Side by side video comparison?

enespacio wrote on 8/10/2010, 2:16 PM
To test different effects and settings, I render short loops using my final delivery format (Sony AVC mp4). I then open two separate windows and have to click back and forth. I'd like to be able to run both clips simultaneously. This would help me particularly when I'm trying to compare different Deshaker settings.

The only thing I've found so far is "Videocompare". It allows you to open multiple clips, and run them simultaneously with one click. Unfortunately it crashes repeatedly and doesn't recognize mp4's. If there's something out there that actually works with this concept, I'd like to hear about it.

James

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 8/10/2010, 2:25 PM
QuickTime player lets you have multiple windows open, each playing a separate video simultaneously. I remember being able to do this in older versions of Media Player too, after finding the right setting that allows multiple players. VLC should have this option too.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 8/10/2010, 3:08 PM
depending on the resolution, I do that in vegas relatively frequently.
willqen wrote on 8/11/2010, 2:12 AM
Vegas can do this for you easily:

If you are using a plug-in such as deshaker, you can view a split image in the playback preview window of Vegas. There is a buttton for it above the preview window

If you want to run two separate full tracks of video at the same time, use the multicam function.

It is easy to setup, and you can not only run two images side by side, you can go full screen from either image, and back, at the flick of the mouse.

Will
farss wrote on 8/11/2010, 5:39 AM
A much better way to compare two pieces of video (or even audio) that should be identical is to subtract one from the other.

With video there's a bit of a trap though, negative results are displayed as 0 i.e. black, which is the same as no difference. Two ways to get around this.
1) Vegas provides a Difference Squared compositing mode. I'd never worked out what use it had until I realised the limitations of simply subtracting.

2) Change the video on the upper track's compositing level (the slider in the track header) to 50%. Doing this, if the two videos are identical the result will be 50% grey and negative differences will not be clipped to 0.

Bob.
jetdv wrote on 8/11/2010, 5:52 AM
Why not just use the "Split Screen" button above the preview screen?
enespacio wrote on 8/11/2010, 11:05 AM
Wow, I didn't even know about the split screen feature. Works great. Toggling either left or right really helps to spot subtle changes. I'll look into Multicamera next. I always assumed that the Multicamera feature was designed for using an external monitor. Thank you all so much.

James