Cutting sections from video and saving without re-encoding?

[Leanoric]

Ive been using avidemux to do this but as you can only trim the beginning or end, it becomes a bit of a pain when there’s several cuts to be made as I have to keep trimming and saving all of the parts I want to keep and then joining them and saving again.

Is there any software that allows you to cut sections from the middle parts of video and will then append the remaining parts and save the video without having to re-encode?

[noemi7]

Edit: I thought you that you want to reposition the cuts. You can make multiple cuts in one go with Smart Media Cutter and LosslessCut (not frame accurate).

[hello_hello]

VirtualDub2 can edit. It apparently has the ability to encode around the cut points but I've never used it for that so I don't know how well it works. To edit and save without re-encoding (if you're only cutting on keyframes) you need to have the appropriate VFW codec installed, otherwise VirtualDub2 will open and decode the video with ffmpeg so you'll have raw uncompressed video instead. You should be able to use the keyframe buttons on the navigation bar to find the start and end points you want to edit out, marking them as you go, then use the Edite/Delete menu to remove those sections. Once you've removed the sections you don't want, select "Direct Stream Copy" under the Video menu and save it as a new file (File/Save Video).
At least that's the theory. I haven't used it for editing in a fair while myself.


[Attachment 91856 - Click to enlarge]

I do use MKVToolNix for that sort of thing though.
I use VirtualDub2 to find the frame numbers for the edit points using the keyframe buttons on the navigation bar (as without re-encoding around the cut points you can only split on keyframes). Then it's just a matter of entering the frame numbers under the Output tab after selecting Split mode: "By parts based on frame/field numbers". You can enter as many sections to keep as you wish this way:
0-4578,6499-67342,73456-74878
Once MKVToolNix has split out those sections you can then use it to append them as a single file.
Of course while MKVToolNix can open many container types, it helps if you want the output to be in an MKV container.

[Alwyn]

Ive been using avidemux to do this but as you can only trim the beginning or end

I can edit out any part of the video with Avidemux 2.8.1. Set the start of cut with "A" ("Set start marker"), set the end of cut with "B" ("Set end marker"), click the red X, the marked bit is cut out of file (total length reduces), then Copy Copy Save losslessly. Each time you delete a portion, a red mark appears.

You can do multiple deletions, but only on keyframes (I), then Save As...

Lossless editing/cutting works for MPEG2 and MP4 (H264) that I know of.

[aramkolt]

You can definitely do that with FFMPEG.

This is a script that I use for ProRes files, but it should work on anything. I'm on Mac most of the time, but it should work with windows also
ffmpeg -ss 00:17:18 -to 00:20:48 -i [input file path] -c:v copy -c:a pcm_s24le [output file path]

In the above example, that's copying the video stream and saving audio stream as PCM from 17m18s to 20m48s without re-encoding the video.

You can do other things at the same time like adding audio delay or combine mono tracks to one stereo if you want as well.

Gemini is actually super useful for pointing out syntax errors or you can just describe what you want FFMPEG to do and it'll come up with a script for you.

[VWestlife]

Which format?

VideoReDo could do lossless editing, but unfortunately its author passed away and it's no longer available.

[Leanoric]

I can edit out any part of the video with Avidemux 2.8.1. Set the start of cut with "A" ("Set start marker"), set the end of cut with "B" ("Set end marker"), click the red X, the marked bit is cut out of file (total length reduces), then Copy Copy Save losslessly. Each time you delete a portion, a red mark appears.

You can do multiple deletions, but only on keyframes (I), then Save As...

Lossless editing/cutting works for MPEG2 and MP4 (H264) that I know of.

Christ I’m an idiot, Cheers Alwyn you’re right. I’ve wasted so much time not realising I could cut from any part


Thanks for the other suggestions guys.

[Alwyn]

You're not alone, I quite often don't see the wood for the trees, or is it the other way round?!