How do I split DV-AVI and HDV without re-encoding AND retaining timecodes?

[guy24s]

Hi,

I have a bunch of DV-AVI files, all captured from MiniDV tapes to FireWire to my computer. Each file is a whole tape.
What I wish to do is do a selection of frames and then save that to a new DV-AVI files, without re-encoding any of the video, but I also want the new file to keep the DV date / timecodes.
I used to do this in some software but I cannot remember the name of it. I googled a bit and most recommend VirtualDub, in Direct Stream Copy mode. I tried this and it works except the date / timecodes are not retained in the resulting file.
Any suggestions what I can use? Preferrably freeware software and something with a GUI, not command lines.

I would also like to know how to do the exact same thing with HDV videofiles (*.m2t extension).

Thanks for reading and any suggestions welcome.

[ProWo]

You can change the date/time after with this
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

[guy24s]

You can change the date/time after with this
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

Is there no way to just retain the original timecode rather than changing it afterwards? The resulting file in VirtualDub has no timecode at all.

[guy24s]

You can change the date/time after with this
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

By the way, I'm talking about the internal video timecode similar to EXIF data on photos, not just the date / time of the file itself.

[Alwyn]

Scenalyzer: Clips>Detect Scenes at Selected Clips.

Your "clip" will be your whopper DV file.

Ask if you need more help.

For HDV, AFIAK, regrettably, no such software animal exists. The best I have come up with is Scene Detection mode in your Video Editor, which in Magix, works very well for detecting scenes (the detection is based on abrupt video frame changes, not Date-Tine code like Scenalyzer uses).

[ProWo]

You can change the date/time after with this
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

By the way, I'm talking about the internal video timecode similar to EXIF data on photos, not just the date / time of the file itself.

You can change the exif data too.

[guy24s]

Scenalyzer: Clips>Detect Scenes at Selected Clips.

Your "clip" will be your whopper DV file.

Ask if you need more help.

For HDV, AFIAK, regrettably, no such software animal exists. The best I have come up with is Scene Detection mode in your Video Editor, which in Magix, works very well for detecting scenes (the detection is based on abrupt video frame changes, not Date-Tine code like Scenalyzer uses).

After trying five different programs, this does exactly what I wanted. Maybe it even was the same one I used in the past, because there was still traces of it in the registry. I couldn't thank you enough!

[Alwyn]

My pleasure guy24s, glad I could help.

[guy24s]

My pleasure guy24s, glad I could help.

Hey, sorry to bother you again. I have successfully edited all my clips now, except for one that ScenalyzerLive doesn't seem to like. It opens fine but after I've marked where I want the cuts and I choose Commit Changes, the program crashes ("ScenalyzerLive Capture Program has stopped working") and the only option is to click Close Program.
You don't happen to know of any other programs such as this one?
Also, I had one more question. ScenalyzerLive doesn't recognize *.m2t files. These are HDV-camera recordings which I guess is like DV but of higher resolution (1080p). Do you know if there is a program that can handle these files and do the same thing like ScenalyzerLive?

[Alwyn]

Make a copy of your dodgy file, then download Glagla's DVDate. Your antivirus might have a fit; don't worry, it's safe. Trust me!

Open your file copy in DVDate, then go Convert>Fix the DV Type 2. After that's done, try that in Scenalyzer.

If that didn't work, convert it to a Type 1, and try that in Scenalyzer. Type 2 is preferable as some programs won't open Type 1s.

Re HDV, unfortunately, I haven't come across a program that will do the same as Scenalyzer (which is strictly DV; HDV is actually an MPEG 2 format).

Pity; I recall the same as you. Using the amazing Scenalyzer and then moving to HDV with no similar program was really annoying. HDV wasn't popular enough to warrant somebody creating a Scenalyzer-type program for HDV.

As I mentioned above though, video editors may have an automatic scene-detect mode, but that won't give you the date-time code.

[guy24s]

Make a copy of your dodgy file, then download Glagla's DVDate. Your antivirus might have a fit; don't worry, it's safe. Trust me!

Open your file copy in DVDate, then go Convert>Fix the DV Type 2. After that's done, try that in Scenalyzer.

If that didn't work, convert it to a Type 1, and try that in Scenalyzer. Type 2 is preferable as some programs won't open Type 1s.

I followed your instructions, but all options in the Convert menu are greyed out. Also, the software is not displaying any information about the clip.
Just to see if it's due to the file being corrupt, I tried also with a couple of the previous clips that worked fine in ScenalyzerLive, and it does the same thing with those as well.
Attaching an example of how it looks. What am I doing wrong?

[Attachment 75597 - Click to enlarge]

[Alwyn]

Hmm, that's a worry. I just tried 837 and it opened a file Ok but it has now frozen. Here's a link to version 7.1: it is "known good" and simply runs by running the EXE file. Put it in your data folder first, just in case Windows has a fit about it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UC4v_t46XsN5FyVRrXcQPS-KVmmF3m_T/view?usp=sharing

The other thing to get more info on that file is to install Mediainfo, open the file and go to View>Text. You'll get a load of tech info about the file. You can copy all that report and post it here so we can have a look.

[guy24s]

Hmm, that's a worry. I just tried 837 and it opened a file Ok but it has now frozen. Here's a link to version 7.1: it is "known good" and simply runs by running the EXE file. Put it in your data folder first, just in case Windows has a fit about it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UC4v_t46XsN5FyVRrXcQPS-KVmmF3m_T/view?usp=sharing

The other thing to get more info on that file is to install Mediainfo, open the file and go to View>Text. You'll get a load of tech info about the file. You can copy all that report and post it here so we can have a look.

Everything in the Convert menu is greyed out in version 7.1.1 as well, except for "Recompress into DV type 2" that is clickable.
However, I figured out what was causing the software to not work for this particular file: the file name was too long (217 characters). lol
It was that simple. Now it works, including in ScenalyzerLive.
Thanks for all your efforts in helping me out!

[Alwyn]

Whoops, I had typed out to simplify the name because it looked confusing with all those dates and ";" but I didn't post it!

Glad you've got it going.