I get poor quality exports when exporting via the timeline

[WelshPaul]

OK, weird but this is what is happening with stable Blue Iris 5.7.9.12 and Beta 5.8.0.12...

INFO - My cameras are configured to use a resolution of 3840x2160 at 15fps.

If I export/convert a clip by right clicking on an Alert, it exports with the correct resolution of 3840x2160.

I cannot attach the raw file here as it's to large, so a link is provided below:
C4.20231101_120000_2.mp4

Here is the ffprobe result:
Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Video: h264 (Constrained Baseline) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuvj420p(pc, progressive), 3840x2160, 74029 kb/s, 14.96 fps, 30 tbr, 90k tbn (default)

However, If I export/convert the exact same clip by selecting a Start and End Frame on the timeline then it exports at a lower quality (2264x800) even though the settings for both exports are exatly the same.

A link to the raw exported timeline file is attached below.
timeline_1-mp4

Here is the ffprobe result:
Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Video: h264 (Constrained Baseline) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuvj420p(pc, progressive), 2264x800, 15132 kb/s, 29.78 fps, 30 tbr, 90k tbn (default)

So Blue Iris is messing with timeline exports?

 

[Ssayer]

I just did a quick Start/Endframe export here without any issue. I'm on the 5.8.0.12

 

[WelshPaul]

I just uninstalled Blue Iris and reinstalled it. Now running 5.0.8.13 and I still get the issue?

 

[WelshPaul]

OK, so again I completley removed Blue Iris from my desktop only this time I removed all folders and regisry entries created by the previous installation and setup a new with 5.0.8.13. I'm still getting low quality exports via the timeline with a lower resolution but Alerts export just fine. I can reproduce this issue every single time?

I'm running Blue Iris on a Ryzen 7 5700x machine with 32GB 3600Mhz of RAM.

 

[bp2008]

I would say that is working as intended (unfortunately). Notice how the exported video has Blue Iris's camera title bar along the top. It is encoding a video of the timeline's video player playing through the requested time range. And obviously it is happening at an insufficient resolution for it to retain native quality.

You should complain to Blue Iris support, and maybe at the very least he will be able to increase the resolution of the exported output.

For best quality exports, I recommend exporting from the alert or clip list (not the horizontal timeline) and do not let Blue Iris re-encode the video unless you are relying on Blue Iris to put timestamps in the video.

 

[CaptainCrunch]

I'm a novice but I figured something out about exporting clips. You can click or double click on the footage to get to a point where there is a time scroll bar a the bottom of the footage window and above the pause and arrows thing. From there you can right click on the video and choose start frame then end frame. Once both are set, you can export. What is seems to be doing is something similar to exporting from the alert but with the ability to more fine tune the start and end times.

 

[WelshPaul]

I would say that is working as intended (unfortunately). Notice how the exported video has Blue Iris's camera title bar along the top. It is encoding a video of the timeline's video player playing through the requested time range. And obviously it is happening at an insufficient resolution for it to retain native quality.

You should complain to Blue Iris support, and maybe at the very least he will be able to increase the resolution of the exported output.

For best quality exports, I recommend exporting from the alert or clip list (not the horizontal timeline) and do not let Blue Iris re-encode the video unless you are relying on Blue Iris to put timestamps in the video.

Well spotted! I wasted hours of my time on this today and I thought I was going crazy!!! I have since found that the exported timeline resolution changes depending on how small, medium or large the Blue Iris timeline video is onscreen at the time of exporting too. Weird huh.

 

[joshwah]

Has anyone contacted support about that issue?

 

[WelshPaul]

Has anyone contacted support about that issue?

I have sent a support email to Blue Iris with a link to this thread, and I am waiting for a response.

I have always exported clips this way and hadn’t noticed the issue until someone pointed out in another post how low res/quality my supposedly 4k clips were.

 

[CaptainCrunch]

I have sent a support email to Blue Iris with a link to this thread, and I am waiting for a response.

I have always exported clips this way and hadn’t noticed the issue until someone pointed out in another post how low res/quality my supposedly 4k clips were.

It seems like that method could have a purpose. If you have several cameras showing, that method would export all of the visible views in one video. The resolution would be whatever the screen is set for but the resulting video would show all of views synced together. With multiple other ways of exporting full resolution video for individual cameras, is it possible that this is a feature rather than a bug?

 

[joshwah]

It seems like that method could have a purpose. If you have several cameras showing, that method would export all of the visible views in one video. The resolution would be whatever the screen is set for but the resulting video would show all of views synced together. With multiple other ways of exporting full resolution video for individual cameras, is it possible that this is a feature rather than a bug?

Sure. I hear you… but I would think it would give you an option to “export full resolution” at least. Sometimes peoooe may only get one shot at it… then it’s too late. For example, an incident occurs and police attend and ask for footage, you export it and quickly check it works (which ok face value it does), a week later police come back after looking at the footage and tell you it’s too low quality and ask to re copy but now it’s gone?

 

[CaptainCrunch]

Sure. I hear you… but I would think it would give you an option to “export full resolution” at least. Sometimes peoooe may only get one shot at it… then it’s too late. For example, an incident occurs and police attend and ask for footage, you export it and quickly check it works (which ok face value it does), a week later police come back after looking at the footage and tell you it’s too low quality and ask to re copy but now it’s gone?

