The VideoLAN Forums

I am wanting to edit a video I have, just to have a part of the video I have...I don't want to loose it all, and would like to keep it all, just take a small part out of the video and make a new file...Can anyone tell me how to do this, in plain understandable language?

You could stream to a file from a specified start and stop point using VLC, however it is probably easier to use a video editing tool such as VirtualDub or Avidemux instead (you can select a segment and then export/save that with both).

Anyhow with VLC the following commandline should work: Where INPUT is you input file, START is the start time in seconds, STOP is the stop time in seconds, MUX_TYPE is the encapsulation type (e.g.mp4), and OUTPUT is the destination path/filename.

Since the AVI muxer is broken, if you are trying to get an extract from an AVI file, you might have trouble with e.g. the audio and hence will need to transcode (convert) that. Also the above is assuming --start-time works, as AFAIK it is broken in VLC 0.9.8a (on e.g. Windows) - nightly builds should work though.

Arite.

Way over my head....

I downloaded the avidemux, managed to cut the bit I want, but it does'nt show, work, can't see the video...The virtualdub wants money, asnd a million links...

Please could you give instructions from the start...I can't see the buttons for "input" "select all " etc...

Told ye, it has to be in plain idiot proof language that a five year old could understand...Or is there a website with a phone number I could call for help?

I downloaded the avidemux, managed to cut the bit I want, but it does'nt show, work, can't see the video...The virtualdub wants money, asnd a million links...

VirtualDub doesn't want money - it is open source (albeit there is a donate bit of the site). You can find download links here:
http://virtualdub.sourceforge.net/

Just get the "1.8.8 (stable), 32-bit version" if you want a normal version.

Please could you give instructions from the start...I can't see the buttons for "input" "select all " etc...

Assuming you mean with Avidemux/VirtualDub:

Avidemux:

In Avidemux go to "File >> Open..." and select you input file. Select "OK" or "Yes" for any questions asked about timemaps etc.

Then when the video is loaded seek to the beginning point of you segment, and press the "Select: start" button ("A"), and then seek to the end of your segment, and press the "Select: end" button ("B").

Then press "Save" and save as e.g. "out.avi".

For more information on Cutting with Avidemux see their wiki page here:
http://www.avidemux.org/admWiki/index.php?title=Cutting

VirtualDub

As for VirtualDub, pretty much the same. Open you media, set the start/end of selection, go to "Video >> Direct Stream Copy..." (as you don't want to convert anything, and then save the selection. That process is described in a nice tutorial here:
http://www.weethet.nl/english/video_cutavis.php

Cheers, Arite.

"In Avidemux go to "File >> Open..." and select you input file. Select "OK" or "Yes" for any questions asked about timemaps etc.

Then when the video is loaded seek to the beginning point of you segment, and press the "Select: start" button ("A"), and then seek to the end of your segment, and press the "Select: end" button ("B")."

It just plays normally...?????

I did manage yesterday to record using this programme as I've said (I just fumbled through in the dark though), but when I played back, there was no visual, no sound, nothing....

So I tried going along with your instructions for vlc main "vlc INPUT --start-time START --stop-time STOP --sout '#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=MUX_TYPE,dst=OUTPUT}'" and can't find where to type all that in....for example where is the place I "VLC the following commandline should work:" and the "code:select all"... and "input"?


I keep telling ye mate, I have to have idiot proof, step by step five year old instructions, or I get lost in dark techie corridor...

"In Avidemux go to "File >> Open..." and select you input file. Select "OK" or "Yes" for any questions asked about timemaps etc.

Then when the video is loaded seek to the beginning point of you segment, and press the "Select: start" button ("A"), and then seek to the end of your segment, and press the "Select: end" button ("B")."

It just plays normally...?????

You don't want/need to play the video. Open the video in Avidemux, then move the the start/stop positions the positions where you want to start/stop the video, pressing the "A" and "B" buttons for each respectively.

So I tried going along with your instructions for vlc main "vlc INPUT --start-time START --stop-time STOP --sout '#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=MUX_TYPE,dst=OUTPUT}'" and can't find where to type all that in....for example where is the place I "VLC the following commandline should work:" and the "code:select all"... and "input"?

That is a commandline string. Assuming you are using Windows, and have VLC install in the default location, go to "Start >> Run..." and enter "cmd" (without quotes) and press OK.

That should bring up a command prompt window. in that enter: And then enter the commandline string for VLC (replacing e.g. INPUT with the input file location etc. - for example "C:\Temp\Test.avi").

Arite.

Interesting re Virtualdub and Avidemux. Quick question: In the past, I tried various editing of sections out of a video but my saved the file was way-huge (uncompressed I guess and I preferred not to learn/try all the compressions). So, my question: Do Virtualdub and Avidemux simply take a clip out (keeping whatever codec/compressions on the clip that were with the original? In other words, If I took out 10% of a video, would I have a clip about 10% the size of the original video that plays in the same quality? I would so appreciate knowing if this kind of simple editing/trimming is possible for various .avi, .mpg, .wmv files!

Yes you can copy the original video/audio tracks into a smaller clips with both VirtualDub and Avidemux.

Arite.

Arite,

Thanks but I want to be totally sure: Does your answer mean simple trimming without any concern for choosing codecs,compressions,etc. for the output files? If this is true, I am thrilled and am ever so appreciative of your final short response.

Dave

Yes you should just be able to export a section of the video without the concern for choosing codecs etc.

Arite.

Thank you for your reply. I succeeded (it was a .wmv) at that but the trimmed clip ran something like three times the frame rate of the original. If I ask too many questions, I'll understand if you don't reply.

Dave

Hi until today I had a really useful button that repeated point a to b on a video file by simply pressing it once for point A
then once for point b the video just then kept looping between those two points EASY. But unfortunatly this morrning its gone I wonder is it because of some "clever update" that has removed this very usefull feature. Can anyone please help p.s. God save us all from "clever" updates that r not as good as the former versions.

If you go to "View >> Advanced Controls" you should get an extra line of buttons includin the AB repeat one.

If you don't/the AB button isn't there (or you don't want all the other extra buttons) go to "View >> Customize Interface..." where you can change the layout etc. to how you want it.

Cheers, Arite.