How to crop a video?

[toqi786]

Hi,
i need to know a software in which i can crop a video in!
thanx

[guns1inger]

It depends what type of video, but pretty much any editor and many converters. Virtualdub, AVI Demux, AVISynth, Xvid4PSP up to Vegas, Premiere and FCP.

You will have to re-encode after cropping.

Do you mean cropping (removing part of the image area) as opposed to trimming or editing (removing frames from the footage)

[toqi786]

Do you mean cropping (removing part of the image area) as opposed to trimming or editing (removing frames from the footage)

yes, i mean removing part of the image area

[Baldrick]

I like avidemux, open video, choose a codec under Video like xvid or h264, click filters and add the crop filter (see http://avidemux.org/admWiki/index.php?title=Video_filter_Crop ), save as a new avi.

Virtualdub works similar, open video, under video->filters add the null transform filter, click on cropping, under video->compression choose a video codec, file->save as a new avi.

[redwudz]

In VirtualDub, you add the 'Null Transform' filter, then cropping is available. Save the cropped video with full processing and the codec of your choice. The Null Transform will not do anything to the video, just activates the cropping feature.

[PuzZLeR]

Another tool that crops real well with many sources and encodes to many formats, but not free, is: TMPGEnc Xpress (Source -> Edit -> Filters -> Picture Crop).

The best thing though is a tool that accepts AviSynth scripts so you won't have to rely on its internal features. Then it's always this line in the script:

Crop(Left, Top, -Right, -Bottom)

An example to crop 20 pixels from the sides and 30 from top and bottom:

Crop(20, 30, -20, -30)

If you want to crop part of the image and keep the original resolution and aspect ratio with black bars (such as getting rid of VHS trackings, advertising, etc) using the last example:

Crop(20, 30, -20, -30)
AddBorders(20, 30, 20, 30)

Keep in mind, when cropping, you must re-encode (unless someone knows a trick around this).

[lordsmurf]

Don't crop interlaced video.

[gadgetguy]

Don't crop interlaced video.

C'mon LS, that's hardly practical advice. Sometimes you have to crop interlaced video.

If I may rephrase...
Avoid cropping interlaced video, but if you have to, make sure you use an interlace aware method.

[toqi786]

Virtualdub works similar, open video, under video->filters add the null transform filter, click on cropping, under video->compression choose a video codec, file->save as a new avi.

When I import a wmv file format, even after extracting the plugin pack, it say's missing codec

[lordsmurf]

Don't crop interlaced video.

C'mon LS, that's hardly practical advice. Sometimes you have to crop interlaced video.
If I may rephrase...
Avoid cropping interlaced video, but if you have to, make sure you use an interlace aware method.

Most people could mask, not crop.
Best to deinterlace (properly, not some blend or drop-field crap method) and then resize.

[poisondeathray]

When I import a wmv file format, even after extracting the plugin pack, it say's missing codec

Direct import doesn't work for all types of wmv. Post the information from gspot or mediainfo on your wmv

You need a vfw decoder to use in vdub for wmv. You can use ffdshow and enable wmv 1/2/3 , vc-1 in the vfw decoder configuration (set to libavcodec instead of disabled)

Or even better , you can use avisynth's DirectShowSource(), and Crop() , this way you avoid colorspace conversions through vdub if you use fast recompress mode - this might be more difficult if you're not familiar with avisynth

[toqi786]

You need a vfw decoder to use in vdub for wmv. You can use ffdshow and enable wmv 1/2/3 , vc-1 in the vfw decoder configuration (set to libavcodec instead of disabled)

can u explain what i need to do, will i be able to use this in vdub??

[poisondeathray]

can u explain what i need to do, will i be able to use this in vdub??

I thought I just did...

Install ffdshow, enable the following wmv settings in the ffdshow vfw configuration (gold icon), set to libavcodec instead of disabled

Install the vdub wmv plugin

If it doesn't work you, may be using wma pro or another type, then post the screenshot taken from gspot or the mediainfo information, because it doesn't work for all "wmv" types, and you would then have to use another method as already suggested

[lordsmurf]

Certain versions of modded VirtualDub open ASF/WMV natively.

[PuzZLeR]

Don't crop interlaced video.