I'm not saying the behavior is just what the author intended. I'm saying it could be because there could be a use for it. I haven't tested it because I haven't had the need but if you save a clip using the timeline and there are multiple feeds showing, are all of the views saved in one video? If so, this could be a documentation issue rather than a bug. And even then, I haven't looked for this in any documentation so I don't know if it's there or not.

As far as an option to export at full resolution, there already is that option. I do it all the time now. And you figured out how to do it as well.

In your scenario, the police should not have waited to look at the footage. As a former police detective, I'm speaking from experience. And the home owner should know how to use his system. Again, I'm speaking from experience. I pulled video last month in relation to a vehicle theft that occurred in the neighborhood. For some of the clips, I did something similar to what you did. Some of the videos were full resolution and some were really small. I played around with the system until I realized I only got full resolution when there was a timeline below the window and above the pause/play/fast forward section. I was not experienced with my system. Once I learned how to make sure I get full resolution video, I was able to save the needed video in full resolution every time. When the detective handling the theft complimented me on the quality of the video, I explained I wanted to put together a system that I wished people had when I was a detective.

So while I understand what you are saying, I can't say that I agree with you. Given there is a method to export full resolution, I don't feel there must be multiple methods to accomplish the same thing. That's why I lean towards a second method that yields different, but potentially useful, results being a feature rather than a bug. But I'm open to being wrong here as well. I'm not familiar enough with the software to make a definitive statement on this.

 

[WelshPaul]

I can see a use for it if you have multiple cameras displayed within the timeline, but if one has just one camera selected and displayed on screen, should it export at the resolution the camera is set to record at? You can even go into the export settings and alter the quality setting, but doing so doesn't appear to have any effect on the exported file.

The Blue Iris user guide provides little information on exports and mentions nothing about this "feature/bug". Yea, I read the user guide!!!

https://blueirissoftware.com/BlueIris.PDF

 

[WelshPaul]

As far as an option to export at full resolution, there already is that option. I do it all the time now. And you figured out how to do it as well.

No there is not! At least there isn't when exporting direct from the timeline bar.

If you're going to post about this subject and justify its behaviour, then at least take the time to read the guide about exports (there isn't much to read), try and reproduce the issue I have posted about and examine your exported videos. I'm not purposely trying to be rude, arrogant or obtuse but posts like yours and @Ssayer are not helpful.

I now know not to export this way, but how many others do not? Even if this type of export remains, the software needs modifying slightly to at least warn users about the reduced resolution and quality of the exported files and remove the option to change the quality if it doesn't do anything in this instance. Oh, and update the guide! Telling people they should know how to operate something when the guide doesn't teach them how to operate it is just passing the buck.

 

[CaptainCrunch]

No there is not! At least there isn't when exporting direct from the timeline bar.

If you're going to post about this subject and justify its behaviour, then at least take the time to read the guide about exports (there isn't much to read), try and reproduce the issue I have posted about and examine your exported videos. I'm not purposely trying to be rude, arrogant or obtuse but posts like yours and @Ssayer are not helpful.

There is an option to export at full resolution. It just isn't right where you want it. It's somewhere else. That's either by accident or by design but a full resolution export is an option. And I was helpful. If you click or double click the footage window again so there is a time slider directly below the footage window, you can right click the footage window to select the start and end time and export full resolution video that way. I'm sorry that you are unable to export the video in full resolution at the exact spot you wish to do so but it appears you cannot. Again, that's either by accident or by design. But you do have the option to export full resolution video.

 

[WelshPaul]

There is an option to export at full resolution. It just isn't right where you want it. It's somewhere else. That's either by accident or by design but a full resolution export is an option.

I know there is an option, I posted an example in my original post.

If you click or double click the footage window again so there is a time slider directly below the footage window, you can right click the footage window to select the start and end time and export full resolution video that way.

No you cannot. Look at the image in my original post, it is dimmed out and you cannot select or add any start or end times.

But you do have the option to export full resolution video.

I know that now that but I had to learn it the hard way.

 

[CaptainCrunch]

I know there is an option, I posted an example in my original post.


No you cannot. Look at the image in my original post, it is dimmed out and you cannot select or add any start or end times.


I know that that but I had to learn it the hard way.

I looked at the image in your original post. I can replicate it as well.



If I double click that window with the footage, I have more options.



From there I can move the trim marker to set the beginning of the desired export. There's another one to mark the end of the section I want to export. Or I can right click on the video and get the same start frame/end frame/export options as in the picture in your original post. But this exports at full resolution. Basically, this method is pretty close to your method except a double click on the video and right clicking about an inch or two above the previous location will result in full resolution exports.

 

[CaptainCrunch]

 

[WelshPaul]

Yea, you have to double click on a cam to display it solo on screen and then double click on the solo cam again to display the options. So double click, double click again and then the options are displayed.

 

[CaptainCrunch]

Yea, you have to double click on a cam to display it solo on screen and then double click on the solo cam again to display the options. So double click, double click again and then the options are displayed.

In the second picture, you have one camera view showing solo. You are right clicking on the time line to set start and end frame. From that view, if you move your mouse up a few inches and double click, you should be able to right click on the video to set start and end frame. Is that not accurate?