VirtualDub not editing AVI files properly. For help please.

[seymoria]

Hi.

Downloaded VirtualDub after reading its very good reviews.


Wanted to edit a 1 hour avi video of 750 MB.


Extracted a 5 minute clip from it.


Saved size of the clip was 1.2 GB !


What am I doing wrong?


Regards.
Amer

[davexnet]

Did you set a codec to compress to in video/compression ?
If you don't set anything it defaults to uncompressed - and it can be big, as you see.

On the other hand, if you want to use the file as-is (without re-compression), set video/direct stream copy.

[DB83]

Virtual Dub saves video by default as uncompressed.

Choose a codec from the 'compression' setting under 'Video'

[seymoria]

Hi.Thanks guys for the help. This solved my problem.


Just one question... if we use the Direct Stream Copy option, will the saved clip be identical in quality as the original file?


Regards.

[DB83]

That is what 'copy' means. Exactly the same as the original.

[seymoria]

Thanks.

Direct Stream Copy worked perfect and created small size clips of identical quality.


Now, how to join the cut clips?


Joining two clips of 6 MB and 55 MB has resulted in a file size of 370 MB. I chose the Direct Stream Copy option.


Appreciate your help.

[DB83]

That, I believe, would only work if both clips have completely identical properties.

You will have to manually choose a compression codec if you want a smaller file.

[seymoria]

I also tried the compression options under video (Normal Recompress) and also under Compress >> ffddshow video codec.

But same result (huge file in gigabytes).


Thanks for help.

[manono]

Are the two clips from the same source video? If not then you have problems and one will have to be reencoded so it has the exact same properties as the other. If they came from the same video joining them without ballooning the size should be easy. In fact, if from the same video you can cut in such a way that they're joined to begin with.

[DB83]

Scroll down the list for x264 or xVID.

There could be other issues when trying to join two videos. The frame sizes should be the same. Check both in mediainfo and one (or both) may have to be resized.

[sanlyn]

Others beat me to it.

[seymoria]

The two clips have been cut out from the same source file. So everything should be identical, including frame sizes.

"...If they came from the same video joining them without ballooning the size should be easy. In fact, if from the same video you can cut in such a way that they're joined to begin with....."




Can you please guide me how can I do both the above options?



Regards.


(p.s. I could not find x264 or xVID in the list of codecs under Video >> Compression).

[manono]

Can you please guide me how can I do both the above options?

Set the video for Direct Stream Copy. Use those little black arrow things to set start and end points followed by Edit->Cut. Remove as much as you want. What's left is your edited video. Save it as a different name.

[DarrellS]

If you are doing this from the same video, it's easier just to cut out the parts that you don't want and save as one file. If you choose "smart rendering" you will get frame accurate editing. Everything will be copied like with direct stream copy but it will be re-encoded where the cuts are made. You will need to use the same codec as the original file.

If you wanted to be creative, then you could put fades between the cuts using the fill filter in blend mode and using the curve editor but that is probably another lesson for a new Virtualdub user.