Grouping Several AVI Files

[foochuck]

My client is sending me several AVI files created with the DIVX codec created at 320 x 240 pixels (4:3 ratio). I'd like to group these AVI files into one video and then export it to a Flash FLV.

If I import the AVI files into Premiere Pro 2 can I combine them on a timeline and then export them? Will I have to create a custom Premiere Project with a canvas size of 320 x 240 before importing them or does that "canvas size" not matter?

[jagabo]

If the files are all the same codec and similar settings you easily can join them together with VirtualDub. Start VirtualDub then:

1) Video -> Direct Stream Copy
2) File -> Open Video File
3) File -> Append AVI segment
4) File -> Save as AVI

If the files are sequentially numbered step 3 will automatically append all of them. Otherwise just repeat step 3 for each file.

This will only take a minute because the files will not be reencoded.

[foochuck]

Thanks for your help.

If I did want to edit them in some way, could I bring them into Premiere and edit them? If so, would I need to create a custom project?

[guns1inger]

I don't know that Premiere likes Xvid/Divx for editing - they aren't good editing formats. You might be better off importing them as suggested into Virtualdub, then saving to Huffyuv lossless, and using that in Premiere.

[foochuck]

What is the process to use Virtualdub to convert the avi to Huffyuv?

Also, what kind of file is a Huffyuv? Is it an avi file codec?

[guns1inger]

huffyuv is a lossless codec, usually encoded within an avi container. Just load your xvid into virtualdub, set the video mode to full processing, and select huffyuv for your compression.

[foochuck]

Thanks for the huffyuv advice, I'm able to bring that clip into Premiere and edit it. I have one more question - My clip is 320 x 240 and it's a huffyuv AVI. When I bring it into a DV NTSC project (0.9 pixels) there's a lot of extra space around the video after I place it on the timeline.

Should I create a custom project setting for editing these clips or can I edit them in this project and then just crop them when I export to my final format?