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User avatar
By Terry from Toronto
#235358
I've got this great video from Valle De Bravo from a wing mounted GoPro but I can't edit it to save my soul.
1 - GoPro outputs in *.mp4 file format but none of my editing software can "see" an MP4.
2 - I've tried Pinnacle Studio 10; Windows Movie Maker; and Muvee. ... No luck.
3 - If I convert the MP4 to WMV or AVI it takes forever and the size of the file increases dramatically.
4 - Movie Maker is very easy to use but, when I go to save, it craps out.
I want to send a 4 minute clip to my friend but the file is 30 meg and the email system refuses it. And the picture is so small (320 pixels across) it's useless.
I'm hoping to get a 5 minute video of 720 pixels across in a reasonable size file.
Any hints?
What Video editing software do you guys use?
If this thread has already been covered, please gimme a reference.

Terry (tearing my (already thin) hair out) from Toronto

PS: And I haven't even started to add music. :-(
User avatar
By relate2
#235359
I use PowerDirector 9 Ultra by Cyberlink. Having said that it sounds as though you may not have a needed codec.

Before you go much further download FFDshow a free codec pack from here and see if that helps.
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/ffdshow.htm

EDIT==== Just one more thing editing video, especially HD video is about the hardest thing you can ask your computer to do. You will need a fairly powerful computer and graphics card to edit full HD video 1920X1080. Also make sure your video drivers are up to date and plenty of ram.
User avatar
By jimrooney
#235373
Oh... some other tips...

Go get AviDemux
It'll take you a sec to learn to use it... but trust me... you'll thank me later...
http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/download.html

It's my #1 favourite video editing tool.
It will slice and dice video ... in it's native format.
This is absolutely huge!
No waiting around for re-encoding. ZERO loss in quality. All it will do is cut the video.
Then, instead of trying to work with monstrous video files, you're only dealing with the bits you want... much easier. I don't edit video without this.

Ipod Video Robot
This should be the freeware one (there's a paid version now)
http://www.freewarefiles.com/IPodRobot- ... 48923.html

Converting video to iPod format (.mp4/h.264) is an excellent way to prepare files to be sent across the net. It's of course handy for formatting your stuff for your iPhone as well... but I use it for both purposes. Just remember to select iPod Touch / iPhone as your target device otherwise it's going to crunch it down to a too small size.

Jim
User avatar
By jimrooney
#235374
Also... .mp4
Go get Splash Lite
http://mirillis.com/en/products/splash.html

Big green DL link on the right (get the lite... no need for the "pro")

Will play .mp4 easier and smoother than anything out there.
I use this on my eee netbook to play GoPro video... nothing else works.

Jim
User avatar
By jimrooney
#235375
Ok, one more.
This one's an other re-encoder... but it's just so damn useful....

Handbrake
http://handbrake.fr/

There's a windows version (it's a mac prog) and there's a hack out there to allow it to run on a netbook if you need that. I use it on mine.

Happy editing.
Jim
User avatar
By Wing Man
#235385
iMove

get a MAC...problems solved
User avatar
By Tigouille
#235387
thanks Jim
movie maker is not my friend
(i don't even know what a codec is)
User avatar
By relate2
#235389
Tigouille wrote:thanks Jim
movie maker is not my friend
(i don't even know what a codec is)
A codec is the instruction set your computer uses to unpack/repack or play your video. Without the right codec you won't see or hear anything.
User avatar
By JV-Joe
#235392
Wing Man wrote:iMovie

get a MAC...problems solved

:ditto: +1
User avatar
By jimrooney
#235422
get a MAC...problems solved
You guys aren't really helping.
I'm a mac fan and all (finally got my parents on mac... now I don't play tech support all day)... but seriously?... your solution to a video editing problem is telling him to spend thousands of dollars? Really?

Ha... this is why they call mac people smug... you're not trying to fix his problem... you're just congratulating yourself for having a mac. Tsk tsk. ;)

Jim
User avatar
By $!><
#235429
I use Pinnacle Studio 14 HD. Add your movie file to the project as is and then make a movie as an HD Divx file (avi) It is pretty mindless (like MAC users like) and won't cost you thousands of $ either. It will keep the video quality and make the file smaller.
If you want to just steal clips from the converted AVI file, use VirtualDub and snip out the sections you want.
Pinnacle Studio 14 HD works with all sorts of formats and can create movies in file or disk formats as well.

Commercial over. Good luck.
User avatar
By dievhart
#235451
PowerDirector from Cyberlink (I use 8 but get the latest)

It reads all formats of raw video I toss at it.
It is SUPER FAST on Rendering....not hours but minutes.
The Price....compared to other programs that read all the formats and can do all the things this can.
It works fin on my older hardware....
I have the best LG775 processor (Q9770 (there is a Q9775) (Quad Core 2 Extreme) (was still $550)
4 gigs of RAM (on XP pro (32bit))
and an older Radeon HD 3870 512DDR2 graphics

I get smooth playback of 1080p at full res ......

SO many out there, download a few demo/trials....tell us what you get and why.

