Author Topic: video editing software (Read 31888 times)

brotherS · « **on:** February 18, 2006, 04:24 AM »

Hi,

what are you using to edit videos? I'm not talking about making some TV quality edits with lots of cool edits, just simple editing (cut out a bit here and there etc) of AVI and MPG files.

A not-too-messy interface would be nice.

Jibz · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2006, 04:33 AM »

I've sometimes use VirtualDub, which is a nice, simple, open source, video capture/processing utility

.

nudone · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2006, 04:39 AM »

virtualdub or virtualdub mpeg or even virtualdubmod - i don't think plain old virtualdub likes mpeg.

or for cutting the commercials out of tv shows from an mpeg file try videoredo plus http://www.videoredo.com it's not cheap, about $50, but the trial version will let you do a 30 minute show.

tsaint · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2006, 05:51 AM »

Maybe http://nickyguides.d...om/cut-join-mpeg.htm is worth checking out.

tony

brotherS · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2006, 07:25 AM »

Thanks, I installed VirtualDubMod (http://virtualdubmod.sourceforge.net/) because that seems to be the most versatile free solution.

Now does anyone know of a good online tutorial?

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2006, 08:24 AM »

"TMPGEnc MPEG Editor" is rather good (though it isn't free). The biggest pluses are that it allows you convert MPEG files for other uses (DVD, VCD etc) but best of all it can do lossess quick editing. If all you want to do is chop out bits it doesn't recode the file and only takes the time necessary to physically write the new MPEG file to disc. Really neat simple interface too.

Here are a couple of screen shots (click on them to see the full size versions):

Clip editing window - note you can add keyframes which is great for producing DVD chapter points:

video editing software

Output settings window:

video editing software

Sorry for the poor quality JPEGs but the PNG files I created were too large to upload.

patteo · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2006, 09:31 AM »

You might want to look at www.womble.com

The only one I tried was MPEG2VCR. But it has a more advanced version called MPEG Video Wizard
-----------------
Welcome to Womble Multimedia, home of the incredible video editing software package MPEG Video Wizard DVD, MPEG Video Wizard and MPEG2VCR! Our MPEG editing software is some of the fastest available. No other software offers no-delay scrubbing - that's right, imagine sliding the timeline bar and having no lag in video, even when editing a file over a network connection! (Hardware requirements apply.) Additionally, you can edit in native MPEG format and save without re-encoding. That is an incredible time saver! Other features include:

* Frame-accurate for all editing operations for MPEG-2 Program and Transport
* MPEG-2 variable bit rate and 3:2 pull down, and MPEG-2 DVD to VCD or SVCD conversion
* Video frame rate conversion and temporal noise reduction.
* MPEG audio editor supports sample rate conversion and mixing
---------------------

I find that it's most distinguishing features are the speed and saving without encoding which is an incredible time saver as he says.

Unfortunately it's not open source. At one point in time when I was trying it, sometime last year, after you have downloaded a trial and given your email, the author sent an email with a coupon code. If I remember it was something like 35% off. Not sure if he still does it.

He then had a rather active forum but there was this visitor claiming to be a customer who constantly flamed him and telling others to buy a competitive product. Personally I and others on the forum got quite upset with the flamer.

When I last visited his site I noticed that he has shut down his forum and has only an email address for support. He does reply when you email him.

I believe it's a very capable software and if you are looking for something fast, this may be it.

It's a pity about the user forum having to be shut down, but give it a try as I believe it is very capable based on what I tried.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2006, 11:58 AM »

I have tried womble too, it is good but I didn't find the interface all that obvious.

jroad · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2006, 06:18 PM »

I needed a way to edit out videos imported over from my ReplayTV (like Tivo). After using a few different tools (revue, video redo, womble mpeg video wizard, I ended up purchasing the womble editor. One thing to look for in an MPEG editor is the ability to edit without having to re-encode. Womble, is one such tool.

Once you understand the shortcut keys, namely A,S,D (backward/speed/forward), I, O (mark in/out), spacebar (pause), and ctl-E (export to a clip), in combo with the mouse wheel (micro-forward/backward) you have frame accurate cuts very quickly. Updates come out about every 3 months or so and the support forum was removed, oh and it costs $99. But for me, and my requirements, it does the job well.

VideoRedo is also popular and less expensive with an active forum, so it's worth checking out, too. The above mentioned Revue is specifically for ReplayTV mpegs but it never got out of alpha and was buggy on my machine. Never tried VirtualDub because the process of using it with ReplayTV mpegs required more work (manual entry of the in/out points IIRC).

