How to deinterlace broadcast video in your browser
- Step 1Identify the interlaced clips — Broadcast/ENG footage is usually labelled
1080i,576i, or480i, or shows combing on a paused motion frame. Confirm before deinterlacing so you don't soften progressive clips by mistake. - Step 2Drop a clip onto the deinterlacer — Accepts MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, AVI, M4V, and TS — TS and MXF-remuxed-to-MP4/MKV are common broadcast deliverables. Processing is local; nothing uploads to JAD.
- Step 3Use Mode 1 for editing prep — Mode
1(yadif=1) keeps the original rate. This is what you want for a standard progressive intermediate that matches your sequence frame rate and keeps timecode-based logging aligned. - Step 4Use Mode 0 for a high-frame-rate master — Mode
0(bob) doubles the rate to 50/59.94p. Pick it only when your deliverable target is genuinely high frame rate; it doubles frame count and file size. - Step 5Run and download the progressive MP4 — JAD runs yadif, re-encodes to H.264 CRF 20 preset medium, and copies audio. Import the MP4 into your NLE as you would any source clip.
- Step 6Transcode to a mezzanine codec if your workflow needs it — The output is delivery-grade H.264, not ProRes/DNx. If your NLE workflow prefers an intra-frame mezzanine, deinterlace first, then use the ProRes encoder or transcoder.
Common broadcast formats → deinterlace settings
yadif handles all common broadcast interlaced formats; field order is auto-detected.
| Source format | Recommended mode | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1080i 50 (PAL HD) | 1 (yadif=1) | 1080p 25, original timing |
| 1080i 59.94 (NTSC HD) | 1 (yadif=1) | 1080p 29.97, original timing |
| 576i (SD PAL) | 1 (yadif=1) | 576p 25 |
| 480i (SD NTSC) | 1 (yadif=1) | 480p 29.97 |
| Any of the above, HFR master wanted | 0 (yadif=0 bob) | 50 / 59.94p progressive |
Editing-prep output: what you get vs. what you may still need
The output is a clean progressive H.264 intermediate. Mezzanine codecs and resizing are separate steps.
| Need | Provided here? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive frames (no combing) | Yes | yadif Mode 1 |
| Original frame rate kept | Yes | Mode 1 |
| ProRes / DNxHD mezzanine | No | Deinterlace then prores-encoder |
| Resolution change | No | Deinterlace then resizer |
| Audio preserved | Yes | Stream-copied automatically |
Tier limits for broadcast deliverables
Broadcast TS/MXF files can be large; check the cap before importing a long master.
| Tier | Max file size | Batch files |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 GB | 1 |
| Pro | 10 GB | 5 |
| Pro-media | 100 GB | 50 |
| Developer | 100 GB | Unlimited |
Cookbook
Broadcast-to-NLE deinterlacing recipes with the exact yadif call and the intermediate they produce.
1080i 59.94 ENG clip to progressive for Premiere
A US broadcast 1080i 59.94 clip. Mode 1 produces 1080p 29.97 for a standard progressive edit.
Input: eng_clip.ts, 1920x1080, 59.94 fields (1080i) Mode: 1 Filter: -vf yadif=1 Output: eng_clip.mp4, 1080p 29.97, H.264 → import to Premiere
1080i 50 PAL clip for DaVinci Resolve
A European 1080i 50 broadcast clip. Mode 1 produces 1080p 25.
Input: pal_hd.mkv, 1080i 50 Mode: 1 Output: pal_hd.mp4, 1080p 25 → conform to a 25p Resolve timeline
High-frame-rate progressive master
A sports ENG clip where a 50/59.94p master is the deliverable. Mode 0 promotes each field to a frame.
Input: sports.ts, 1080i 50 Mode: 0 (bob) Output: sports.mp4, 1080p 50, doubled frame count
Deinterlace then go to ProRes for the edit
When the edit workflow wants an intra-frame mezzanine, deinterlace first, then encode to ProRes as a second step.
Step 1: deinterlacer Mode 1 → progressive H.264 MP4 Step 2: /video-tools/prores-encoder → ProRes for the NLE (This tool's output is delivery H.264, not a mezzanine.)
Camera audio kept in sync
Broadcast clips carry embedded audio that must stay synced. Stream-copy keeps it locked to the rebuilt video.
