edit MPEG-4 files

[satsat]

I am a newbie using Windos XP. Can anyone tell me, which easy and popular software/utility can edit MPEG-4 clips with simple tasks like merge, cut off unwanted segments?

Thanks.

[Angelus]

Hi and welcome to the forum! VirtualDub is by far the best and *free* software out there to edit your MPEG-4 files. You can check out the VDub FAQ here: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16662

But in general, you can go into VDub, open up your avi, go to Video->Direct Stream Copy (this allows you to edit video without recompressing) and then on the bottom of the VDub window, the last two buttons on the right (two little arrow things) can be used to set the lower and upper bounds to delete a segment of video. To join avi files, go to file->append avi segment and it will add the video file you selected to the end (although if you have vbr mp3 audio, it won't be able to do this, you'll have to extract the audio to wav, join the two wav files together, then recompress to vbr mp3 :D ).

[satsat]

Thanks for fast reply. I am reading and trying...

[Soulhunter]

And dont forget that every segment has to start with a keyframe... ;)


Bye

[satsat]

I got an error message while save the edited MPEG-4 file with "Direct Stream Copy" option:

"The Source Video Stream Uses A Compression Algorithm Which Is Not Compatible With AVI files. Direct Stream Copy Cannot Be Used With This Video Steam."

I installed ffdshow MPEG-4 decoder already (that's why VirtualDub can read MPEG-4 files, right?), but it seems it can't use it to compress the video.

There's no such error message if I select other options like "Full Processing Mode", but it generates a huge 6GB AVI file. The original MPEG-4 file is 770MB only. My overall goal is to cut out unwanted portions so it can fit into a 700MB CD-R.

Should I have to use another tool to compress the uncompressed AVI file to MPEG-4 format?

Much thanks in advance.

[Angelus]

It *sounds* to me like these are illegal films that you downloaded on the net and that's a big no no (Rule #6) If not then what did you originally use to compress the avi file? DivX? Xvid?

[Soulhunter]

Originally posted by satsat
I got an error message while save the edited MPEG-4 file with "Direct Stream Copy" option:

"The Source Video Stream Uses A Compression Algorithm Which Is Not Compatible With AVI files. Direct Stream Copy Cannot Be Used With This Video Steam."
Are you sure its a MPEG4 file ???

Check it with GSpot... ;)


Bye

[ChristianHJW]

Guys, would you please stop recommending nonsense to the poor guy ?

He is talking about real MPEG4 files i guess, this is .mp4 files. Virtualdub can edit AVI files with MPEG4 video, this is not the same.

In fact, until now there is no nice .mp4 video editor AFAIK, but i heard the 3ivX guys are working on one, based on DirectShow ....

[Angelus]

Well if he has .mp4 files he wouldn't be able to open them up at all in VDub right? He said he was able to open them up but couldn't save the file as "direct stream copy", only in full processing mode. So if he created the files himself with either Divx or Xvid he should be able to use direct stream copy to cut out the sections of video. :confused:

[Soulhunter]

Originally posted by ChristianHJW
Guys, would you please stop recommending nonsense to the poor guy ?Like always mentioning how good Matroska is... :D
Originally posted by ChristianHJW
He is talking about real MPEG4 files i guess, this is .mp4 files. Virtualdub can edit AVI files with MPEG4 video, this is not the same.
Maybe its just a MPEG file with an AVI extension... :rolleyes:


Bye

[ChristianHJW]

Originally posted by Soulhunter Like always mentioning how good Matroska is... :D ?? where ? what have you been smoking lately my friend ?

[Wilbert]

Maybe its just a MPEG file with an AVI extension...
I guess so. Too bad that the OP left without telling what GSpot said about the clip.

I installed ffdshow MPEG-4 decoder already (that's why VirtualDub can read MPEG-4 files, right?), but it seems it can't use it to compress the video.
A decoder can only decode (uncompress) clips. Without telling the reason, ffdshow can't be used in vdub.