Splitting AVI files

magoo1818 · Post by **magoo1818** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:22 am

Every 60 minute DV tape results in a 13G AVI file.
Editing this file and rendering what may result in a 20 minute DVD uses most my PC resources. This would be minimised if the source was a smaller AVI file.
Q1. Can I capture video from my DV tape on the camcorder into smaller files without starting and stopping the capture. How?

Q2. Can I import an existing 13G AVI file and split it in ULEAD V5.0? How?

Thanks

Post by **Ron P.** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:18 pm

Q1:If you are using VS-5.0, then if I recall correctly there is no option to capture a set duration. You must use the Mark/In, Mark/Out to capture small segments.

Q2: Yes you can. With the clip in the Timeline, use the scissors to cut the clip.

As you are aware VS5 is a phased-out program. I barely remember using it, and in fact had to dig my manual out to check on the answers. The current version is VS10 and VS10+. You may want to look into upgrading.

magoo1818 · Post by **magoo1818** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:02 pm

Thanks Ron.

My problem was that whilst I am using Pinnacle Studio9 to create my movies I can load an existing AVI file or DV camcoder upload OK.

All this within a 'project' where portions of that AVI are selected and cut - but this does not alter the original AVI file - which is what I want to do - since the 60 minutes of DV equates to 13Gig AVI file - and I suspect this is all VS does also. If you tell me that VS10.x will cut up the original AVI file then I will consider paying for the upgrade as you suggested.

This is hefty and slow to edit and render a movie. I have enquired of Pinnacle and they recommend cutting the 13Gig files to lesser - say 4Gig.

So I am searching for a cutter. I saw that I already had VS5.0 (came with PC). I cannot see any scissors in it on the timeline though - after dragging the AVI file selected into the timeline. (?)

I just downloaded 'AVS ideo Tools 5.0'... looks OK but is a cutter converter only and not as funky as VS.

Do you have any recommendations to cut source AVI files then?

Magoo

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:51 pm

I'm not really sure what you are getting at here.

If you capture an hour of dv-avi it will be 13gb

You place this file on your timeline and edit it, if you cut out half of the file as unwanted you are left with a 30 minute movie and if you save this as a a dv-avi file you'll have a file which is about 6.5gb.

You will still have your 13gb file on the pc.

It sounds like pinnacle are either suggesting you capture as an mpeg2 file adn edit that, as an hour of mpeg2 is about 4gb.

Be aware that this comresses the movie and reduces the quality. You can uncompress adn save out as a dv-avi file, but you will not regain the quality, once gone it is gone for good.

Pinnacle also have a way of capturing a low res file for you to edit.

This is done by capturing the low res file. Put on timeline, edit. When you come to save the file you need to have the camcorder connected to the pc adn it will capture just the portions of the movie you ave used in your timeline. This retains quality, reduces space used on the pc, but takes longer to do, as you capture twice. You also need to ensure you have things like continuous timecode.

Video editing when done properly - or to a high quality - takes up lots of hdd space, with hdd's being so cheap these days it pays to buy a big drive just for video work.

magoo1818 · Post by **magoo1818** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:28 pm

Thanks Graham and Ron,

Good answers
Problem solved.

Magoo

Post by **Ron P.** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 12:59 am

With later versions of VS, it is possible to capture or transfer specific durations. For example with VS10+ you can use the DV Quick Scan, which will scan your tape in your camcorder (provided it is connected with Firewire), and you can select what you actually want transferred (captured) to your computer. I think that is more what you are looking for isn't it?

magoo1818 · Post by **magoo1818** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:29 am

Ron,

Sounds like a nice feature.

I have also learnt from this and the whirlpool bulletin board a few tips on storage practice. So it has been all good.

Actually the problem is resolved for me - embarrassingly - I didn't realise that I could drag the frames from the large -loaded- AVI file into the workspace and then save the selected amount again as an AVI.

I can then use these smaller AVI files to work my projects

(and it dosent matter if the project is built from more than one AVI as long as the AVI is not moved or renames durring/after the project is created).

So the problem is resolved for (silly) me - thanks for your time.