Open WMV file, crop, then save as WMV - How to save?

[Richard in Seattle]

This program is a big step up for me from Windows Movie Maker! However I can't figure out how to save a short video. I just opened the video in VLC; then I cropped the top and bottom, and now I need to save it -- to be played in Windows Media Player. (Actually it will be opened in PowerPoint).

Can anyone tell me how to do it?

Thanks, Richard

[VLC_help]

VLC really isn't a movie editor. You have to enable the crop filter via Tools -> Preferences.. Video -> Filters (use the right place) then use Media -> Convert/Save... to save it as WMV. (naturally you will lose video quality because the video will be re-encoded)

[shrikant.tillu]

I have gone to Tools-Preferences-Video-Setting 'show all'-video-filters.But I could not find media-convert/save-WMV.Pl give details.I also cannot the cropped video in VLC.

[VLC_help]

Filter is called Cropadd and the transcode profile you want to use is Video - WMA + WMA (ASF)

[shrikant.tillu]

I am very sorry but i coud not get trnscode-video-WMV etc.I am not so much expert in such terminology.
I must say the crop facility is very good but there should have been easy way to save the cropped video.What is the use of record red button?

[VLC_help]

What is the use of record red button?

Direct 1:1 copy, no transcoding.

[shrikant.tillu]

you have replied only last part of my quiry. I am unable to save cropped video.

[3breadt]

The convert/save option is not in the filter section. It's in the file menu.

The red record button records what you are playing back to your documents folder. Press it to start recording, press it again to stop recording. I don't know but it might save the video cropped if you have the filters activated.

[shrikant.tillu]

There is no file menu in latest vlc media player.I may state that i have tried all the methods but cropped video cannot be saved in vlc media player.Some where else on the forum of vlc there is a mention of avidemux soft wear for this and it works nice.But i wanted to know any method by which cropped videos are saved through vlc media player.

If anybody has successfully tried and saved cropped video, please give very detailed step by step narration.

[VLC_help]

There is no file menu in latest vlc media player

It is called Media menu.

But i wanted to know any method by which cropped videos are saved through vlc media player.

Command-line/.bat file is the easiest

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vlc input :sout=#transcode{vcodec=WMV2,vb=800,scale=1,vfilter=croppadd{croptop=80,cropbottom=80,cropleft=0,cropright=0},acodec=wma2,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:std{access=file,mux=asf,dst=output.wmv}

[shrikant.tillu]

It is too complected.I cannot do it unless step by step guidance is received.But any way thank you very much for taking so much interest.

[skadood1]

I am trying to do video filter of tranform (flip vertically), and tryed and tryed to do it through the GUI method on mac version. No go. I dont think you can transcode with filters currently. I will first give code below, and then some more step by step directions for users on macs.

I instead took a while to learn the command line method and eventually came out with this working command line:

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/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC -I rc --vout-filter=transform --transform-type=vflip /Movie.mov --sout='#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:std{access=file,mux=ts,dst=/output.mp4}'

you can type 'status' or 'stats' while it chugs along
-I rc is so that it doesnt open the GUI, but stays on the command line version
--vout-filter defines the filter to use
--transform-type defines the attributes of the transform filter
/Movie.mov is the file to convert
--sout= is the stream output chain
/output.mp4 is the output movie

[skadood1]

The long scary looking string of gobblygook above is called a command-line command. The command line is a different mode of running programs on your computer. VLC and most other programs, can secretly be run from the command line. You type in commands with the keyboard and hit enter, to run stuff, instead of using icons or menus. You can often do more with the command line, because programmers first focus on getting stuff working from command line, and then add it later to the graphical side of a program. VLC can be run in graphics mode, or it can be run in command line mode... no movie may even be shown... just resaved or processed.

The following instructions are aimed at macs and unix machines (their command lines are one in the same). Microsoft is the odd one out here, but you can modify the commands to run on windows.

1) get to your command line
find your 'terminal' application and get a black screen and waiting cursor. It is waiting for you to type.
In windows, you get to it by clicking Start > Run... > and typing "cmd" and hitting enter

2) Know where your files are located. It is often easier to copy them to your root directory and deal with them there
cp "/Userss/billybob/Movies/Captured DVI.mov" /Movie.mov
windows is quite different here, something like copy or xcopy

3) Come up with the command you want to run. If, like me, you want to run a filter, and resave (transcode) the file, your command may be similar to mine. Also see the other command example above, and quite differenet examples in many other posts.

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/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC -I rc --vout-filter=transform --transform-type=vflip /Movie.mov --sout='#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:std{access=file,mux=ts,dst=/output.mp4}'

4) Look for output file and troubleshoot
Watch in your root directory ( / ), to instantly see the output.mp4 file.
If you have any troubles, you can escape with ctrl+c and add to the command a --verbose=1 or --verbose=2
Add this in before the /Movie.mov

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/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC -I rc --vout-filter=transform --transform-type=vflip --verbose=2 /Movie.mov --sout='#transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:std{access=file,mux=ts,dst=/output.mp4}' You will

You will get ALOT of info back, much of it just letting you know what it is doing correctly, how it is doing it, etc.
Read through it if you have problems, try to make sure that it is using the right files and getting no errors. You can paste these verbose logs to forums here and get more exact answers.

5) while its encoding, it doesnt say anything on the command line screen
you can type

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status stats

to get more info. Hit enter after either.

6) Ctrl+c once its done to get out of VLCs command prompt, if you are stuck in it.