Avidemux Forum

I can load a wmv video file and edit (between A and B), but when I click "Save" I get the error message:

Unsupported Only MP4Video, H264, and H265 supported for video

followed by:

Muxer Cannot open

I have the output Format set to "MP4 Muxer" and Video Output to "Copy"

Is there something else I should be doing to save the edit?

You need to re-encode, "Copy" is not viable with Windows Media (neight audio nor video).

Thank you for the reply.....is re-encoding something I do in Avidemux or before I input the video file?

If I have to do it before, does re-encode mean convert to another format?........if so which format would you recommend for the least loss in quality, yet still open for editing and saving with Avidemux?

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 12:17:39 PMis re-encoding something I do in Avidemux or before I input the video file?

It is better to do it in Avidemux, else you would be restricted to keyframes for cutting.

Re-encoding means on-the-fly decoding of the original, compressed stream into uncompressed pictures and re-compression of these pictures using a different codec. Each re-encoding step with a lossy codec means quality loss, so try to do all editing in one go. Alternatively, you could use a lossless codec (e.g. Ut Video) for intermediate steps, but please be aware that it might need 30x or even 100x more storage space than lossy codecs.

Regarding the choice of codec, choose the best one still supported in hardware by the target playback device or software. The safest choice compatibility-wise is H.264 while HEVC and VP9 are supported only by very recent devices (and their software encoders x265 and especially libvpx are damn slow).

Format is an ambiguous word. If it means container, you should consider MP4, MKV or MPEG-TS depending on your goals (Ut Video is usable only with MKV).

In any case, please use the latest Avidemux nightly --> https://avidemux.org/nightly/ for your platform rather than outdated release.

Thanks again.....

My playback is with Windows Media Player or VLC Media Player.

I would like to try your H.264 suggestion, but I am not sure which Avidemux buttons or settings to use. For example, assuming I have loaded the wmv video and set the editing tabs A and B, what do I do next? (Or must I do something after loading, but before setting the tabs?)

(By the way, the Avidemux I have is: 2.7 VC++64bits. I don't know if that is same as "nightly".)

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 01:10:06 PMFor example, assuming I have loaded the wmv video and set the editing tabs A and B, what do I do next?

You need to choose the video encoder (and audio encoder too, if audio is Windows Media Audio and thus incompatible with modern containers).

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 01:10:06 PMthe Avidemux I have is: 2.7 VC++64bits

This means only that your Avidemux is not older than 2 or 3 years. The version is displayed in Help --> About menu and mentioned in Avidemux log admlog.txt (%localappdata%\avidemux\admlog.txt).

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 01:10:06 PMI don't know if that is same as "nightly"

"Nightly builds" (or "daily builds") is a standard term for builds generated from the current code. The last release reflects the state of development as it was a half a year ago. Nightlies include also dozens of fixes which we written later.

There are two types of Avidemux builds for Windows: VC++ ones are compiled on Windows with Microsoft Visual Studio, MinGW ones are cross-compiled on Linux using MinGW compiler. There are only minor practical differences between the two. VC++ nightlies are uploaded to "vsWin64" folder on the nightly server, MinGW to the "win64" one. At the moment the latest build is a win64 one.

NB: Never mix VC++ and MinGW builds in one directory, never run them simultaneously.

I wasn't sure which encoders to use, but I tried:

Video output: Mpeg4AVC(x264)
Audio output: AAC (FDK)
Output Format: MP4Muxer

That worked fine and I got an mp4 file of the edit as output. If you think I should try different settings please say, otherwise I will stick with those when I edit other wmv files.

Do you think that converting the wmv to an mp4 file before putting it into Avidemux would mean a better quality final edit or would it not make much difference. I ask, because it looks like I would need to pay for a converter (as the free ones either have watermarks or run out of free minutes).

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 02:06:33 PMDo you think that converting the wmv to an mp4 file before putting it into Avidemux would mean a better quality final edit

No, definitely not as you will be restricted to keyframes for cut points as I already mentioned. The visual quality entirely depends on properties of the source video and on encoder settings.

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 02:06:33 PMI ask, because it looks like I would need to pay for a converter (as the free ones either have watermarks or run out of free minutes).

I am just speechless as all the best are not only free but purely open source. Apart from that, you don't need external tools for this task.

So, if I understand right, this means with a wmv file I will put it into Avidemux as it is, so I can edit between key frames, then convert to Mpeg4 as I save it.

For my ram files, I believe that I will need to convert them to get them into Avidemux. I would like to be able to edit these between key frames too. The converter I have found after your "speechless" comment gave me a good big push (FileZigZag) will output the ram files in the following forms that will go into Avidemux as well: AAC, AC3, MP3, MP4 and OPUS. Will any of these allow Avidemux to edit between key frames? (I understand of course that of these MP4 won't)

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 05:42:28 PMFor my ram files

.ram is a RealMedia metafile, i.e. a playlist. It doesn't contain any audio or other multimedia content. I am not sure that you mean exactly ram files here. What is the task, not the means? To capture an internet broadcast? Are there really any broadcasts using RealMedia? I believed it was dead since ages...

To convert local audio files, you might want to try Audacity with FFmpeg import/export libraries.

If you ask about support for external audio tracks in Avidemux, ADTS-encapsulated AAC, raw AC3 and raw MP3 are supported. MP4 containers with no video track (M4A) and OPUS (probably in an Ogg container) are not supported (OPUS is supported as internal track).

To ask in a "task" way as you suggest: what must I do to be able to edit non-wmv video files between key frames?

I am thinking I should convert them first so that is possible, but I don't know what I should convert them to.

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 07:41:08 PMwhat must I do to be able to edit non-wmv video files between key frames?

If a format of a video file is not supported by Avidemux, then please provide more details about the file, e.g. the textual output of the application "MediaInfo" for that file.

I am not sure what you mean by "between key frames". To cut a video in copy mode (without re-encoding), cuts must be placed on keyframes. If you choose a different video output option in Avidemux than "copy", cuts may be placed at any type of frames.

Quote from: Peter99 on January 14, 2021, 07:41:08 PMI am thinking I should convert them first so that is possible, but I don't know what I should convert them to.

The first question is, what you are trying to convert from.

....converting from mp4.

In case I wasn't clear, I am answering your question:

[/quote]The first question is, what you are trying to convert from.
[/quote]

The answer is that I am looking to convert from mp4.

Thank you, but the previous reply was already very clear. I have a life beyond the keyboard :-)

"mp4" can contain many different types of video and audio streams. Please specify what is inside of mp4 files your would like to feed to Avidemux. The MediaInfo application is the best tool for this purpose.