Movie Editing / Compression

[LaceyLace]

Which programs / codecs / etc do you use?

[GBGUY]

Clip creation software

Hello,

I use VirtualDub to capture from my BT848 based card using the HuffYUV (lossess compression) codec for video and wav (with no compression) for audio to create AVI files if comming from analog tape (aka VHS, 8mm, SVHS). For digital input via FireWire I just use MS tools to dump the raw files (need LARGE drives for long tapes, start at 200GB and go up via RAID).

Then I use VirtualDub to split the file into video and audio, create a soundtrack file, mix, and then recombine. VirtualDub is once again used to create the proper size and tagged video files.

Out of a 30 min shoot, I'll create 1 10 to 20 min clip and about 6 3 min clips. Then I use the Microsoft standalone (no GUI) video Encoder (This is NOT MovieMaker, it's junk!) with custom perl scripts to create my WMV files for download. My 320x240 movies with decent detail and audio come out to about a MB a min. You have to play around with the codec settings to get it working.

I also archive break my master AVI file into 2 chunks and BURN onto DVD so I can use my uncompressed video to create VCDs or DVDs if I wish.

You can use a MPEG capture card, but if I'm creating compressed content for download I really like to use the least compressed master I can get my hands on. The same goes when I'm doing photo shoots, least amount of compression and LARGE (1600x1200), and then crop down to 800x600 or maybe a little larger. You can always reduce size, increase compression, lower detail,etc, etc afterwards, but if it's not there to start with......

Hope it helps.
GB

[Buncha]

I know this doesn't answer your question, but it's just a tip.

If you're a newbie, head over to:

http://www.videohelp.com/

Check out their "How To" section and the forum.

Once you learn the basics and all the lingo, check out:

http://www.doom9.org/

The guides there are helpful, but the goldmine is the Forum where all the advanced video-nuts hang out.

These two sites will provide you with everything you need to know.

[Buncha]

To answer your question...

I use all kinds of different programs and codecs, sometimes multiple tools for one clip. It depends on the job. I don't think there's really a good all-in-one tool that handles everything. What are you trying to do?

[LaceyLace]

Watermark a movie and create a short clip for it, keeping a real small file size.

[Buncha]

Watermark a movie and create a short clip for it, keeping a real small file size.

Here's a guide to watermarking with VirtualDub which is freeware:

http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=248307

And here's a guide which shows the basics of cutting video with VirtualDub:

http://www.videohelp.com/virtualdubedit.htm

VirtualDub creates AVI files. If you want to convert it to WMV check out this guide using Windows Media Encoder:

http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=244268

For MPG conversion, I use TMPGEnc. There was a freeware version that was limited to MPEG-1. Here's a basic guide to TMPGEnc:

http://www.videohelp.com/tmpgenc.htm

[Barefootsies]

It varies on how you plan to use it. I use anything from DivX to Xvid for clips on site, and DV AVI for the DVD. I personally do not like to lose quality just for the sake of file size.

There are a lot of different things you can do and try depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Everything from frame rate, to stereo vs mono, and resolution, screen size, 320 or 640 etc. A lot of it just depends on how you plan to use it. Whether on a site for members, or for promotional efforts via tour, tgp gallery, etc, etc.

I used to use Cleaner XL which has a ton of codec's and shit before micro$sof's .net fucked it up on XP SP2. So now I do it all in premiere, and normally convert member's clips to DivX.