Creative Vado HD AVI (H.264) Editing?

[poisondeathray]

booberry - in vdub, with the clip loaded, select file=>file information , what does it say about the video decompressor ?

under options=>preferences=>display, try deselecting 'use directx for display panes'

[budwzr]

Not to cast "experzions" on the great free tools out there, but there comes a time when you get tired of all the steps involved. I read of people even paying for H.264 converters just so they can use their video with the free tools. That's just plain "throwing good money after bad".

Take a look at some of the NLE's out there like Vegas Movie Studio, and there are others, and throw another hundred down and you're all set with an all-in-one solution that's simple, easy, and all the hassles go away.

AVI/Xvid is dieing out, don't spend money chasing it, spend money towards the future.

[BooBerry]

@poisondeathray
The Decompressor reads "ffdshow Video Codec (H264)". Deselecting 'use directx for display panes' has no effect.

@ budwzr
Unfortunately, I cannot change the native format of the Creative Vado HD (AVI).

[poisondeathray]

I have no idea - everything should be working

Have you tried other clips (maybe that 1 was damaged) ?

[budwzr]

It's odd to find H.264 in an AVI, are you sure it's not motion Jpeg?

OK, I just checked the site, looks like you have an older model, the newest one DOES use AAC audio, guess a lot of people complained so they rolled out a "Gen 3".

So you enabled x264 and adpcm in VFW interface? And still no joy?

You can use the trial version of Vegas Movie Maker as a tester, if it opens the file that means you're OK, Vegas uses the FFdShow too.

Note: I didn't read this whole thread so if I stepped on someones toes or stole someone's advice please excuse. Pardone Moi.

[BooBerry]

I have tried other clips from the Vado and all do the same thing. I have no idea, either.

[budwzr]

Make a 5-10 sec video and post it here.

[BooBerry]

http://www.mediafire.com/?r6qgw8ayccr3ag6

[budwzr]

Hahaha, that little guy wants the camera.

I opened it normally, like any other, in Sony Vegas. Vegas is giving FFDShow as the video codec, but that's fine because FFDShow is actually a multicodec.

So anyway, install FFDShow and you should be cool.

Depending on the version, there's a utility called "VFW Interface" or something like that, where you can go in and turn individual codecs on and off.

If necessary, you can go in there to the "decoders" area and make sure x264 and adpcm are checked.

I'm using K-Lite codec pack, FULL INSTALL, and it comes with a "Tweak Tool" that walks you through all the options and change as needed. K-Lite is extremely high rated, don't listen to any negatrons that pop up below.

This video codec is more commonly known as AVC. It's the most tightly compressed of all codecs, but with excellent quality. You will need new computer if you want to edit it smoothly.

Otherwise, the best option if you have an older machine, is to transcode it to Mpeg2 before editing.

[BooBerry]

I have ffdshow installed. I even set the H.264/AVC settings in the decoder section of the VFW configuration. I have set libavcodec as the decoder. Still no video in VitualDub, just the audio. As I pointed out earlier, the AVI information lists "ffdshow Video Codec (H264)" as the Decompressor, so I cannot figure out why I can't see the video.

Ironically, I used VirtualDUb to edit the clip I posted. But since there was no video, I had to watch the original video in VLC and make a note of the start/stop times and then make my cuts based on the Frame display at the bottom of VirtualDub. That works, but it feels like I went around my elbow to get to my @$$....

[poisondeathray]

Yes, that's weird

It works for me in vdub, set up the same way

It "feels" like it may be a graphics card / display issue, but disabling directx should "fix" that for vdub

Maybe try downloading a different vdub version?

[BooBerry]

I tried that. I went from 1.6.16 to 1.9.9. I must be missing another setting. Should anything else be checked?

[JimmyS]

Your video sample works fine on my PC as well w. VDub 1.9.10. A couple of things you could try:

Check which H.264 decoder is selected in ffdshow. If ffmpeg-mt is selected instead of libavcodec on your single core PC, that could cause an issue.
See if installing x264vfw, and then disabling H.264 in ffdshow VFW helps any.
Make sure you have the latest driver installed for your video adapter.
What service pack level is XP at? Should be at least SP2 or better yet, SP3.

Good Luck.

[BooBerry]

A giant leap forward and then a step back (?)

First of all I am running XP SP2. I verified that the driver for my video adapter is the latest. I then re-checked which H.264 decoder was selected in the ffdshow VFW configuration and it said libavcodec. (It is a single core PC.)

I next installed x264vfw and then changed the H.264/AVC setting in the ffdshow VFW configuration to "disabled". I then opened the Test Clip again (vdub 1.9.9) BAM! VIDEO!! WOOHOO!!! I checked (based on an earlier post from poisondeathray) the "File Information". For Decompressor, it says "x264vfw - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Codec" This is a giant step forward, so let me express my gratitude for the help to this point!

When I try to play the file, it pulses tremendously. It very choppy. I get video/sound in 1/2 second bursts.

Could it be that my processor is pegged? After all, this is a Dell from @ 2004 with a 2.6GHz P4 processor and 1.5GB of RAM. I started to suspect that it played fluently in vdub before because there was only audio playing, but the same clip plays flawlessly in VLC on the same system.