Diev (credit goes to Robert though for turning me on to it :thumbsup: )
User avatar
By em2153sud
#235458
Been Through that too. MPEG Streamclip will save you. It is free and pretty easy to use compared to other compressors and converters. Free for PC and Mac

http://www.squared5.com/

It will automatically load all the codecs that are available on your computer and codec with quicktime.
On a mac I would use ProRes 422 (quicktime or AVI) lite at 50% and it keeps the images pretty much the same quality and pretty close maybe a little bigger than the original file size.
For PC's you're most likely going to want to work with .avi's but try to stick with .mov's (avoid .wmv's when you can unless all you have is windows movie maker. movie maker can handle avi's also but not .mov's) I generally use PhotoJpeg codec at 50% make sure you leave all the other setting uncompressed unless you want to change it. DVCPro codecs are good too if it's not going to be HD. (these codecs are for editing not ideal for internet or DVD)

It's nondestructive and the more you know the more useful it will be for you. You can also load multiple files and do simple cut and trims setting your ins and outs and hitting ctrl. x.

You can edit Mp4 and H.264 files no problem in windows movie makers and imovies, but they can super compress and smash the images when you export it, especially if you do it more than once.
User avatar
By oshi
#235472
jimrooney wrote:
get a MAC...problems solved
You guys aren't really helping.
I'm a mac fan and all (finally got my parents on mac... now I don't play tech support all day)... but seriously?... your solution to a video editing problem is telling him to spend thousands of dollars? Really?

Ha... this is why they call mac people smug... you're not trying to fix his problem... you're just congratulating yourself for having a mac. Tsk tsk. ;)

Jim

you arent helping him either. giving him false hope with PC. A mac doesnt have to cost thousands as you point it. Get a mac mini. i have one and it cost me about 700 bucks.
By LW
#235475
oshi wrote:
jimrooney wrote:
get a MAC...problems solved
You guys aren't really helping.
I'm a mac fan and all (finally got my parents on mac... now I don't play tech support all day)... but seriously?... your solution to a video editing problem is telling him to spend thousands of dollars? Really?

Ha... this is why they call mac people smug... you're not trying to fix his problem... you're just congratulating yourself for having a mac. Tsk tsk. ;)

Jim

you arent helping him either. giving him false hope with PC. A mac doesnt have to cost thousands as you point it. Get a mac mini. i have one and it cost me about 700 bucks.
False hope with a PC? :crazy:

Unless you are editing and sharing info with others that already use Final Cut Pro then you do not need Mac for video editing, and your money will go a LOT further with a PC.

Don't buy into the hype, there is nothing the Mac can do that a PC can't do for a lot less money, and there are plenty of things a PC can do that a Mac can't do without a lot of extra work (and expense).
Last edited by LW on Thu May 05, 2011 2:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
By JV-Joe
#235479
ok ok.... not trying to put any one form of computing down, but i really was in the same boat as terry was. I was just getting frustrated with the codec/downloads and extra headaches i had to deal with my HP. I went over to a friends house to borrow his laptop, and we got my video edited, uploaded and working in about 15mins after we plugged in the gopro. i was sold after that. i guess if you can AFFORD it, i suggest you get one.
By LW
#235483
JV-Joe wrote:ok ok.... not trying to put any one form of computing down, but i really was in the same boat as terry was. I was just getting frustrated with the codec/downloads and extra headaches i had to deal with my HP. I went over to a friends house to borrow his laptop, and we got my video edited, uploaded and working in about 15mins after we plugged in the gopro. i was sold after that. i guess if you can AFFORD it, i suggest you get one.
It had little to do with the operating system and more to do with the software that was loaded.

It's a bit like saying your ragged out single surface Moyes isn't performing well so you tried your friends brand new topless WW, and 15 minutes later you were "sold" and now think WW is way better than Moyes. :wink:
Last edited by LW on Thu May 05, 2011 2:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By JV-Joe
#235484
LW wrote:
JV-Joe wrote:ok ok.... not trying to put any one form of computing down, but i really was in the same boat as terry was. I was just getting frustrated with the codec/downloads and extra headaches i had to deal with my HP. I went over to a friends house to borrow his laptop, and we got my video edited, uploaded and working in about 15mins after we plugged in the gopro. i was sold after that. i guess if you can AFFORD it, i suggest you get one.
It had little to do with the operating system and more to do with the software that was loaded.
thats what i also thought when i had my HP, but the software running on my mini (imovie) i find that it never has to get additional codecs, ive uploaded videos from 4 different cameras, keychain, gopro, canon rebel, sony bloggie.... different formats of recording and imovie had no probs.... My 2 Cents. im out
By LW
#235488
JV-Joe wrote:
LW wrote:
JV-Joe wrote:ok ok.... not trying to put any one form of computing down, but i really was in the same boat as terry was. I was just getting frustrated with the codec/downloads and extra headaches i had to deal with my HP. I went over to a friends house to borrow his laptop, and we got my video edited, uploaded and working in about 15mins after we plugged in the gopro. i was sold after that. i guess if you can AFFORD it, i suggest you get one.
It had little to do with the operating system and more to do with the software that was loaded.
thats what i also thought when i had my HP, but the software running on my mini (imovie) i find that it never has to get additional codecs, ive uploaded videos from 4 different cameras, keychain, gopro, canon rebel, sony bloggie.... different formats of recording and imovie had no probs.... My 2 Cents. im out
That is exactly my point, it was the software that made the difference in your case, not the operating system. Get the software setup correctly on the PC and it will do the same thing for 1/5 the cost. :thumbsup:

I will admit Mac has a way of making things seem easier in some regards, but you pay big time, and the PC can do everything and more than the Mac.