Virtualdub2: Direct Stream Copy & Caching Input Driver help?

[Guernsey]

I'm trying to do a Direct Stream Copy of a video that I want to trim. My original plan was to use Stream Copy, but in my experience, the audio and video can get out of sync. The problem is that my caching input driver won't let me use Direct Stream Copy. What should I do? Should I disable the caching input driver in VirtualDub2, or should I just take my chances with Stream Copy? The video is not very long, so it shouldn't take too long to process.

[davexnet]

Have you tried Avidemux? It might be simpler for this

[Guernsey]

I will give that a try as I mostly used Virtualdub2.

[davexnet]

Or, in virtualdub2, instead of video/stream copy
use file/export/stream copy

[Guernsey]

Will it work for trimmed videos?

[davexnet]

Will it work for trimmed videos?

It worked on a avi file I played with where I used the cursor on the timeline to set cut in and cut out point,
I got the trim I expected.
Just give it a go and see. If it doesn't work for you provide full details (mediainfo text view)
of the file in question

[Guernsey]

I will take your advice to heart as I am worried. I do not want to have a repeat performance of happened on my last computer. I have a slightly better computer now, so I think it could make a difference.

[davexnet]

I will take your advice to heart as I am worried. I do not want to have a repeat performance of happened on my last computer. I have a slightly better computer now, so I think it could make a difference.

What happened on your last computer?

[Guernsey]

I will take your advice to heart as I am worried. I do not want to have a repeat performance of happened on my last computer. I have a slightly better computer now, so I think it could make a difference.

What happened on your last computer?

I would sometimes get some audio and video desyncs in some videos. It also wasn't built for video editing or conversion as sometimes it would slow down to a crawl when I use FFMPEG.

[Guernsey]

I ended up using Avidemux since it allows me to trim the video and set the endpoint precisely where I want. So far, it works well, and the video output doesn't show any errors.

I also tried using VirtualDub2 to create a "Direct Stream Copy" from the video, but I encountered an error: "Direct stream copy cannot be used with this video stream. You may want to select a different Input Driver." The video was created using an FFMPEG dumper, but it seems this specific dump isn’t compatible.

I attempted the "Stream Copy" method you mentioned, but the results were inconsistent—it often didn’t cut exactly where I placed the marker and was off by a few seconds. For reference, the video is an MP4 file.


This is the orginal video:

General
Complete name                            : ************.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 9.63 GiB
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 7 278 kb/s
Frame rate                               : 59.940 FPS
Writing application                      : Lavf58.76.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.2
Format settings                          : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 4 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Source duration                          : 9 min 29 s
Bit rate                                 : 6 959 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 194 pixels
Height                                   : 896 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 59.940 (59940/1000) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.109
Stream size                              : 9.21 GiB (96%)
Source stream size                       : 9.21 GiB (96%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 164 r3075 66a5bc1
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=18.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
mdhd_Duration                            : 11368305
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Source duration                          : 3 h 9 min
Source_Duration_LastFrame                : -23 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 304 kb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 384 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 412 MiB (4%)
Source stream size                       : 412 MiB (4%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1
mdhd_Duration                            : 11368305

This is from the video I outputted in Virtualdub2:

General
Complete name                            : *************.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 9.63 GiB
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Overall bit rate                         : 7 280 kb/s
Frame rate                               : 59.940 FPS
Writing application                      : Lavf57.79.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.2
Format settings                          : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 4 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Source duration                          : 9 min 27 s
Bit rate                                 : 6 963 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 194 pixels
Height                                   : 896 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 59.940 (59940/1000) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.109
Stream size                              : 9.21 GiB (96%)
Source stream size                       : 9.21 GiB (96%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 164 r3075 66a5bc1
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=18.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
mdhd_Duration                            : 11366118
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 304 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 412 MiB (4%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

This is from the video I outputted in AVIDemux.

General
Complete name                            : *********.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 9.63 GiB
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Overall bit rate                         : 7 280 kb/s
Frame rate                               : 59.940 FPS
Writing application                      : Lavf58.76.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.2
Format settings                          : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 4 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Source duration                          : 3 h 9 min
Bit rate                                 : 6 961 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 194 pixels
Height                                   : 896 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 59.940 (59940/1000) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.109
Stream size                              : 9.21 GiB (96%)
Source stream size                       : 9.21 GiB (96%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 164 r3075 66a5bc1
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=18.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
mdhd_Duration                            : 11365838
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 3 h 9 min
Source duration                          : 3 h 9 min
Source_Duration_LastFrame                : -12 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Nominal bit rate                         : 304 kb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 304 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Source stream size                       : 412 MiB (4%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1
mdhd_Duration                            : 11365911

[davexnet]

Start the cut in point on an I frame then it should be ok.
To position to an I frame, hold shift key and left or right arrows in vdub2,
and up and down arrows in Avidemux

This is required when doing stream copy cuts from
typical consumer video such as this

For frame accurate cuts you have to re-encode the video or use a
Smart cutter such as Tmpgenc Smart Renderer.
Prowo's Clever Ffmpeg Gui can also do it

[Guernsey]

Start the cut in point on an I frame then it should be ok.
To position to an I frame, hold shift key and left or right arrows in vdub2,
and up and down arrows in Avidemux

This is required when doing stream copy cuts from
typical consumer video such as this

For frame accurate cuts you have to re-encode the video or use a
Smart cutter such as Tmpgenc Smart Renderer.
Prowo's Clever Ffmpeg Gui can also do it

If Virtualdub2 does not let me do those things, I can use AVIDemux and/or the other programs you mentioned. I feel a little confident now and I think I got what I need.