Input: interview.mxf-remux.mov, embedded PCM/AAC audio Mode: 1 Audio: copied, in sync Output: interview.mp4
Edge cases and what actually happens
MXF source files
Prep neededNative MXF isn't in the recognised extension list (mp4/mov/mkv/webm/avi/m4v/ts). Remux the MXF to MP4 or MKV first (most ingest tools do this), then deinterlace. Output is always MP4.
Output is delivery H.264, not a mezzanine
By designThe result is H.264 at CRF 20, which is fine for many edits but isn't ProRes/DNx. If your workflow needs an intra-frame mezzanine, deinterlace then transcode with the ProRes encoder.
Output container is always MP4
By designRegardless of input (TS, MOV, MKV), the deinterlaced result is MP4. Re-encode to another container afterwards if your NLE prefers it.
Wrong field order causes juddery motion
RareBroadcast files almost always carry correct field-order flags and yadif auto-detects them. If a mis-flagged file judders, fix the field-order metadata at ingest; there's no manual override here.
Source is already progressive (e.g. 1080p ENG)
AvoidModern progressive ENG/broadcast clips don't need deinterlacing. Running yadif would only soften them. Check for combing first.
Large master exceeds the tier cap
RejectedLong broadcast TS/MXF masters can exceed the 1 GB free cap. Pro-media and Developer allow 100 GB. Over the cap the file is rejected — split or upgrade.
Resolution is unchanged
By designDeinterlacing keeps the source resolution. To downscale a 1080-line master for proxies, deinterlace then use the resizer.
Slow on long HD masters
Expectedyadif runs on FFmpeg.wasm (CPU-bound; no hardware acceleration for this filter). A long HD master takes time. Trim to the needed range first with the lossless trimmer to speed things up.
Frequently asked questions
Why deinterlace broadcast footage before editing instead of in the NLE?
Deinterlacing a clean progressive intermediate up front means every clip on your timeline scrubs and exports without combing, regardless of the NLE's own deinterlace settings (which are easy to set wrong and risk combing surviving into the master). It's a predictable, consistent starting point.
Which mode for editing prep?
Mode 1. It keeps the original frame rate so edit timing, audio sync, and any timecode-based logging stay consistent (1080i 59.94 → 1080p 29.97). Use Mode 0 (bob) only when a 50/59.94p high-frame-rate master is the deliverable.
Can I feed in MXF files?
Not directly — MXF isn't in the recognised extension list. Remux to MP4 or MKV first (your ingest tool can do this), then deinterlace. Recognised inputs are MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, AVI, M4V, and TS.
Is the output a mezzanine codec like ProRes?
No. The output is delivery-grade H.264 in MP4 at CRF 20. If your edit workflow wants an intra-frame mezzanine, deinterlace here, then encode to ProRes with the ProRes encoder.
Will my camera audio stay in sync?
Yes. Audio is stream-copied (-c:a copy), so embedded camera audio stays bit-perfect and in sync with the rebuilt frames.
Does it change resolution?
No. Deinterlacing preserves the source resolution. To make proxies or change resolution, deinterlace then use the resizer.
Can I set the field order manually?
No. yadif auto-detects field order from the stream. Broadcast files are reliably flagged, so this is rarely an issue; fix mis-flagged metadata at ingest if needed.
Is my footage uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser via FFmpeg.wasm — important for embargoed or rights-restricted broadcast material. Nothing is sent to a server.
How long does a broadcast clip take to process?
yadif runs on FFmpeg.wasm (CPU-bound — no hardware acceleration for this filter), so a long HD master takes several minutes. Trim to the range you actually need first to save time.
What's the maximum file size?
Free 1 GB, Pro 10 GB, Pro-media and Developer 100 GB per file. There's no duration limit, only the size cap. Long masters may need Pro-media.
Can I batch several clips?
The deinterlacer processes one file at a time. Pro allows up to 5 files in a batch context, Pro-media 50, Developer unlimited — but you queue them individually rather than as a folder drop.
Will the export from my NLE still be progressive?
Yes, as long as your sequence and export settings are progressive. Starting from a deinterlaced progressive intermediate means there's no interlacing for the NLE to mishandle on the way out.
Privacy first
Every JAD Video tool runs entirely in your browser via WebCodecs and FFmpeg (WebAssembly). Your video files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.