The 2nd test clip was from a short I made of a 2015 Ford Mustang Performance for the owner. Day 2 Scene 29, involved a camera move along a ladder dolly, towards the end of the move, the camera pans right, tilts up and stops all movement. Making the pan right and tilt up, while keeping the dolly move smooth actually took 7 takes. But take 1 was a good example I felt of making a practical correction to save a scene. There were several jitters at the end of the dolly move as I struggled to make the pan/tilt smooth. Mercalli made a perfect correction, and that makes me pleased with the product. It was actually take 4 that was used in the short film, but if I had Mercalli at the time I could have used take 1.

Back to the file size.......have you explored the original file and the various exported files with MediaInfo to gleam any differences?

Also, from the limited test I have made, there seems to be very little loss of quality between my original 10 bit 422 ProRes HQ files and the resulting exported ProRes 422 HQ files from Mercalli. There is a small change in luma and chroma, but nothing that normal color correction wouldn't address.

Thank you for your information.It was very helpful. Do you think that I should import from mercalli using the acu h264 mp4 or the mov,or the mjpeg mov codec. I am interested in quality the most and not file size as I am burning to blu ray disc.My original video is in avchd hd from a sony cx 550v camcorder.Thanks again for your help.

I think I would try to match the export format/container to that of the original file. With that said, the MJpeg (mov) should run smoother on the timeline of Movie Studio over h264 (mp4/mov). But for previewing there may not be any difference on your machine. If you scrub quickly along the timeline, the MJpeg will probably run smoother, again depending on your preview settings and machine.

The size of the Mercalli file should have little difference in the size of the rendered file you use for Bluray.

There are many who have stated MOV files don't mix well with Movie Studio or Vegas. I use them all the time, but I'm sure I'm not stressing my SMS13P as much as many others may be.

thank you , George for your answer.I will try what you have stated.