Edit MPEG2 video without encoding

[silverwolf0]

Looking for a video editing program that allows me to trim mpeg2 files and join them without having to re-encode anything.

[INFRATOM]

VideoRedo is the easiest to use

[RabidDog]

You always have to do a little bit of encoding.. at the edges where you cut and splice.. otherwise the clip wont play properly. Its not like data files where you can concatenate A+B+C .. you have to re-encode around the joins. Bideo redo is easy

[nuggetpouch]

Video Edit Master and Free Video Dub have worked great for me, and theyre free.

http://software.tutorialsroom.com/video-edit-master/

http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/dvd/Free-Video-Dub.htm

[prouton]

MPEG Streamclip will do this, although I think the user interface of VideoReDo is a little better. Additionally, the VideoReDo TV Suite integrates the process of burning DVD's. While MPEG Streamclip, on the other hand, is free.

[guns1inger]

Most (all ?) free Mpeg-2 editors are limited to I frame cutting, which is every 11 - 15 frames. Frame Accuracy is a rarer commodity. Also, some of the free editors require working with elementary streams, which is an extra step in the process. VideoRedo is great for simple assemble edits - similar to virtualdub in feel - while Womble Video Wizard takes a more non-linear approach.

[PuzZLeR]

I too only know payware apps that are very good to add to the list which includes the mentioned VideoReDo.

Womble MPEG Video Wizard: Excellent video editor. Takes an hour or two to get used to it, but has lots of neat features of a full-blown editor (the non linear approach that Guns1inger mentioned).

TMPGEnc MPEG Editor 2.0: This one must be the best application ever among those that rarely get mentioned in the entire history of video forums. Despite it's "Tonka toy" looking interface, it's easy, fast, reliable - just fabulous for simple cuts/joins and as a companion to any MPEG editor. Yes, it's that good.

Both, like VideoReDo, do cuts/joins losslessly. Well, "losslessly" as in the way RabidDog accurately described.

Note: Be careful with some editors that have "smart rendering". These editors do well with acquisition formats, like DV, but are not designed well for highly compressed video like MPEG and fail to redo GOPs and timestamps with the result being a broken stream. When working with MPEG, stick with a dedicated app for it, like those mentioned here.

[usually_quiet]

Cuttermaran is a freeware editor that can do frame-accurate cuts with minimal re-encoding. It can also be set up to cut-in on I-frames and cut-out on P-frames with no re-encoding. It does require elementary audio and video files.

Cuttermaran takes some getting used to. but is good for cutting out commercials and joining files. It can be used to do some simple non-linear editing, and can work with multiple audio tracks and multiple video files.