Free video editing software recommendation

[44echo]

My needs are simple. At least, I think they are. I want to import a video file, cut out a small portion from it, add a fade in from black to the beginning of the video and then a fade out to black at the end of the video. I want to be able to export the project as .mp4 with a minimal amount of video re-encoding. Bonus points if I can also fade the audio in and out at the beginning and end with the black screen.

Is there a free product out there with these capabilities?

Thank you for your input!

[Alwyn]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/417878-Video-Editing-Software-suggestions

[44echo]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/417878-Video-Editing-Software-suggestions

I read that topic. I don't believe that we're necessarily looking for the same thing.

[krykmoon]

I want to be able to export the project as .mp4 with a minimal amount of video re-encoding.

"A minimal amount of video re-enconding".. such thing doesn't exist at all.

If you even change a single pixel of a video .. the entire video has to be re-encoded. There's no choice (and it's quite obvious if you understand how video encoding works)

There are software like Losslesscut (or the discontinued VideoRedo) that can do a sort of partial re-encoding (only on the cuts - split/join points - ) and then copy the rest of the video as it is without re-encoding.. merging everything together.. but it's not a 100% guaranteed process and the resulting video files can have issues.

In your case.. you should do - manually - something similar and so split the original video in 3 parts: beginning and end (where fade in/out should be) .. and a part with all the rest (mid-part) of the footage.. then re-encode only those two modified parts and finally join all three segments together.

BUT....

1.it's a time consuming process, I don't think there's any software that automatically does this. So if you need to do this to a very large number of files.. it's a lot of (tedious and time consuming) work.

2.in order to join various video segments without the need to re-encode the whole file.. all these segments must use the same codec/settings.. So you do have to know EXACTLY what codec has been used to encode the original video and then re-use the same identical settings for the parts of the video (beginning/end) that has been edited/modified.

[Alwyn]

The effect of the recoding bogeyman is overblown IMO.

Just import your file, edit it as you desire, then export it at at least the same bitrate. Yes, the whole video will be recoded, but unless you pixel-peep, I you won't notice the difference.

I do this regularly with relatively low-quality VHS captures and the results are just fine.

Krymoon suggested an NLE in that other topic.

[44echo]

I want to be able to export the project as .mp4 with a minimal amount of video re-encoding.

"A minimal amount of video re-enconding".. such thing doesn't exist at all.

If you even change a single pixel of a video .. the entire video has to be re-encoded. There's no choice (and it's quite obvious if you understand how video encoding works)

There are software like Losslesscut (or the discontinued VideoRedo) that can do a sort of partial re-encoding (only on the cuts - split/join points - ) and then copy the rest of the video as it is without re-encoding.. merging everything together.. but it's not a 100% guaranteed process and the resulting video files can have issues.

I guess I had a couple different things in my mind and I didn't put them all into words in my question. My mistake.

To clarify, here's one scenario. I import a DVD (I filmed and authored) into my video editor. It's a band playing an hour long performance. I want to save out each individual song and as it's own video file. So that it doesn't have abrupt cuts at the beginning and end, I want to fade in from black at the beginning and fade out to black at the end. The finished file type would be mpeg-2 (same as original) so I would only like the fade in/out to be re-encoded. That's what I was referring to as "minimal amount of re-encoding." My apologies for not being more clear.

Another option would be similar to the above, but convert to .mp4, which I realize would require complete re-encoding. I'm currently using a 17 year old version of Video Studio, but the conversion to mp4 is pretty bad.

Thank you for your reply. You've posted some helpful information here.

[44echo]

The effect of the recoding bogeyman is overblown IMO.

My desire to not re-encode is two-fold. Quality loss, though I do see your point. The other is a time consideration issue. I would like to do a lot of videos (a couple hundred). If I can save time by not re-encoding, I'll take it.

Krymoon suggested an NLE in that other topic.

I'll have a look. Thanks!

[krykmoon]

So that it doesn't have abrupt cuts at the beginning and end, I want to fade in from black at the beginning and fade out to black at the end. The finished file type would be mpeg-2 (same as original) so I would only like the fade in/out to be re-encoded. That's what I was referring to as "minimal amount of re-encoding." My apologies for not being more clear.

The point is that even a single pixel modification to only one frame of a video requires the re-encoding of the whole video.. that's how it works.

