How do I stitch "chaptered" MP4 video files together seamlessly?

j-v wrote on 8/14/2019, 4:02 PM

I don't see that with my GoPro 7 AVC and HEVC takes of sometimes more hours.
Placed on the timeline in VPro or VMS they fit together without noise- or videoproblems.

For stitching together mp4 files you can use MP4 joiner with this link https://www.mp4joiner.org/en/

I only use the splitter of that program to cut-of parts of a long mp4 file.

Howard-Vigorita wrote on 8/14/2019, 11:56 PM

@Tony-M78 You can just put them all into the media pool first then select them as a group and drop them onto the Vegas timeline in one swoop. I usually click on the 1st clip first, hold down the shift key, then click on the last clip to select the group so they drop in the right order. They'll automatically end up adjoining one another with no space between. After you drop them, you can then group them so they stay together. There's an Edit checkbox setting if you want them to overlap when you drop them but you probably won't want that.

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/15/2019, 2:19 AM

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Just to update, it already done the above but there is still a very small skip when the video moves from the end of one clip to the start of the next.

The MP4merge program obviously merged the 4 mp4 video files, but still there is a very small skip.

I've also grouped the clips in the timeline and then rendered as a new track. Again it still shows the stitch, it's like a small microstutter. I'll maybe post the video up so you can see what I mean.

j-v wrote on 8/15/2019, 2:31 AM

You are sure it's not een preview problem?
Did you render only the region a few seconds in front and after the stich to controle?

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/15/2019, 7:37 AM

You are sure it's not een preview problem?
Did you render only the region a few seconds in front and after the stich to controle?

I rendered the whole project. And it's like it when viewing back the video in full after the render and not the preview

Former user wrote on 8/15/2019, 7:42 AM

Did you try importing the footage using DEVICE EXPLORER? Its purpose is to stitch the scenes together upon import.

Marco. wrote on 8/15/2019, 8:44 AM

It's worth a try though the Device Explorer usually does not work for MP4 files (except XDCAM EX).

Musicvid wrote on 8/15/2019, 9:33 AM

GoPro has a free editor called Quik, it replaces Studio.

Try mp4joiner as suggested.

My go-to choice would be VideoRedo.

You could try formatting your SD cards to NTFS, and see if it still splits the files in future shoots.

Howard-Vigorita wrote on 8/16/2019, 1:55 PM

Just to update, it already done the above but there is still a very small skip when the video moves from the end of one clip to the start of the next....

I've also grouped the clips in the timeline and then rendered as a new track. Again it still shows the stitch, it's like a small microstutter. I'll maybe post the video up so you can see what I mean.

@Tony-M78 Try zooming in to the max at the clip boundary and see if there's a space between clips. If there is no space, it means your camera is probably dropping frames between chapters in which case you can probably also see a discontinuity in the audio waveform. If it's not the camera or formatting, maybe its the media speed or frame rate.

If you're not doing a multicam project, you can go to the Vegas settings/edit tab and check the box to "automatically overlap multiple selected media when added" and experiment with the number of frames to crossfade/overlap... the default is 1 sec (30 frames at 29.970) but you might want to bring that down to the shortest overlap that makes the skip unnoticeable. If you are doing a multicam project, it's better to do the opposite: drag the clips apart to make a space between clips that makes up for the dropped frames to maintain alignment with the other clips on other tracks... and just cut to a different camera clip in multicam editing right before hitting a gap in a track.

Musicvid wrote on 8/16/2019, 2:11 PM

If you're not doing a multicam project, you can go to the Vegas settings/edit tab and check the box to "automatically overlap multiple selected media when added" and experiment with the number of frames to crossfade/overlap... the default is 1 sec (30 frames at 29.970) but you might want to bring that down to the shortest overlap that makes the skip unnoticeable.

Personally, I wouldn't do that since there are nondestructive joiners available.

j-v wrote on 8/16/2019, 2:44 PM

When @Tony-M78 has made one long shot that was devided into more than one mp4 file in his GoPro 7, stitching is not needed (they fit exactly together) and use of the Vegas Device Explorer is not possible.
For GoPro 7 you can choose to make AVC files or HEVC files.
The max. size for such an mp4 is (with me) always 3,73 GB
MediaInfo of such an 2,7 AVC file

and for a 4K HEVC file

In the next comment I 'll show that they fit together.

j-v wrote on 8/16/2019, 3:07 PM

4x 2,7 AVC mp4 files of 1 long take(total was 40 minutes) put on the timeline of VPro 17

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/16/2019, 6:08 PM

J-V - Can you drop the gopro raw videos straight into Sony Vegas 17? I'm using Sony Vegas 14 and the only way I can do it is to convert the raw video with Handbrake first which then allows me to drop the video in the project timeline.