Ideas/thoughts?

[budwzr]

Now you're into a situation more commonly shared by others.

AVC is processor intensive and doesn't edit well on most computers, that's why many people convert it to Mpeg2 first.

Basically, your camcorder footage is too advanced for your PC.

[BooBerry]

It'll still work, though, correct? Just slowly? Or will I get corrupt files, etc.?

[budwzr]

Yes, it will work, no corrupt files.

It'll still work, though, correct? Just slowly? Or will I get corrupt files, etc.?

[JimmyS]

As budwzr said, H.264 is a real resource hog. It sounds like your CPU is maxed out. To verify, open the performance tab in Task Manager and see if you are maxing out. You could try Splash Lite. It seems to be able to play some videos when other players can't. A more powerful video adapter could add some hardware acceleration which could help quite a bit if your current adapter isn't up to the task.

VDub could still work for cutting your videos, since you can easily cursor through the video and find I frames for proper cut points. Then direct copy the edited video back to your hard drive with no quality loss.

[BooBerry]

HA! Oh yeah. She's pegged at 100%! Oh well. All I ever wanted to do was use vdub to make simple cuts. I can do that now, thanks to everyone's help. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude. I have no idea why it wasn't working with the other configuration.

And for those of you who saw the clip, nothing has changed in 6 months. I tried to make a quick video of him today. As soon as I walked into the room, he saw the camera, came for it and then cried when I wouldn't give it to him. Too much of his father in him, I suppose.

Thanks, again, everyone

[budwzr]

So what's the final verdict here? That Vdub doesn't pay attention to ffdshow?

[JimmyS]

Probably more to do with somthing that's going on with the OP's PC rather than either codec. All the different settings worked fine on my PC. Maybe a re-install of ffdshow would help the situation on BooBerrys PC.

[BooBerry]

I just tried installing the latest ffdshow, but cannot get the decompressor off of x264vfw to let you know if it works. Do I need to delete x264vfw from my system? I already enabled libavcodec in the ffdshow VFW, but it didn't reassign the decompressor.

[budwzr]

Yeah, why not test that out.

[BooBerry]

How do I re-associate vdub with ffdshow?

[JimmyS]

Any specific associations should not be necessary. I have both x264vfw and ffdshow installed. When libavcodec is selected in the decoder tab of the VFW configuration decoder settings, VDubs file info shows the ffdshow H.264 codec is being used. When it is disabled, the x264vfw codec shows in file info. Try un-install both. Do a registry clean. (I use Eusing Free Registry Cleaner and Comodo Registry Cleaner (part of the Comodo System Cleaner)). Then reinstall them and see what happens.

[paulb39]

I just bought a Creative Vado HD. I have little experience of video editing. But so far I have been able to edit some videos using NCH VideoPad. The built-in Vado software has not worked for me - I get audio, but no video. I tried various things suggested on the net re installing other codecs, but to no avail. But as the editing facilities in the Vado software seem limited, that is no big problem.

[LittleHoursinUK]

Hi, I'm new to this forum, and while I guess I should have posted my enquiry as a new thread, it is related to this one, which I have found helpful and have used as a reference so far, so I hope you understand why I've posted here, although you can advise me to do otherwise, or you can move the post. This thread has helped me understand the nature of the footage that Creative Vado HD outputs, and it's invaluable to have clarity on such things, and people here have helped me describe the specs of the recorded files to others, so thank you.

I just got a Creative Vado HD and have been trying to get my head around it. When I have tried editing in Windows Movie Maker the footage that should be widescreen is exported as if "squashed" into a "square" 4:3 ratio. I'd love to know how to edit it, perhaps in Windows Movie Maker, perhaps in something else (preferably cost-effective) that you may recommend, in a way that preserves the 16:9 ratio of the footage. I wondered if you could offer some guidance or thoughts on this?

Which preset is it best to use when you're done editing and are ready to export the footage to save it into a movie file? (since my choice at this stage in the process, I thought, could be the root of the problem?)

Should I use Windows Movie Maker, which I have currently, or Windows Live Movie Maker? Are there any resources that anyone has used that have helped in this task? I have tried using Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0, which in my experience so far, chops the left and right of the frame off. And as far as Windows Movie Maker is concerned, as I have seen elsewhere on youtube, some people's edits are affected by the same transformation into 4:3 that I'm experiencing. It's a real shame when that lovely widescreen is lost. I just wondered, on the off-chance, whether you might be able to point me in the right direction. There doesn't seem to be much reference to my particular problem online. I've asked on the Adobe Premiere Pro forum and they don't seem to think it's possible with the version I have.

I have tried AVS Video Editor, which works, incidently, on the purely visual front, preserving the 16:9 ratio correctly. However, as I was alerted by this helpful video on youtube, the way it deals with sound is not good enough for me to take it beyond a trial version, since, as it happens, one of the things I want to do is edit music footage. The sound level/volume in AVS, it seems, must stay the same throughout the whole project. This would seem a damn shame because it seems really good as an example of one of the simpler and inexpensive breed of video editing software, in many ways.

So, I'm very confused! If you could possibly offer some suggestions, that would be very very appreciated!

Thanks for your time,

Sorry for going on a bit!

Thanks,

LittleHoursinUK