Saving small portion of large AVI file

Rich Parry wrote on 10/4/2006, 8:38 PM

I want to save in a new AVI file a small portion of a large AVI file so that I can permanently delete the original huge avi file and keep only new shortened avi file on my hard disk. This will save GBs on my HD and save time when editing. I want to do this to many clips.

I just want to save the portion of the file I am interested in. I don't want to change formats. I don't want to alter the audio or video in any way including changing compression. I just want to keep a small section of the file without any other alterations.

In case it is not clear, here is the problem. I went to Alaska to take video of whales. I now have 100 clips. Each clip is about 1 minute, but there is only 3-10 seconds of video worth keeping in each clip.

Remember, I don't want to alter the quality/compression/bit rate.

I have Vegas 7, Adobe Premier Pro, and Quick Time Pro. I see no way of doing what I want. Quick Time Pro comes close, with an "Export" option but it changes parameters like bit rates, fps, etc.

thanks in advance,
Rich

Comments

busterkeaton wrote on 10/4/2006, 10:05 PM

Rich,

All of those editors can do want you want.

The issue is what format are the avis? Just choose to render the file in whatever format you shot it in.

The most likely scenario is that you shot using a DV camera.
If that's the case, follow these steps.
In Vegas
1 Start a new project, by going File>New
2 In the dialogue box select the correct template. If you shot with an American DV camera, you would select NTSC DV (720x480, 29.970 fps). If you are in Europe, it would be the PAL DV template.
3 Import the big file of whales. Put it on the timeline.
4 Cut out the bad bits. Leave the good bits on the timeline.
5 Then just render back to the correct template. File>Render
6 In the Render As dialogue choose the temple NTSC DV is probably want you want.
7 Name the rendered file what ever you like and now you can delete it.

So you could render the 100 good clips into a single file. If you think you are going to edit those clips some day leave enough space at the beginning and end of each clip, so you have enought to edit or dissolve with. Leave at least 2 secs more than you think you would want.

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/4/2006, 10:07 PM

Put entire clip on timeline.
Cut/split out unwanted portions.
File/Save As>
Copy/Trim Media with Project
You might want to insert 1 sec head/tail for safety, your call...
Save to new folder.
Delete big clip.

Done. No loss, no additional compression, very fast, very easy.

Rich Parry wrote on 10/5/2006, 7:54 AM

I tried it. You are correct. I feel silly not knowing this. I "assumed" that once you "render" the file, you would be modifying it. If I select NTSC DV when rendering, the file appears to be in the indentical format as the original, just shortened, which is exactly what I wanted.

thanks,
Rich

Jøran Toresen wrote on 10/5/2006, 8:12 AM

Rick

You don’t even need to cut anything. Just create a loop region and choose File-Render As and make sure that “Render loop region only” is enabled.

Joran

busterkeaton wrote on 10/5/2006, 4:20 PM

Joran, in that case you would be create clip for each part you want to save. Using cutting would allow you to save 100 clips in a single file.

Rich, a rerender only occurs when you put a transition like a dissolve or titles onto video or composite mutiple layers together. Its when you change what is going on in the frame itself. Also if you resize the video that would occur. It also happens when you go from one format to another.

For straight cuts, it's just copying the DV info. Even if did transitions or other composites, it's not a severe hit in Vegas.

MohammeD T wrote on 10/5/2006, 5:52 PM

Spot/DSE thanks for the great Idea, i was just playing with an AVI splitter and i was thinking of purchase it, i never thought of the Save as + Copy and trim thing ... i guess this is the fastest way for cutting out unwated partions of an AVI without using the render as Dialog..

Rich Parry wrote on 10/5/2006, 6:57 PM

busterkeaton,

Thanks for the further explanation of rendering a file that has no changes other than its length. I erroneously assumed any rendering meant recompression and that meant loss of quality ... I was wrong.

thanks,
Rich

Jøran Toresen wrote on 10/5/2006, 7:01 PM

Busterkeaton, you are right. I misunderstood and thought that Rich had 100 separate files (clips) that he wanted to shorten. Nevertheless, rendering a loop region does not alter the quality of the DV video if no changes has been made to the original file.

Joran