C'mon LS, that's hardly practical advice. Sometimes you have to crop interlaced video.
If I may rephrase...
Avoid cropping interlaced video, but if you have to, make sure you use an interlace aware method.

Most people could mask, not crop.
Best to deinterlace (properly, not some blend or drop-field crap method) and then resize.

I don't think it's a problem with an established format, like DV or MPEG-2 (with a good encoder), which can handle interlacing effectively.

[lordsmurf]

Have you done it much? I have, it's not pretty.

[poisondeathray]

If you perform a non-mod4 interlaced crop on YV12 material, the chroma can get associated with the wrong field = wacky colors, maybe that's what LS is referring to

I think if you crop mod4 (at least with avisynth cropping method), you are safe, maybe this is what gadgetguy was referring to (interlaced aware method?)

[PuzZLeR]

Have you done it much? I have, it's not pretty.

Maybe I should squint better, but most of my cropping is removing 60 pixels of black (off the top and bottom) from a 4:3 capped NTSC source to re-encode to wide-screen, which shouldn't be a big issue. I wonder if the black part is interlaced even to begin with.

Others are removing VHS "tracking fuzz" from transfers. VHS is horrible enough so it may not make a difference visually anyway... :P

But I have done it to remove ads and junk from TV transfers and have seen no real ramifications other than the natural degradation from re-encoding.

Although all crops are Mod 4 = 0 at any rate to preserve chroma arrangement, after this thread, I will just mask on the latter two from now on ... just in case.

[gadgetguy]

I didn't mean to start a debate on the subject and hijack the thread, but LS made a statement in an absolute fashion and it's not always possible to be that rigid. Cropping interlaced material in and of itself is not the problem. The issue becomes what happens next. If you are cropping to a non-standard resolution and your destination format and player can handle non-standard, interlaced material, then there shouldn't be an issue. (I'm not aware of anything that does this correctly, but I have to allow for the possibility). However most of the time the image is resized after cropping to bring it to a standard (such as DVD) and this is where the most damage occurs. By masking you avoid the resize. As LS pointed out, most people can mask, since all they're trying to do is remove some crap from the edges which is usually in the overscan area anyway. Resizing interlaced material can be done, but as the Wicked Witch of the West said "these things must be done delicately". Again, LS pointed out that better results are usually gained by deinterlacing before resizing, but I find acceptible results can usually be achieved by just separating the fields before resizing, but as with all things video, it depends on the source.

I don't recall the OP saying what the destination format is, nor even what he wants to crop out of the video. And at the time that LS made his statement, I don't think the OP had stated his source, so at that point we were offering generic advice, which is why I thought the blanket statement was a little harsh. If the source isn't interlaced, then for this thread the point it moot. If it is, then I would have hoped the OP either knows about handling interlaced material, or my suggested re-phrase would prompt him to investigate proper methods.

[catnappist]

First, I don't know anything about working with video. I used VirtualDub to crop one after reading the posts here. First I had to convert the mp4 to AVI (I don't know if that makes a difference). I liked the way the cropping worked. Only trouble is that the output file didn't work regardless of what I tried. I could get it to play in WM if I converted it back to mp4, but the picture was slanted, lined, and black and white. What am I doing wrong?

[davexnet]

You're much better off starting a new thread than digging up one that is 2/12 years old.

Make sure that the vertical and horizontal resolution at all times are at least cleanly divisible by 4.
(8 or 16 even better). For example, 720*400 is OK, 720*402 is not

[Gavino]

Also, as pdr hinted in post #17, any vertical cropping of interlaced YV12 source must be done on mod4 boundaries.
(That means it's not enough for the resulting height to be mod4, the crop positions must be mod 4 too.)

[Charmer]

Virtualdub works similar, open video, under video->filters add the null transform filter, click on cropping, under video->compression choose a video codec, file->save as a new avi.

Great. Very easy and powerful. Thanks for this! Anyway, is it possible to enter the file size of the ending video? I selected ffdshow Video Codec, but the processed file ends up being incredibly big, even though it is cropped more than 80%. Before I even read this post, I tried to crop a video using MeGUI, but there was a limitation of 264 dots or whatever it is in AVS Script Creator. Thanks in advance.