best software for trimming videos without rendering?

[deama]

So I came across avidemux because I needed some videos trimmed, but it seems to have a problem wherein the frames you trim need to be i-frames? Because there's a 5 second thing I want to cut off from the beginning of a video here, but it just won't let me.
So anyone know of anything better?

[usually_quiet]

So I came across avidemux because I needed some videos trimmed, but it seems to have a problem wherein the frames you trim need to be i-frames? Because there's a 5 second thing I want to cut off from the beginning of a video here, but it just won't let me.
So anyone know of anything better?

If you want to remove 5 seconds from the beginning of a video and keep the rest, you need a smart encoding editor. (Smart encoding editors only re-encode the GOPs adjacent to the cut points, and only then when those GOPs are incomplete.) However, they are all paid software. I use VideoReDO TV Suit V6. Smart Cutter PS/TS and TMPGEnc MPEG Smart Renderer 5 are other alternatives that I can think of off the top of my head. I think there are some other paid editors which may include smart encoding as an option, but I just can't remember which ones do.

[deama]

So I came across avidemux because I needed some videos trimmed, but it seems to have a problem wherein the frames you trim need to be i-frames? Because there's a 5 second thing I want to cut off from the beginning of a video here, but it just won't let me.
So anyone know of anything better?

If you want to remove 5 seconds from the beginning of a video and keep the rest, you need a smart encoding editor. (Smart encoding editors only re-encode the GOPs adjacent to the cut points, and only then when those GOPs are incomplete.) However, they are all paid software. I use VideoReDO TV Suit V6. SmartCutter PS/TS and TMPGEnc MPEG Smart Renderer 5 are other alternatives that I can think of off the top of my head. I think there are some other paid editors which may include smart encoding as an option, but I just can't remember which ones do.

I just had a look at videoredo on youtube, it looked pretty neat.
Do you happen to know whether you can overlay images ontop of videos with any of those tools? Obviously without having to re-render. I saw that with videoredo you could add titles/images at the beginning/end of a video, but can you overlay images/text in the middle of the video while it's playing?

[smrpix]

Do you happen to know whether you can overlay images ontop of videos with any of those tools? Obviously without having to re-render. I saw that with videoredo you could add titles/images at the beginning/end of a video, but can you overlay images/text in the middle of the video while it's playing?

That's no longer simply smart rendering. You either have to re-render, or rewrap your video into a container that accepts multiple streams and alpha channels. It's a whole different beast.

You can actually add overlays, etc on YouTube -- once your video is uploaded.

[deama]

Do you happen to know whether you can overlay images ontop of videos with any of those tools? Obviously without having to re-render. I saw that with videoredo you could add titles/images at the beginning/end of a video, but can you overlay images/text in the middle of the video while it's playing?

That's no longer simply smart rendering. You either have to re-render, or rewrap your video into a container that accepts multiple streams and alpha channels. It's a whole different beast.

You can actually add overlays, etc on YouTube -- once your video is uploaded.

Out of curiosity, can you change the saturation/brightness/contrast levels after you upload to youtube?

So any idea what containes can accept multiple streams and alpha channels? I'm guessing mkv won't do?

[usually_quiet]

I just had a look at videoredo on youtube, it looked pretty neat.
Do you happen to know whether you can overlay images ontop of videos with any of those tools? Obviously without having to re-render. I saw that with videoredo you could add titles/images at the beginning/end of a video, but can you overlay images/text in the middle of the video while it's playing?

VideoReDo only does rather basic editing. It doesn't support adding images/text overlaying video. As previously noted overlaying text or images on video requires re-encoding those sections of the video.

I have mostly used VideoReDo for snipping out commercials from TV shows I recorded via a PC TV tuner or to copy the video and audio to a different type of container file.

