How to make clips from MP4 files

[Denaniel]

There are probably GUIs that allow you to make clips from MP4 files, but I still do it the old fashioned way using the mp4box command line (Windows). Maybe when I get more free time, I'll add some screenshots to this post, but for now, just read along.

It's really not so hard once you learn the little quirks.

You can grab mp4box here (or just google: mp4box download)

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/mp4box

Play the .mp4 file and find the approx. start and end times for the clip you wish to make. Convert these times into the total number of seconds from the beginning of the movie, e.g. if the start time is 01:01:01 (one hour, one minute, one second), then the elapsed time in seconds in 3600 + 60 + 1 = 3661 sec.

Put mp4box inside the folder/directory where your .mp4 file is located. Open a command window (hold down SHIFT key and right click inside this folder, and select "Open command window here"). Type the following in the command window:

mp4box filename.mp4 -split-chunk S:E

where filename.mp4 is the file name of your .mp4 file, S = start time in seconds, E = end time in seconds

For example:

mp4box 69thStVice.mp4 -split-chunk 3661:3961

(for a five-minute clip beginning at 01:01:01; 300 sec. = 5 min.)

Then hit the Enter/Return key.

If your file name has any spaces, then you'll need to put the file name inside quotation marks, e.g.

mp4box "69th Street Vice.mp4" -split-chunk 3661:3961

In the above example, your new file will be automatically named:

69th Street Vice_3661_3961.mp4

You may get up to ten seconds of additional footage at the beginning of the clip, depending on where the key frames fall in relation to your preferred start time. If you don't want the extra footage in your clip, then you'll need to re-encode the vid and ensure that there is a keyframe at the beginning of the clip you want. When I get some time, I'll add to the tutorial and explain how to do that.

[veilexxx]

THanks for the guide

[Ruffah]

Good guide, though a much easier way would be to just use Avidemux (Direct cutting with preview, no source reencoding required), or use fcchandler's input plugins (mastroska plugin in this case) for VirtualDub (Direct cutting with preview, lots of editing options & much more precise cutting compared to Avidemux, though reecoding of source is required)

http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/download.html
http://gral.y0.pl/~fcchandler/

[speedcom]

To complete this tutorial, let me introduce a command-line tool, available on windows, Mac (ppc & intel), linux & unix (all distro) : ffmpeg

example 1 (suppose you are in the good directory)
to make a 5' clip "myClip.mp4" from the movie "myMovie.mp4" start at 00:10:00
Fastest processing (encode nothing, only cut)

ffmpeg -vcodec copy -acodec copy -ss 00:10:00 -t 00:15:00 -i myMovie.mp4 myClip.mp4

or more accuracy (1/1000 sec) :

ffmpeg -vcodec copy -acodec copy -ss 00:10:00[.137] -t 00:15:00[.725] -i myMovie.mp4 myClip.mp4

example 2: (suppose you are in the good directory, but also a nerd who loves open source tools/sofwares/way of life)

ffmpeg -ss 00:10:00 -t 00:14:00 -i myMovie.wmv -vcodec libtheora -b 1500k -s 640x480 -acodec libvorbis -ab 160k myClip.mkv

myClip is now re encoded with theora video codec, with a new 1500k bitrate, new dimension 640x480, the audio stream is now vorbis ABR 160k, and container is Matroska

you can choose both audio or video codecs or container you want (with limitations due to your OS or selected codecs), you can crop, change ratio, you can add filters, you can join videos, extract/rebuild /remove audio, subtitles, grab video stream etc... ffmpeg is powerful !

links : Documentation and Download

But If you are more comfortable with graphical interface, I second Ruffah's choice for common editing with Avidemux

cheers

[EZWind]

For those that would rather not deal with writing command lines or fussing with containers and codecs, I find the VLC player works just fine. Say you've got a full 90 minute movie in a huge file. As per Sturgeon's Law, 90% of everything is crap. If you're lucky, there may be about 9 minutes of footage you'd ever want to see again. Just open the file w/ the VLCPlayer, move the slider to the start of the section you want to keep and click the red Record button. When you come to wherever you want the clip to end, click the square Stop button. Bingo...a file is saved as "vlc-record-(today's date) (time of recording) (original filename) .mp4". Or .avi, or .flv etc. works great for any type of file, even .vob. Pop in a 2 hour DVD...go thru and edit out your favorite parts...the file is saved as (filename).vob. Just rename the file as (filename) .mpg and you're good to go. Got yourself a handful of 2 or 3 minute clips w/out all the rest of the junk there on the disc.
The best part....it's free.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html

[Black Rat]

Originally Posted by EZWind

I find the VLC player works just fine.

Excellent! It saves having to convert the files to wmv/avi and use Windows Movie Maker to edit.

I've only been using VLC for 10 years and never knew how easy it could be! As a point of interest, the clip is saved in "Videos" if you're looking for it...

[pnnbaa]

Is there a program to splice out the parts you want and then re-assemble them? e.g. say you want to take out all the close-up shots of the genitals and penetration points from a scene, show only the bigger picture.

[justme21]

Video to video does that.
Freeware

http://www.videotovideo.org/

[colectioneur]

tous sa ces bien mais j'ai déjà une vidéo comment la mettre sur le forum merci

[speedcom]

Originally Posted by colectioneur

tous sa ces bien mais j'ai déjà une vidéo comment la mettre sur le forum merci

Bonjour, Le français n'est pas accepté , only english

Read the rules (in french) => http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/t16...-intrieur.html and upload your file(s) to an hoster (1fichier or filefactory are preferred ones here). choose the appropriate section (classic for movies before 1998, and modern for others.
I don't remember, but as newbie, you can't post in the classic section without a minimum of 5 or 10 posts in others sections...
cheers
++