Edit MPEG2 w/out Re-encoding

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Hi,

Is there anyway to edit out unwanted frames of a MPEG2 clip without having to re-encode it? My source MPEG2 files contain either ac3 or 2 channel audio (as a seperate file). Thanks,

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[dvdcam]

Hi icon, I was in the same boat a few weeks ago and after insane amounts of frustration found a solution to edit mpeg without re-encoding. It sounds like a hassle but I assure you once you get the hang of it, it is very easy. Just open tempgenc, then go to the mpeg tools, then the tool (ugh at work and can't remember exactly) it's the one that allows you to segment mpeg files or combine mpeg files. Then open your mpeg, select an output file I usually call them "cut1". Now select the time frame you want, then output it. Then change your output file to "cut2", then go back to your mpeg, select the video you want, then output it. When I'm done I have like 5 mpegs. I then add all 5 mpegs in the same tool, and combine them to 1 mpeg. The result is 1 mpeg that has been edited. I'm very happy with that method as I only make around 5 cuts. I guess it could be cumbersome if you are making more than 5 cuts, but I haven't found a better FREE way to do this other than tmpgenc. good luck!

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Thank you for your reply. That is not a hassle at all. That is exactly what I need. However I have a few issues with TMPEGenc that maybe it is just me. I use to use it before for spliting up VCD MPEGs and always had an 'audio' issue in which my VCDs sounded high pitched and distorted after I did the cutting. Like I said, that was my first issue and I really haven't used it since.

This time I will obviously be using it to do MPEG2 streams. I have read that since TMPEG uses MPEG2 decoding from Directshow, that you can't really do cuts and such on variable bit rate MPEG2s since the directshow filters can not handle variable rate frame detection. Can anyone verify this (or hopefully tell me I am wrong). Or has this changed with the new directx 8 or 8.1.

The other issue and this one I haven't looked into yet, but can TMPEGenc cut and join a MPEG2 video with ac3 audio and still retain the ac3 characteristics of the audio file. Thanks for anyone's input and thanks DVDCAM for the reply.

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[vts]

I think there is a bug with tmpgEnc mpeg cutting tool. I gave it a SVCD with 2 audio streams and the resulting mpeg has only one audio stream, i.e. the second audio stream is missing.

[DJRumpy]

You used simple multiplex. You need to use the 'Multiplex' tab, and add both audio streams, and the video stream.

TMPGenc shows support for multiplexing .AC3, but I've never used it. When you burn an image to DVD, the mpeg is demultiplexed first in the software I'm using, so multiplexing it is pointless for me. Has anyone ever tried it? I'm at work, and I don't have an AC3 handy. I'm guessing it probably will not support 5.1 surround sound in AC3, but it probably does support 2-channel.

[vts]

I used Merge&Cut to cut a long mpeg into smaller chunks

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I used Merge&Cut to cut a long mpeg into smaller chunks

Does that support MPEG2 as well? thanks,

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[vts]

it is ok if you are cutting MPEG2 with one audio stream.

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it is ok if you are cutting MPEG2 with one audio stream.

Thanks for the reply. How about ac3 audio? Thanks,

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[vts]

does not seem to work with ac3. There is no audio stream in the resulting mpeg.