[Budman1]

Since I am not familiar with some of the above mentioned software, I would like an opinion on a free software program that encodes only what is necessary and copies the rest. At the moment is only for MP4/H264, Audio copy. I am interested in what is needed to make it useable, user friendly, faster, etc. Try to be nice since I am not a programmer by nature.

Drawbacks ATM:
1. A lot of Manual
2. Does join on separate manual request
3. Does Not clear Interim Files
4. Need to Note times of cuts if you wish exact.
5. Shows only 8 key frame images per page
6. Only adds SRT Subtitles ATM (Hopefully ASS soon)

Operation:
1.. Drag and drop Video to input Box (or search for file) It automatically finds and list FPS, Running time in seconds, bit rate, Frame 0 time, and Number of Frames
2. If you wish , play video with displayed Frame, Time, and frame type
3. Jot down approximate cut points in displayed seconds.
4. Open Manual Window and fill in approximate cut times. Click OK. I will automatically scan frame times/types for the number of key frames noted on Manual window. It is currently set at 4 as default which obtains information up to 4 key frames + 35 seconds.
5. Program scans, removes duplicates in case you overlap times. The example following I cut at 0 and 5 seconds as user requested. Since the Key frames overlap, there is only 5
6. Program fills in the pages required for the number of cuts requested.
7. Click Request images. The program fills each window of key frame with the Frame and time embedded.
8. LEFT click image to view the image
9. RIGHT click the image to play that segment with information embedded. If your player has frame by frame advance/back (I use MPC-BE which does great) you can find the exact frame you wish to cut, either with Keyboard or shuttle.
10. If it is not the first frame, change the frame number to that shown in movie. The Start Time for that frame automatically changes.
11. Set the number of frames noted by the number displayed in the video playing. It automatically changes the Duration of that segment.
12. If you changed the start time (As in this example (4.958333 -> 5.000040) Click Keep and Front Checkbox since you changed the 'Front of the segment. Program will encode this segment only with approximate settings as the rest of the video. Click Keep for all the rest of the key frames since you want all. It will copy these as one string.
13. Files are numbered with name and 0_0, 0_1, 0_2, etc added for first 'Build segment' Click. 1_0, 1_1, 1_2, etc for seconds 'Build segment' click
14. Open merge window. Drag and drop (or search) for for the image NOTE... It will already have to Source folder and its videos filled in. If these are a lot in the same folder, just click clear and drag drop each file to the merge window. They can be moved up or down for sequence setting.
15. Click Join. The file wile be merged and copied to the Segment folder..

16. NOTE. The Merge Window can also be used to create blank video with silent sound. It can also copy a segment and add copied images of the first or last frame in case wish to add subtitles (or a dreaded Logo) in these frames only. Subtitles can be added to a video by changing appropriate boxes.
It can also be used to change many videos to the same size, codec, Bit rate, etc. it adds pillar box/letter box as needed to make same resolution. E.G. making 16/9 and 4/3 all 16/9.

The following images are a video that is cut and at as near 5 seconds as can be due to Frame rate and unusual key frame at frame 119. I displayed the Key frames in a separte display but added them in one of the boxes in an image to show what you would get by Clicking Show Keys AFTER you do manual. The reason for this is The program uases ffprobe to obtain information and it is not a speed demon for a log movie. Hence scanning info from a limited set of key frames. The 8 key frames scan in this example took 21 seconds as shown at the bottom between windows.

I would appreciate to know if this is worthwhile as a free tool or should I just keep it for my own use. It has worked great for me and appears to be frame accurate with the last version of FFMpeg.

Thanks in advance for any input.


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[smrpix]

So any idea what containes can accept multiple streams and alpha channels? I'm guessing mkv won't do?

I don't know the full range anymore. Maybe someone else can chime in. This used to be (and probably still is) doable with Adobe Flash or Animator -- where you essentially built the player as part of the video. (I haven't used it in over a decade because it was more work than it was worth.) You may have some luck pursuing an html5 path. Again, at this point you're no longer editing video, you're programming a player.