MPEG-2 editing

jim_d wrote on 12/18/2002, 7:01 PM
Ok, I know there are a bunch of notices on the support site about "it's not a good idea to edit MPEG-2 in VideoFactory but you can do it" but here it goes:

I purchased the MPEG-2 module for videofactory but it is just not usable (for editing) with an MPEG-2 file of any moderate size. Is this going to be addressed? Am I doing something wrong? The encoding is fine but editing just is not feasible, (by that I mean clicking anywhere on the video once placed in the timeline is just so slow you really can't do anything).

I understand the issues with the compressed format but I've now found several other video editing products that allow editing and real-time 'seeking' through the MPEG-2 file. (and it was built into the product).

I LOVE VideoFactory and have been a huge supporter of it but this to me is a big issue as I am moving into burning DVDs. VideoFactory is wonderful with AVI files but I can't hold onto those forever. Other products at very similar price points are now offering MPEG-2 editing but I want my VideoFactory!

Should we look forward to future versions of this product (enhancements wise) or is it pretty much "done" and that's all you are doing. Seems since Vegas Video came out, not much has happened. I even considered moving up but sounds like it has the same issues...

Comments

fbx wrote on 12/18/2002, 11:41 PM
Which are the other products that "allow editing and real-time 'seeking' through the MPEG-2 file"?
BillyBoy wrote on 12/19/2002, 9:06 AM
Not true. Sounds like a problem with your hardware or maybe you just have a "slow" system? I edit LARGE MPEG-2 files all the time with Vegas and did so with Video Factory before that with no problem. The main issue with not wanting to edit a MPEG-2 file is it isn't the best choice as a source file.

If you have a large hard drive and are using NTFS you may want to consider first piping your MPEG source files through VirtualDub(FREE) making a AVI file, then open the created file in VF. The reasoning for that method is VD has several filters VF doesn't, which many use as a preprocessing step anyways.

PS: I consider a "large" file anything one hour in length or over.
IanG wrote on 12/19/2002, 11:11 AM
It works for us PAL users too! I've found VirtualDub's more tolerant, in that it'll convert MPEGs that VF can't handle.

Ian G.
jim_d wrote on 1/19/2003, 11:27 AM
I have a P4 2Ghz w/ 768MB ram and 200GB 7200 RPM HD (ATA100).

Could it have something to do with the MPeg-2 plug-in for VideoFactory? In order to even get it to work I had to purchase the mainconcept plug-in and just to try it out, I got the cheap version...

It seems like when I'm editing the MPEG-2 in VF that whenever I click anywhere in the timeline, it is taking all my CPU for quite some time as if it's trying to calculate the location of the frame or something. As soon as the preview screen updates, the CPU goes back down but I can't really do anything in the meantime...

I would love to try Vegas Video 4.0 but just saw it doesn't allow you to do anything with MPEG-2 in the public beta. That doesn't help me at all...