# Comparison

1. Install Python 3.10

   • During installation tick Add Python 3.10 to PATH.

2. Install Git

   • Optionally type git version in your terminal to verify Git was installed.

3. Install Vapoursynth

   • Select Install for me only.
   • If you have any issues here, check out the official Installation Guide.

4. Before we install vs-preview, we need to install the following dependencies:

   • LibP2P
   • LSMASHSource
   • Subtext
   • vs-placebo
   • libdovi
   • awsmfunc

   To install LSMASHSource, download LSMASHSource and open it. Inside the zip, open the x64 folder, copy LSMASHSource.dll and paste it in %appdata%\VapourSynth\plugins64

   To install the rest of the plugins, run the following commands in your terminal:

   vsrepo.py install libp2p sub placebo dovi_library

   pip install git+https://github.com/OpusGang/awsmfunc.git

   If vsrepo.py command doesn't work, make sure Windows is set to open .py files with Python.

5. Install vs-preview:

   pip install vspreview

6. Create a new file called comp.vpy.

7. Open comp.vpy with a text editor such as notepad++ and paste the following, edit as required and save it:

   import vapoursynth as vs
   from vapoursynth import core
   from awsmfunc import FrameInfo
   
   ## Hold shift and right click your file, select copy as path and paste it here
   clip1 = core.lsmas.LWLibavSource(r"C:\Paste\File\Path\Here.mkv")
   clip2 = core.lsmas.LWLibavSource(r"C:\Paste\File\Path\Here.mkv")
   clip3 = core.lsmas.LWLibavSource(r"C:\Paste\File\Path\Here.mkv")
   
   ## Name of the source, uncomment as needed depending on how many sources you're comparing
   source1 = "FirstSourceName"
   source2 = "SecondSourceName"
   source3 = "ThirdSourceName"
   
   ## Convert clip to 16bit (Only for filters that need it such as tonemapping and gamma fixing)
   ##clip1 = core.resize.Bicubic(clip1, format=vs.YUV444P16)
   ##clip2 = core.resize.Bicubic(clip2, format=vs.YUV444P16)
   ##clip3 = core.resize.Bicubic(clip3, format=vs.YUV444P16)
   
   ## Uncomment and edit values as needed if clips need cropping (Black letterboxing) [16 BIT REQUIRED FOR ODD NUMBERS]
   ##clip1 = core.std.Crop(clip1, left=240, right=240, top=0, bottom=0)
   ##clip2 = core.std.Crop(clip2, left=0, right=0, top=276, bottom=276)
   ##clip3 = core.std.Crop(clip3, left=0, right=0, top=21, bottom=21)
   
   ## Uncomment and edit values as needed if you need to upscale your clips
   ## Always scale to the highest resolution
   ##clip1 = core.resize.Spline36(clip1, 1920, 1080)
   ##clip2 = core.resize.Spline36(clip2, 1920, 1080)
   ##clip3 = core.resize.Spline36(clip3, 3840, 2160)
   
   ## Uncomment and edit values as needed if you need to trim your clips (Calculate the frame difference and enter the number here)
   ##clip1 = clip1[0:]
   ##clip2 = clip2[24:]
   ##clip3 = clip3[0:]
   
   ## Tonemapping (For HDR/DV content only), src_csp=1 is for HDR, src_csp=3 is for DV [16 BIT REQUIRED]
   ##clip1 = core.placebo.Tonemap(clip1, dynamic_peak_detection=0, tone_mapping_function=3, src_csp=1, dst_csp=0)
   ##clip2 = core.placebo.Tonemap(clip2, dynamic_peak_detection=0, tone_mapping_function=3, src_csp=3, dst_csp=0)
   ##clip3 = core.placebo.Tonemap(clip3, dynamic_peak_detection=0, tone_mapping_function=3, src_csp=1, dst_csp=0)
   
   ##Set DV clips to limited after tonemapping so FrameInfo works
   ##clip1 = core.resize.Bicubic(clip1, format=vs.YUV444P16, range=0)
   ##clip2 = core.resize.Bicubic(clip2, format=vs.YUV444P16, range=0)
   ##clip2 = core.resize.Bicubic(clip3, format=vs.YUV444P16, range=0)
   
   ## Fix Gamma bug (When one source is much brighter than others) [16 BIT REQUIRED]
   ##clip1 = core.std.Levels(clip1, gamma=0.88, min_in=4096, max_in=60160, min_out=4096, max_out=60160, planes=0)
   ##clip2 = core.std.Levels(clip2, gamma=0.88, min_in=4096, max_in=60160, min_out=4096, max_out=60160, planes=0)
   ##clip3 = core.std.Levels(clip3, gamma=0.88, min_in=4096, max_in=60160, min_out=4096, max_out=60160, planes=0)
   
   ## Displays the frame number, type, and group name in the top left corner
   clip1= FrameInfo(clip1, source1)
   clip2= FrameInfo(clip2, source2)
   clip3= FrameInfo(clip3, source3)
   
   ## Slow.pics labelling for automatic comparisons
   clip1 = clip1.std.SetFrameProp('Name', data = source1)
   clip2 = clip2.std.SetFrameProp('Name', data = source2)
   clip3 = clip3.std.SetFrameProp('Name', data = source3)
   
   ## Comment/Uncomment as needed depending on how many clips you're comparing
   clip1.set_output(1)
   clip2.set_output(2)
   clip3.set_output(3)

8. That's it for the setup, now to use vspreview you just need to run this command in your terminal or paste it in a text file and save it as comp.bat:

   vspreview /path/to/comp.vpy

   Now, when making comps you just edit comp.vpy to include the necessary file paths, comment/uncomment lines as required, edit the crop, trim, upscale, etc values when needed and then run comp.bat or run vspreview comp.vpy directly from your terminal.

• Use slow.pics friendly file naming, so you can drag all the images onto the site and have them automaically sorted In VSPreview on the bottom bar select Misc, set file name template to {frame}_{script_name}_({index}).

• Jump through frames quickly In VSPreview on the bottom bar select Playback, directly right of the playback keys set the 1 value to 120.

• Take screenshots quicker by setting the save image button to enter Open %localappdata%\Programs\Python\Python310\Lib\site-packages\vspreview\toolbars\misc and edit toolbar.py - Line 150: Replace Qt.SHIFT + Qt.Key_S with Qt.Key_Return. - If you can't spam fast enough, in vs-preview click settings and set PNG compression to a lower level (higher value).

• Swap binds to save your pinky finger, so you no longer have to hold shift all the time Open %localappdata%\Programs\Python\Python310\Lib\site-packages\vspreview\toolbars\playback\ and edit toolbar.py - Line 164-165 Add Qt.SHIFT + before Qt.Key_Left and Qt.Key_Right - Line 166-167 Remove Qt.SHIFT + before Qt.Key_Left and Qt.Key_Right

• Press Right Arrow key to move forward a set amount of frames.
• Number keys to switch between video sources and compare quality.
• Double tap Enter key to take and save screenshots.
• Aim to screenshot a variety of scenes like light/dark, low/high motion, etc.
• Try and match frame type when screenshotting, e.g. all sources on a B frame, single frame jump comes in handy for when they don't match (Shift + Arrow keys).
  • Note: If a source file does not have B frames for you to match, you should skip matching frame type entirely for that source. This is usually true for Crunchyroll WEB-DLs, which have no B frames.

If you don't want to take screenshots and upload them manually, then you can simply use VS-Preview's automatic comparison function.

• Click the comp button in the toolbar.
• Set the Picture Type to All, or B if you want matching frame-types
• Name the collection appropriately for Slow.pics.
• Use a large amount of images to make the comparison as useful as possible, ideally at least 40 since you'll get a lot of futile results with it being automatic.
• Hit Start Upload and patiently wait while vspreview absolutely molests your battlestation.

Prerequisites:

1. Install Python 3.10
2. Install Vapoursynth
   • Select Install for me only.
   • If you have any issues here, check out the official Installation Guide.
3. Install dependencies via running the following command in your terminal:

   pip install pathlib anitopy pyperclip requests requests_toolbelt

4. Download LSMASHSource and open it. Inside the zip, open the x64 folder, copy LSMASHSource.dll and paste it in %appdata%\VapourSynth\plugins64
5. (Optional) Install FFmpeg and add it to PATH.

Instructions:

1. Put comp.py into the same folder where the video files you want to compare are located.
2. Rename your files to have the typical [Group] Show - EP.mkv naming, since the script will try to parse the group and show name.
3. When there's no group, such as BDMV or WEB-DL, use the source/service as the group tag. For example:

   /Comparison/
   ├── [JPBD] Youjo Senki - 01.m2ts 
   ├── [Crunchyroll WEB-DL] Youjo Senki - 01.mkv
   ├── [Group] Youjo Senki - 01.mkv
   └── comp.py

   This will result in images named as JPBD.png, Crunchyroll WEB-DL.png, and Group.png from JPBD, Crunchyroll WEB-DL, and Group respectively.
4. Adjust the variables in the script accordingly.
5. Run the script via either double clicking it or by running py comp.py in your terminal.

• Vodes' Script
• McBaws' Script

• Install MPV
• Screenshots are to be taken using MPV.
• Slow.pics must be used for making comparisons.
• Any other video-altering settings (different scalers, shaders, etc) are not allowed to be used.
• Hardware decoding must be disabled.
• Both screenshots are to be the exact same frame.
• Both screenshots must be taken at the same resolution, take scaled screenshots if necessary.
• Always scale to the highest resolution.
• Subtitles are to be disabled.
• Comparisons must be titled the name of the anime, and all encodes must be labelled accordingly.
• You must include source in the comparison, this will usually be the BDMV/Remux when BluRay encodes are being compared or WEB-DL if WEB encodes are being compared.

MPV config must be the one as shown below:

no-deband
profile=gpu-hq
screenshot-format=png