Is there a virtualdub like app that works with mp4/x264/aac output?

[moocowz]

Preferably one that supports many input types. Specifically .mov but more is always better. I need a few simple things from the program: Simple cutting of different sections of the video. Appending multiple files or pasting them in somehow. Output to mp4/x264/aac. Input from .mov at least. Bonus if it also accepts avi/mp4/mkv. Free. Basically something virtualdub-like but that supports more formats. I've tried the ghetto method of transcoding to uncompressed avi/wav and then trying it in virtualdub but it's so dang picky with everything(OMG IT'S VBR, OMG THE KEYFRAMES ARE OFF, OMG THIS OMG THAT) thus resulting in it giving me like 2 seconds of video or usually nothing at all. That's if super even gets to encode the entire file before it crashes.... Sorry for the wall of text? It changed it on me somehow...

[redwudz]

If you typed the text on a word processor or Notepad, then copied and pasted it, it loses formatting.

You might try AVIDemux. It's similar to VD, but accepts a lot more formats. The keyframe problem is with the format, not VD. But VD doesn't handle VBR audio very well, but that is also a problem with a lot of programs.

And welcome to our forums.

[moocowz]

I took a look at that program and it looks good and seems to do what I want. Thanks!

One question about it though, it said that it detected h.264 in the input file and that I needed to change to some other mode to prevent crashes(it was crashing if I didn't) but that I would lose frame accuracy. What exactly is that? I did notice that when I tried to cut out parts that it seemed like it left some parts in that I thought would be cut. Is that what it meant?

Also, I didn't notice the setting anywhere but I assume that the program is preserving my framerate? Or is there a setting for that?

[redwudz]

H.264, Divx, Xvid, and other highly compressed formats have widely spaced keyframes (I frames). A keyframe is a complete frame of video. The other frames are basically the differences between the next keyframe. This gives them high compression. Divx has about a 300 frame keyframe default spacing. Cutting other than on a keyframe causes problems, glitches in the video and sync problems. Editors will jump to the next keyframe to make a cut to avoid these problems.

That makes frame accurate editing very difficult. You can re-encode, but then you have quality loss. None of those formats were made for easy editing. It's not a problem with the editor, but the video format itself.

Newer versions of VirtualDub do have a 'Smart rendering' feature that just re-encodes at the cut point. I think AVIDemux has the same. That should let you make your cuts about anywhere you want. But I'm not sure that either editor can do that with H.264 video. I convert the H.264 video to a lower compression format with Neoscene ($$) or the freeware Lagarith or HuffyUV codecs for editing. But you end up with huge files and need to re-encode them back to a more compact format.

AviDemux or VD will keep the original framerate unless you change it.

[DarrellS]

Virtualdub with input filters will do everything you want. You can output different formats with the external encoder. The only thing you can't do is append different file types besides AVI. For that, you either need Avidemux or you can encode to MKV with the external encoder in Virtualdub and use MKVmerge to append the encoded MKV files or encode to MP4 with the external encoder in Virtualdub and use MP4Box or Yamb to append the MP4 files.

[moocowz]

Ah that makes sense. I do see the frame type at the bottom now and it does jump by about 300 frames.(I Frame (03/04)?) At least in non-h264.

When I am looking at an h264 in whatever special mode it does, it changes by 60 frames. In this case though it says I frame type (00). Does this mean anything as far as the type in parenthesis? Should I just try to make sure it's a multiple of 300?

In the past with virtualdub I was usually cutting on keyframes anyways with shift+right so I guess I didn't notice.

[lacywest]

When I use VD with Divx ... I set up the key frames for 30 frames ... I stay away from 300 frames ... I do a lot of editing and sometimes the part I want to cut out is not where a key frame is located.

[DarrellS]

H.264, Divx, Xvid, and other highly compressed formats have widely spaced keyframes (I frames). A keyframe is a complete frame of video. The other frames are basically the differences between the next keyframe. This gives them high compression. Divx has about a 300 frame keyframe default spacing. Cutting other than on a keyframe causes problems, glitches in the video and sync problems. Editors will jump to the next keyframe to make a cut to avoid these problems.

That makes frame accurate editing very difficult. You can re-encode, but then you have quality loss. None of those formats were made for easy editing. It's not a problem with the editor, but the video format itself.

Newer versions of VirtualDub do have a 'Smart rendering' feature that just re-encodes at the cut point. I think AVIDemux has the same. That should let you make your cuts about anywhere you want. But I'm not sure that either editor can do that with H.264 video. I convert the H.264 video to a lower compression format with Neoscene ($$) or the freeware Lagarith or HuffyUV codecs for editing. But you end up with huge files and need to re-encode them back to a more compact format.

AviDemux or VD will keep the original framerate unless you change it.

I have used Virtualdub and did not have problems with frame accurate editing. If you are editing MP4 then moving through the video is a real pain which is why I like to convert MP4 to MKV before trying to edit with Virtualdub. I've had the same issue with Avidemux. MP4 is hard to edit.

Once you have Smart Rendered your x264.avi, use MKVmerge to put x264/aac back into an MKV container.

[redwudz]

I played with Xvid once and set the keyframes to a vary low spacing. Maybe '1', I don't recall. Of course that just made a huge Xvid and I could have used Lagarith or Huffy UV instead. The widely spaced keyframes are what keeps the files compact but also makes it a poor choice for editing. The 'Smart rendering' feature is probably a better option.

And 300 frames is the maximum keyframe spacing. Most files are less than that, depending on the type of material being encoded and probably other encoding settings.

[Intel Core i7]

Pleas commit the author of avimux to a man2man talk and feed us with his plans for the app