# 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.

• 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