j-v wrote on 8/16/2019, 7:03 PM

Yess, no conversion needed, you could see it, no problem, but also no problem in my VPro 14 build 270.
2,7 AVC here

4k HEVC here

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/17/2019, 3:13 AM

Yess, no conversion needed, you could see it, no problem, but also no problem in my VPro 14 build 270.
2,7 AVC here

4k HEVC here

Are you saying you can drop your gopro videos straight into Sony Vegas 14 without conceding to a readable format first?

j-v wrote on 8/17/2019, 4:28 AM

Why should that be needed?
Vegas 14 accepts those files, because it can read the used codecs.
When you convert the GOPro files first with Handbrake they are not GOPro files anymore but plain common mp4 and you have to make some sort of transition between those mp4 files.
Using the straight and well accepted GOPro mp4's of the same take it is not needed to make a transition because they stitch exactly together.

Edit: That you converted those files first you did not mention in your opening post, you were talking about GOPro 7 files and yours are not GoPro 7 files.

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/17/2019, 7:35 AM

My old version of Vegas 14 does not like it when I drag and drop my raw gopro files into it. My pointer turns onto a forbidden icon then when I drop it comes up with an error. This is why I thought I had to convert them first before I'm able to use in Vegas. This is the first Gopro I've owned so all new to me. It looks like I've an error with my sony vegas 14 then, will I need a plugin or driver for it or reinstall?

j-v wrote on 8/17/2019, 7:47 AM

What is your buildnr. of VP 14?

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/17/2019, 7:55 AM

Firstly, thank you for your continued help J-V.

I'm not at home for a few hours but I'm sure it will be up to date to latest version. I'll Check later and report back.

Do you move the video files straight from the gopro to Sony Vegas or do you move them on to your computer first? Just wondering if that matters.

j-v wrote on 8/17/2019, 8:06 AM

The last build for VP 14 you find here:

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vegas-pro-14-update-7-build-270--107103/

Do you move the video files straight from the gopro to Sony Vegas

No

do you move them on to your computer first?

Yess, I put the card of the GoPro in my cardreader for the fastest transport of those files, but it is also possible to load the files you want trough a connected USB kabel from camera to computer to the right location you want it to use.

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/17/2019, 8:49 AM

ok. I checked and I'm running v270 now. I still cant drag and drop the gopro raw video file into Sony Vegas 14, it shows a forbidden icon when trying to drop the file in both the timeline and the media project box. However, by clicking the "import media" button is allowing me to move the file. A new problem though, in doing it this way the video seems really juddery when playing in the preview screen.

j-v wrote on 8/17/2019, 11:15 AM

What is the MediaInfo of such a file:
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-to-post-mediainfo-and-vegas-pro-file-properties--104561/

Tony-M78 wrote on 8/17/2019, 11:27 AM

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Antony\Videos\GX010032.MP4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 1
Codec ID : mp41 (mp41)
File size : 3.73 GiB
Duration : 6 min 50 s
Overall bit rate : 78.0 Mb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46
Tagged date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46
xyz : +50.9261-001.3489/

Video
ID : 1
Format : HEVC
Format/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile : Main@L6@Main
Codec ID : hvc1
Codec ID/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration : 6 min 49 s
Bit rate : 77.9 Mb/s
Width : 3 840 pixels
Height : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 59.940 (60000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.157
Stream size : 3.71 GiB (100%)
Title : GoPro H.265
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46
Tagged date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46
Color range : Full
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Codec configuration box : hvcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 6 min 49 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 kb/s
Nominal bit rate : 48.0 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 9.24 MiB (0%)
Title : GoPro AAC
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46
Tagged date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46

Other #1
ID : 3
Type : Time code
Format : QuickTime TC
Duration : 6 min 49 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 59.940 (60000/1001) FPS
Time code of first frame : 18:23:05:53
Time code, striped : Yes
Title : GoPro TCD
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46
Tagged date : UTC 2019-08-17 13:58:46

Other #2
Type : meta
Duration : 6 min 50 s
Bit rate mode : Variable

Other #3
Type : meta
Bit rate mode : Variable
mdhd_Duration : 409409

j-v wrote on 8/17/2019, 12:02 PM

Thanks, the only difference for such a file is 50 p for me, but that cannot cause your problem.
Your new problem I think is due to the fact that VP 14 cannot play those files at full preview at the normal framerate so you see your judders.
In VP14 you have to use proxies for that kind of files with the preview setting Preview/auto.
VPro 17, if your hardware suites the specs for that program, the file can be showed on Preview full without proxies. See here : https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vp17-what-a-big-difference--116540/

For the options for previewing with and without proxies and loading the file in VPro 14 look the video: