Selecting different frame to display on video file

[MindF]

I'd like to be able to chose a frame within a video file(avi,mpg) other than the 1st frame to be displayed on the file(like "navi-marking" a video on a dvd recorder hard drive).
I want images on my video files to make them easily identifiable.
Anyone know how or what programs(FREE) can achieve this?

[guns1inger]

Do you mean the thumbnail that windows displays in Explorer ?

[MindF]

yes,i have a folder of video files(avi,mpg's) and want to place a more descriptive image frame from within the video file on them

[guns1inger]

Don't believe it can be done

[MindF]

I can't believe noone has ever wanted this for their video files!!

I suppose it would make life too easy to immediately recognise a video file by sight alone.

[gadgetguy]

The only way I know of that it could be done would be a manual process and I don't know how permanent the result is.
Open the video file in a player that can capture a single frame, locate the frame and save to bmp. Then use a program like irfanview to convert it to a ico. Then re-assign the file icon to the new ico.

[redwudz]

You might also be able to capture a frame and add it the the beginning of a video. I don't know if that's where all programs look, or where players look for the frame display, but it's worth a try.

VirtualDub can do that with AVI type files. I've done it by copying one keyframe, then pasting it back to the very beginning of the video. Then save the video/audio in 'Direct stream format'.

If you wanted it on a folder, capture a single keyframe with VD and save it somewhere. Use as a folder picture. Easy to do in Vista.

[MindF]

Well now we're gettin somewhere!

Which method is best?
The icon method : This wouldn't change the extension of the file i assume? and i'm guessing a motherload of icons would effect speed greatly?

The Virtualdub method : This doesn't involve re-encoding or any change/loss in quality does it?
Mpg files definately won't work using VD?

Excuse my ignorance if these sound like stupid questions!

[theewizard]

virtualdub can do mpeg, either by DL virtualDub-mpeg or by adding the mpeg plugin dll to the current version of virtualdub mod

I have used redwudz method myself, I prefer sticking a frame on the front, just copy and insert

you can also try using avidemux2, i find it to be a very versable program for editing functions

[gadgetguy]

Well now we're gettin somewhere!

Which method is best?
The icon method : This wouldn't change the extension of the file i assume? and i'm guessing a motherload of icons would effect speed greatly?

The Virtualdub method : This doesn't involve re-encoding or any change/loss in quality does it?
Mpg files definately won't work using VD?

Excuse my ignorance if these sound like stupid questions!

Vdub method is probably better as it is most likely to survive any changes to your system. I'm curious about how a highly compressed video file can have 1 frame added at the beginning and not require at least some re-encoding, unless the selected frame is an i-frame. If someone could clear that up for me?

The icon method has the advantage of not making any changes to the original file. But that's about it. IMO the risk of changing the video file by adding a frame at the beginning is so small, it's not worth worrying about. The downsides of the icon method, aside from the manual process, are it may not survive filetype reassignment to a new default video player or some other MS upgrade quirk, which would mean reassigning each files icon one by one. It will require more hard drive space for each icon, but not necessarily more than growing each file by one frame so that may or may not be a disadvantage. I'm not sure what speed you're asking about. Certainly playback speed will be unaffected, but I suppose it might slow down browsing the folder.

[Cornucopia]

The way it --ought-- to be done would be for the muxer to support additional meta data (in a header like ID3 tags, or zippered as an additional data stream like txt/sup info). But for this to work you'd need both muxers that can work with the data and app/OS that recognize it and display it correctly. Lots of work there... Is it worth it? I doubt it.

Of course, Quicktime already has a "Preview/Poster" features built-in, just the tools for setting these up correctly aren't the most straightforward, and they only with with .MOV files (not the majority of files).

IIWY, I'd worry about other more important vid-related things...

Scott