How to cut an MPEG1 file without re-encoding it?

[Ryker]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but search didn't come up with anything useful.

I want to cut the beginning and end of an MPEG1 movie file I have, so that only a part in the middle remains. I have looked up how to do this with Xvid4PSP, and all I get is "use start frame and end frame". Yeah, well I looked around quite a bit and didn't find anything remotely close. I do NOT want to re-encode it.

Anyone know how to do it with Xvid4PSP, or is there another program that will work? If you're going to recommend VirtualDub, please tell me what I need to download for it in order to get it to write MPEG files; I tried doing "Direct Stream Copy" and it said the file format is not supported, or something.

[ankurs]

mpeg2cut

[Ryker]

Doesn't work. Loads a black screen when I select my video, can't play the video, and doesn't even appear to have any way of editing / cutting. It also doesn't have any documentation, so I can't really fix the problem.

Remember, I'm trying to cut an MPEG1 file; don't know if that has anything to do with why the program wouldn't work.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

TMPGEnc should serve your purpose...

[lilhobo]

are there any software that cuts without reencoding?? for any extension of video formats?

[Ryker]

Hi!

TMPGEnc should serve your purpose...

Hey there. I tried it out. When I created the video, the first 7 seconds of the video were frozen on a single frame somewhere in the middle of the segment I selected to encode. After that, it caught up to where it froze and kept playing. Can't really have 7 seconds of a frozen frame...

Also, this program re-encodes. The whole point of this is to cut without re-encoding. Maybe there's some way I can get it not to re-encode, but I didn't see any options like that. I can't even keep the original resolution; mine is 720x480, and this program automatically resized to 352x240, without even asking me.

What I really want to know is how to cut using Xvid4PSP. I keep coming up with Google results saying "Cut: Start frame end frame," but still haven't found the option.

are there any software that cuts without reencoding?? for any extension of video formats?

VirtualDubMod can do it for AVI (and perhaps other formats, not too sure), but not MPEG. I need something that can do it for MPEG.

[Guest]

Open it in DGIndex. Set range with [ and ]. Then Save Project and Demux video. The demuxed video will be what you want. You'll have to remux the audio and video if you are starting with a program stream. Imago Muxer can do that.

[poisondeathray]

Another option is avidemux which is similar to vdub but supports mpeg1 & mpeg2

[Guest]

Another option is avidemux which is similar to vdub but supports mpeg1 & mpeg2 He doesn't want to re-encode!

[poisondeathray]

He doesn't want to re-encode!

You don't have to...

Direct Stream Copy like vdub

EDIT: if you don't cut on keyframes, you can enable smart copy, which just re-encodes around the cutsite GOP

[Guest]

OK, I didn't know that. Maybe I need to look at that program. :)

[Ryker]

It doesn't seem like I can fine tune my selection in DGIndex.

Avidemux seems to be doing the trick, though. I can select any frame and I can just select "Copy" for video and audio. I have a couple questions about it.

1: I'm assuming that the "Copy" option on the Video and Audio fields really does "copy" rather than re-encoding? If it does, then cool.

2: Under the format box, does it matter what I select? Say I'm using an MPEG and I select AVI; is there any sort of change in quality even if "Copy" is selected in both Video and Audio?

Good recommendation so far.

[Gavino]

Another option is Cuttermaran (http://www.cuttermaran.de/), which only re-encodes if and where necessary (ie if not cutting on a keyframe).

[poisondeathray]

@Ryker

It only copies if you set to "copy" - you can tell when it completes at 1000's of fps, if it were re-encoding it would take much longer (unless you are on some super computer)

Use the mark in/ mark out to make your selection. You can also delete sections this way.

Yes the format matters. For format, select MPEG-PS (A+V)

Press save with extension (e.g. "myfile.mpg")

[setarip_old]

@Ryker

TMPGEnc>>File>>MPEG Tools>>Merge&Cut does not re-encode

Alternatively, you can try the long-bearded "MPEG Scissors"...

[Gavino]

Re AviDemux:
Direct Stream Copy like vdub

EDIT: if you don't cut on keyframes, you can enable smart copy, which just re-encodes around the cutsite GOP
Smart copy (http://www.avidemux.org/admWiki/index.php?title=Cutting#Intra_Frames_and_SmartCopy) only works for certain formats, sadly not including MPEG-1 or MPEG-2. I tried it and got garbage frames in the cut GOP. Cuttermaran seems to be the only free editor capable of this.

[Jay Bee]

Videoredo. Not free but easy to use and reliable.

[netmask]

Programs that do stream copies ie no re-encoding including that I have used

Freeware Programs
MPEGStreamclip http://www.squared5.com/ works really well use save as

ProjectX http://www.watchersnet.de/ you might have a problem with sound depending on audio format.

Payware:
Womble - use automatic under export http://www.womble.com/
VideRedo http://www.videoredo.com/en/index.htm