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2006, 04:08 AM »

I needed a way to edit out videos imported over from my ReplayTV (like Tivo). After using a few different tools (revue, video redo, womble mpeg video wizard, I ended up purchasing the womble editor. One thing to look for in an MPEG editor is the ability to edit without having to re-encode. Womble, is one such tool.
-jroad (February 18, 2006, 06:18 PM)

That's why I ended up going for TMPGEnc MPEG Editor - it edits without the need for a complete recode and is frame accurate but only costs $48 compared to $99 for Womble. I also find the TMPGEnc products simplicity to use as the 3 step wizard based interface couldn't be made simpler. See http://www.pegasys-i.../en/product/tme.html

If you need to recode too then TMPGEnc 3.0 XPress does a very good job too (it is the full version of the free version of TMPGEnc) although it isn't fast but the quality is excellent and includes frame accurate editing.

All of the TMPGEnc products have free trial downloads too.

patteo · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2006, 12:15 AM »

-jroad (February 18, 2006, 06:18 PM)
That's why I ended up going for TMPGEnc MPEG Editor - it edits without the need for a complete recode and is frame accurate but only costs $48 compared to $99 for Womble. See http://www.pegasys-i.../en/product/tme.html
-Carol Haynes (February 19, 2006, 04:08 AM)

Actually MPEG-VCR is $49
http://www.shareit.c...8&currencies=USD

Womble MPEG-VCR was the software I tried and it would have been good enough for me.
Womble mpeg video wizard is the more expensive cousin.

The other thing I noticed about TMPGEnc what that the software required PERIODIC validation, even after you validated.

I have bought software that have been softwrapped before. The problem starts when you have to re-install Windows even on my same laptop. You know how sometimes you get one of these wonderful presents from Bill G, like a BSOD and your computer refuses to boot no matter what you try and the recovery instructions are kind of written for Martians. Or your system just kind of runs slowly for no good reason other than downloading and trying trialware.

So there you go re-installing your system - what an agonising thing to do even when you have ghosted an image which is not entirely up to date and with the added hassles of software activation which sometimes doesn't work as promised.

In my specific instance, although I did not really use the softwarp software on a day to day basis, one of the times I had to re-install on a new harddisk, the activation somehow gave up on me (I think it limited the number of times I could re-install even on the same hardware - kind of stupid - they have too much faith in Bill G's programmers). So that was that. I dropped it. I did not even bother to write to the author.

And this is the 1st time I see a software with Periodic Activation after you have activated.

Man, the author is human like me. He or she has got to go sometime just like me and you. What if he goes before me and I still need the software desperately and there's no one to activate or what if his system crashes ! And the worse part is you have already PAID.

So on principle, I would avoid such PERIODIC Activation software unless he's the only such author on planet earth.

nudone · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2006, 01:14 AM »

Man, the author is human like me. He or she has got to go sometime just like me and you. What if he goes before me and I still need the software desperately and there's no one to activate or what if his system crashes !

i never thought of that before - good point.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2006, 02:46 AM »

Periodic activation is a pain, but in practice it is unobtrusive and I like their software sufficiently to put up with the annoyance. So long as you have an internet connection sometimes it validates by itself. I have installed the software dozens of times, and on different machines following upgrades abd reinstalls and it has never failed to activate without question.

I am not sure what Pegasus are actually aiming at but I suspect it is to stop activation codes being distributed so that it can stop thousands of activations with the same unlock code.

I'd be surprised is Pegasus as a company disappears. They have a worldwide presence and produce well known and very popular software. I would guess if they got into diffiiculties they would not find it difficult to sell out to another company (much as Sonic Foundry did to Sony). The latest software range they produce (the newer TSUNAMI range) is only available in CDROM format and I am not sure periodic activation is required in that case. The TMPGEnc product range is aimed at the shareware market and whilst I don't like their solution I can understand them wanting to protect their investment.

skywalka · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2006, 11:12 AM »

I access my videos via the WMP database library & often I wish to trim them. Because I'm using the WMP interface it's a hassle to rightclick properties, copy the file's location, open Windows Explorer, paste the location, find the file in the folder & finally drag it into the editor for editing. Is there an editor that integrates into (for example) Windows Media Player's context menu.

Jimdoria · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2006, 05:57 PM »

I use Sony Video Studio (which was Screenblast, which was the lite version of Vegas video.) It cost me $90 but it's very capable and fully featured.

For someone looking for something free, and with the patience to figure out a bit of a weird interface, there's Zwei-stein from Thugs@bay, which is now in beta for V4. This is almost more of a video compositor than a straight editor, although you can certainly use it for editing. Very powerful and extremely cool - check out their videos on the site: http://www.zs4.net/

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2006, 06:01 PM »

The Vegas software family is really great if you want to put together videos. Vegas 6 outclasses Adobe Premier (IMHO).

