Quality Settings for DayZ recorded with FRAPS sent to YouTube?

[Chicago Wind 0]

I posted this in General Discussion, but I think this might be the best forum for it. Sorry for the dupe!

I've been tearing my hair out trying to solve this problem.

I'm recording DayZ footage using Fraps. 30fps, 1920x1080. The output from Fraps looks fantastic, if a little dark (I understand this is normal). The raw video is much too large though, so an in-between encode is needed to get it up on YouTube.

Here are some examples of what I've put out so far:

This one was created using Virtualdub using x264vfw with high quality settings (a bit rate of 50 Mbps, I believe). The quality is excellent when I'm not moving onscreen, such as right at the beginning of the video. It drops dramatically though as soon as I move. Compression rears its ugly head constantly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSZ_5ytNV8E&feature=plcp

This was made in Sony Vegas (11, I believe) using wmv and a bitrate of 50 Mbps. The overall quality is far more consistent, but the image quality suffers as a result. Compare the crispness of the text in the debug monitor in this video to the one above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YMxgxOByNM&feature=plcp

This was also created in Vegas, but using MainConcept AVC. Bitrate is again at 50 Mbps. It looks pretty much the same as the wmv, if not slightly more crisp. Contrast and brightness has been adjusted to compensate for the codec.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdEIrttz8rg&feature=plcp

This is perhaps the most criminal of all: this is straight out of Fraps. No compression or anything. My upload speed isn't very fast so I didn't make this video long at all, but you can see that the quality is about on par with my first video. Theoretically, if I'm uploading raw video, shouldn't this be as good as it gets?

This brings me to SideStrafe on YouTube. His vids always look excellent, and I cannot figure out how to get them looking this good. An example:

I've reached out to him to see what settings he uses, but he hasn't responded.

Anyone have any clue what I'm doing wrong/advice to set me in the right direction? I'm away from my home computer right now so I can't post exact specs out of my outputs, but if anyone needs them I will happily oblige when I get home.

Thanks in advance!

[dcskill 117]

SideStrafe is probably using some nasty render settings in Vegas.

[Chicago Wind 0]

bump.

[jonryan32@gmail.com 2]

I don't have the answer you're looking for but I'm also trying to figure this out. If you hear back from SideStrafe or figure it out I'd appreciate a heads up.

[Chicago Wind 0]

I will certainly do that.

[NickForslund 0]

I found a comment in one of his videos, it was posted one year ago, he stated that he was using Fraps back then, but he might have changed. It could also be his rendering settings as someone mentioned in this thread.

[Chicago Wind 0]

Alright, after much, MUCH testing, I've decided that exporting using VirtualDub with the x264 codec seems to provided the sharpest results.

I'm using the following settings: http://frapsforum.com/threads/fraps-to-youtube-with-h-264.894/ (1st post: "FRAPS TO YOUTUBE WITH H.264") The only difference is I am using a rate factor of 16 (higher bit rate).

Here is the result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0dbOPtsZxA&feature=plcp

You'll notice that the green icons on the right, as well as the debug menu, remain crisp and clear throughout the video. What you'll also notice is that there still seems to be a lot of artifacting as I walk around (this is lessened significantly when I stand still, such as when I bring up my inventory).

My theory behind this is that my DayZ settings themselves don't lend themselves to a decent YouTube vid. I have anti-aliasing and post processing effects turned off, so there is no motion blur whatsoever. Anyone who has messed about with anti-aliasing in DayZ knows that having it off looks completely different from having it on even the lowest setting; on low, trees look completely different, and the overall image quality is just far more blurry.

Compare my vid above to this test I did with anti-aliasing on and post-processing effects at normal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzZTZXbh_Ro&feature=plcp A lot less artifacting, but the image quality just isn't as sharp.

I'm still kind of tearing my hair out over this game, but it's starting to make a little more sense. I think the sharper your DayZ footage looks, the more artifacting you're going to see on YouTube. Seems to be unavoidable.

Again though, if anyone has any recommendations, I am all ears!

[frankiebeans 5]

I know this is bumping an older thread, but i'd really like to know as well. I do my own youtube videos and the quality is pretty bad. I am currently using an 8mbps wmv that is...bad, but not AS bad as mp4 settings I had before. There has to be something I am missing.