Think at a video file like at a single entity (it's to simplify) with sequential streams of data (audio/video) that the video player can only read from start to finish... AS THEY ARE. There is no way to tell to a generic video player "at frame 0-100 fade in, at frame 4900-5000 FADE OUT". You have to use a video editor to insert fade in/out (or whatever changes you need) and the export (= re-encode) the WHOLE file. Splitting the video in 3 parts (1=fade in - 2=unmodified part - 3=fade out), edit part 1 and 3 with the fade in/out, re-encode them and finally join the three parts is the only way to avoid the re-encoding of the entire file. but unless you have thousands of videos many hours long each.. it's totally senseless, since a 3-4 minutes long video (like a song) takes much less than a minute to be re-encoded.

If your videos aren't interlaced you shouldn't have any problem, quality wise (ffmpeg is amazing).. and using an mkv container with h.264 (AVC) as a codec is a very solid choice (unless you use some strange or old devices not supporting the mkv as a container).

[44echo]

The point is that even a single pixel modification to only one frame of a video requires the re-encoding of the whole video.. that's how it works.

I appreciate you taking the time to help, but respectfully, I believe you're misinformed. My old version of Video Studio (from 2008) will only re-encode the new parts of the video. Certainly in the last 17 years, other video editors have/have added this functionality. And as far as unreliability or issues with these videos goes, at the moment, I have 653 videos completed so far without issue.

I'm using old software and an old computer. Re-encoding only the fade in/out, it takes about 8-12 seconds. When I've adjusted the brightness and the entire video was re-encoded, it took about 10-12 minutes. To me, that's a significant time difference.

Thank you again for your time and input. It's greatly appreciated!

[Sharc]

See
https://www.videohelp.com/software/sections/video-editors-advanced
Some are free. Some support smart rendering, i.e. only reencoding the affected parts.

[davexnet]

The only product I'm aware of that has mpeg-2 smart rendering, is the aptly named Tmpgenc Smart Renderer.
Free trial, $70 to buy

[JN-]

Thread discussing smart rendering in Vegas Pro.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/does-re-rendering-hit-the-quality-of-t...4149/#ca643465

I would completely agree with Alwyn. Post #5.

If I was doing it I would use as modern a PC as possible and output to mp4. Even using say Nvenc encoding would be very fast and would still give good enough visually acceptable output.

[Sharc]

The only product I'm aware of that has mpeg-2 smart rendering, is the aptly named Tmpgenc Smart Renderer.
Free trial, $70 to buy

LosslessCut claims to support smart rendering by now (experimental still). No idea how well it already works. It doesn't support fade in/out though ....AFAIK.
https://www.videohelp.com/software/LosslessCut

[krykmoon]

I appreciate you taking the time to help, but respectfully, I believe you're misinformed.

I'm not misinformed. The only FREE software with smart-rendering features (that's what you asked for.. FREE video editing software) is LosslessCut.. and that software doesn't do anything of what you need: it can do the so called smart-rendering only on cuts (split/join points), it can be used to remove part of a video or split it in various segments, but that's all that the only FREE software available capable of smart-rendering does (and it's also an EXPERIMENTAL feature not 100% reliable)

I'm using old software and an old computer. Re-encoding only the fade in/out, it takes about 8-12 seconds. When I've adjusted the brightness and the entire video was re-encoded, it took about 10-12 minutes. To me, that's a significant time difference.

There's no free video editor capable of doing what you need, then. And I'm sure of it, since I've tried almost EVERY free software available.
You can do the split/edit manually with ANY video editor, and then join the segments with ffmpeg (command line or with some GUI).. but it's a lot of manual, repetitive and tedious work and I don't think it's worth the effort.

By the way.. smart-rendering is not a sort of magic, it's simply what I described, but the software does everything automatically for you: the splitting, re-encoding of the edited parts only.. and finally joining them with the unmodified part of the video.

[Alwyn]

My old version of Video Studio (from 2008) will only re-encode the new parts of the video. Certainly in the last 17 years, other video editors have/have added this functionality.

The Magix NLEs used to have Smart-Render functionality ONLY on MPEG files many years ago. Only the fade-in and fade-out were re-rendered; the main part was smart-rendered. That functionality disappeared when MP4 became mainstream. If there re other editors that have added it, it would be interesting to know which ones.

[Sharc]

If there re other editors that have added it, it would be interesting to know which ones.

Premiere Pro supports smart rendering under certain conditions AFAIK. Not free though.

[krykmoon]

Premiere Pro supports smart rendering under certain conditions AFAIK. Not free though.

Not considering the nasty subscription policy adobe has adopted .. that feature is limited and the exported file may have issues (like it's with every smart-rendering software, AFAIK). Read the adobe forum, if you don't believe me.

At least the free program Lossless-cut has the decency to say that smart-rendering is still an experimental feature (use it at your own risk).