I've not tried the 'consumer' products but if they do 10% of Vegas 6 then I'd say they are worth a look.

See http://www.sonymedia...ucts/vegasfamily.asp for details.

nudone · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2006, 01:13 AM »

Carol, i'm very interested to why you think Vegas 6 is better than Adobe Premier. this isn't to start an argument with you, i'd just like to know what your thoughts are.

currently, i'm using Adobe Premier 2 (not very often i admit) and the only thing i'll say about it is - where are the codecs? it seems to have removed itself from being an all purpose encoder (not that it ever was 'all' purpose really) and is now strictly aiming for DV and mpeg encoding. maybe i've missed something with it but i would have thought divx, xvid, blah, blah would be built in by now.

i've played with vegas in the past - looked pretty intuitive and had a nice set of features - i just left it alone because i thought 'you've got to use Premier if you are serious'.

anyway, what are the bits about vegas you like and the bits about premier you don't, Carol?

Gothi[c] · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2006, 01:16 AM »

I use cinerella which is free and very good.
http://heroinewarrior.com/cinelerra.php3

[edit]

Screenshots : http://heroinewarrio.../cinelerra_shots.php

It's linux only though.

[/edit]

zridling · « **Reply #18 on:** May 13, 2006, 05:07 AM »

Also check out Video Edit Magic. Easy to use and will convert to anything you want and makes editing — cutting, pasting, adding/changing audio, and transitions — a snap.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #19 on:** May 13, 2006, 05:47 AM »

Carol, i'm very interested to why you think Vegas 6 is better than Adobe Premier. this isn't to start an argument with you, i'd just like to know what your thoughts are.

currently, i'm using Adobe Premier 2 (not very often i admit) and the only thing i'll say about it is - where are the codecs? it seems to have removed itself from being an all purpose encoder (not that it ever was 'all' purpose really) and is now strictly aiming for DV and mpeg encoding. maybe i've missed something with it but i would have thought divx, xvid, blah, blah would be built in by now.

i've played with vegas in the past - looked pretty intuitive and had a nice set of features - i just left it alone because i thought 'you've got to use Premier if you are serious'.

anyway, what are the bits about vegas you like and the bits about premier you don't, Carol?
-nudone (May 13, 2006, 01:13 AM)

I have to confess I haven't used Premier since Premier 6, and I'd guess that if you have CS2 then it has probably improved a lot.

I used AP6 because I got it free with my captur card but never really got on with it. For one thing it didn't seem very stable to me - you'd be halfway through something and it shut down without an error or anything. It also didn't feel very intuitive. Don't get me wrong it was a capable bit of kit and with the addition of realtime rendered previews in subsequent versions I am sure it has only got better. The other disadvantage is that if you want to add lots of special effects you have to buy AfterEffects which is as exensive as the original package (or a lot more if you buy the Pro version).

Because it was a freebie and I didn't like it too much I tried two other package - CineStream (now Media100) and the other Video Vegas 3 (as it was at the time) and finally settled on Vegas 3. It was so much more intuitive to use for me and seemed to do everything the other packages could do.

Now in Vegas 6 it is so slick and easy to use, plus the version I got comes with DVD Architect 3 which is worth having on its own if you like to make DVDs.

I suppose at the end of the day it is what you get used to but I can't see anything in Premier that can't be done in Vegas and I much prefer the Vegas interface. Check out the demo version (just download it and install it and it runs for 30 days in trial mode). You can download all corrent versions from http://download.sony...oftware.com/current/

patteo · « **Reply #20 on:** May 13, 2006, 06:59 AM »

Also check out Video Edit Magic. Easy to use and will convert to anything you want and makes editing — cutting, pasting, adding/changing audio, and transitions — a snap.
-zridling (May 13, 2006, 05:07 AM)

If you ever want to buy it, then check out (get a $10 discount)
http://www.wugnet.co...fault.asp?pageid=279

nudone · « **Reply #21 on:** May 13, 2006, 07:48 AM »

thanks for the explanation, Carol.

truth is, i don't do enough video editing for it to really matter what i use - i still find myself using virtualdubmod (and virtualdubmpeg) for most of my encoding tasks.

i shall investigate the new vegas though.

skywalka · « **Reply #22 on:** May 13, 2006, 12:22 PM »

Thumbs up for Womble. Not reencoding is such a huge plus. Not to mention it's mpeg support.

patteo · « **Reply #23 on:** May 13, 2006, 01:22 PM »

Thumbs up for Womble. Not reencoding is such a huge plus. Not to mention it's mpeg support.
-skywalka (May 13, 2006, 12:22 PM)

Would be good if Womble can offer a discount to donationcoder members

irdepesca572 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 13, 2006, 08:33 PM »

Thanks for the list!