Allow export without re-encoding

[rogarogerg]

This is not a bug, it's a suggestion

Yesterday I have discovered very occasional your programme and have tested.
Congratulations, it works wonderfull, but I have a suggestion.
I miss the copy function in video part as in audio part.
I will explain it you:
When I have exported a video in a certain codec, and I want still somewhere cutting a piece , then I must re-encoding the video completely.
When there must be a copy function, I can copy the video and audio without de cut piece, that saves much time.

[markba (mark-baaijens)]

There's a functions called 'Duplicate clip' which actually does do the copying. Is this what you searched for?

[rogarogerg (roger-gabriels)]

Dear,

I would like to suggest a feature which I believe would be most usefull
in the application. When cutting in a coded video (eg. x264), it would
save a lot of time to be able to copy it to another video file without
having to encode it again. Currently the file needs to be re-coded
through export/video. I believe it to be possible, since I've seen a
similar functionality in Avidemux.

Best regards,

Roger

-----Oorspronkelijke bericht-----
Van: markba <email address hidden>
Reply-to: Bug 508975 <email address hidden>
Aan: <email address hidden>
Onderwerp: [Bug 508975] Re: Copy function
Datum: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:59:38 -0000

There's a functions called 'Duplicate clip' which actually does do the
copying. Is this what you searched for?

[Thangalin (thangalin-deactivatedaccount)]

I think he is looking to do this:

1. Place a marker.
2. Place a second marker (e.g., 30 seconds beyond the first).
3. Export everything between the two markers.

[poweruser32 (poweruser32-deactivatedaccount)]

Comment #2 describes this bug the best form what I can tell. A user should be able to trim a video and export it with the same codec and without rencoding the clip. This reduces quality loss and saves time.

[Paul Bußmann (paul-medwyn)]

I'd like to put my Video Disk Recorder streams (.trp) into a new container (.mkv), trim it at front at end and remove commercial breaks. Doing so OpenShot currently re-encodes the complete footage although it could direct stream copy from the .trp-file to the .mkv file. This is why I currently use ffmpeg to first demux the channels, OpenShot to get the exact timestamps of the cuts and mkvmerge to create a bunch of files. :(

As an idea for how to integrate the functionality in the UI, it would be very nice if one could chose "keep" (in the dropdown chooser with "Low", "Medium", "High") at the quality selection in the basic settings tab of the project export dialog (I'm not aware of the english dialogs, I use it in german). Selecting "keep" can then automatically set the video profile to the same as the footage. The container (e.g. mkv, avi, etc.) is determined by the export file's name.

[rooijan (rrossouw)]

I am not sure why there is confusion. #2 and #4 explain correctly. We simply need the following. Import mp4, cut ads out of mp4, export shortened video WITHOUT re-encoding anything. Simply export the shorter video without changing codecs, sizes, formats, containers or antyhing. I was very surprised that this is not possible. I would think a lot of peole try just that.

[Dean Sadites (dsadites)]

I agree 100% -- this is a sorely needed function in OpenShot. Hours of re-encoding time (and unnecessary loss of quality) could be eliminated by implementing this. For reference, it would be the equivalent of the 'Copy' setting for video/audio in Avidemux.

[zimon (zimon-fi)]

I miss this feature also. Have to use Avidemux because of this, although otherwise I'd rather use OpenShot because it can have multiple tracks where avidemux cannot and overall video editing with avidemux is very limited.

As it was said above, it should be as in avidemux, so one could choose "copy" for audio andor video codec separately.

And why not also "null" as a video or audio codec, to easily separate the audio track from the video to have it externally editable in Audacity (NR and other complicated audio filters). Then just join the improved audio back.

(In Mplayer there also was special codecs "null" and "copy" always available and useful: -ovc copy -oac copy)

2nd best solution:
Even just copying the original audio+video codecs' parameters and use them to re-encode would be better than now when one must spend time figuring out the parameters in the original video and then try to find as close output parameters as possible. eg.: No point of re-encoding 320x240 video to PAL or 14400 bps audio to 24000 bps.

(Also ability to use filters in avidemux when transcoding is something which Openshot is missing. But of course if copy codec is supported, eg. audio track can be filtered externally by Audacity.)

[juntu (juntu)]

Almost four years without any activity logged here, there is any chance to have this implemented?

[Pedro Castro (pedrocastro)]

Another vote for this feature here. Using OpenShot to cut some video parts, it's a pity not to be able to export it without re-encoding it (hence resulting in quality loss). Please consider this feature.

[Michael (m1-o)]

I need this feature too.

[Alecz20 (alexguzu)]

First result when searching for "opens source video cutter" is OpenShot which sadly cannot cut videos without re-encoding. Back to the command line I guess.

[Alice Vixie (alice-vixie)]

+1