Technical How-to's
I made this guide so that everyone will have a guide on some "technical" aspects of posts that can be found in this community. Quite useful for newbies ^^
All the programs that I'm using here are free based program. If you know some paid programs with the same functions, then please feel free to comment so that I can add here
I. Video Players
1. VLC Media Player
- A portable media player that can play different audio and video formats. Very useful to play different regions of DVDs. Can be use to get video snapshots.
Download VLC Media Player here
2. Codec Packs
> Codecs are required to encode and/or decode (play) audio and video. Also these are essentials to edit videos.
Download Codec Packs.
II. Video Editing Tools
1. Virtualdubmod
- This is my favorite video program. It's a lightweight but powerful video editor program. I commonly use this for cutting segments from a video, joining videos, resizing videos, and hardsubbing videos.
Download Virtualdubmod here
Common Virtualdubmod how to's
How to Cut Segment of Videos
> Open Virtualdubmod
> Open Video File
> Locate the beginning of the segment of the video you want to cut (you can use shift + right arrow to search faster)
> If you have already located the beginning of the segment, click on this
(arrow-like icon going to the left)
> Locate the end of the segment of the video you want to cut (you can use shift + right arrow to search faster)
> If you have already located the beginning of the segment, click on this
(arrow-like icon going to the right)
> Then click on Save As...
> For the compression of the file, you can choose the codec but for everyone's convenience choose XviD MPEG-4
> Then click on Save and it will now encode your file. If you have checked the "Don't run this job now, add to job control...." then you have to open the Job Control window to start encoding your file.
How to Resize Videos
> This is very helpful as some PCs can't play very large resolution of video files
> Open Virtualdubmod
> Open Video File
> Click on Video > Filters > Add > Resize > Resolution -> For 1280 x 720 files, you can choose either of the following resolutions: "720 x 480 / 704 x 396 / 640 x 480" but I recommend to resize using the first 2 resolution
> For filter mode you can use any of those but as for me, I'm using either Biconic / Bilinear.
> Then click on Save As...
> For the compression of the file, you can choose the codec but for everyone's convenience choose XviD MPEG-4
> Then click on Save and it will now encode your file. If you have checked the "Don't run this job now, add to job control...." then you have to open the Job Control window to start encoding your file.
Pretty Simple! ^^
Converting TS files
- Original video uploaders sometimes post TS versions of their files (hikkichan and cashmere of JPopsuki). TS is the lossless format for videos (like how FLAC for audio). TS files are very big files and not all PCs can play these files so you need to convert this to AVI. But then Virtualdubmod can't convert this so you need Project X to convert files. Although AutoGK can convert TS but as for my experience I am not successful as I'm having problems with audio codecs.
My Process of Converting TS/MKV/MP4 to AVI files
Important Programs:
AviDemux: (this is the new Virtualdubmod and my new bestfriend in converting files)
TSMuxer:
Steps:
1. Once you have downloaded and installed AviDemux, open the program and open the TS file you want to convert.
2. It will prompt you a dialogue box with: “It appears to be an mpeg file, do you want to index it?”. Click yes.
3. Wait until it loads all the images
4. Once you have video open, most commonly you will see, “Multiple Audio Tracks, the file you have just loaded has several audio tracks” just click on okay. Then click on Audio > Main Track > just click on okay.
5. On the right corner side, you will see Video and Audio sections.
Video Configuration
- On the dropdown menu, you will see there different containers in which you can convert TS file (it’s your discretion which containers you will choose (I commonly choose MPEG4 (XviD) but if you plan to convert it on other formats aside from AVI you have to choose H264 or (for mp4 and MKV))
- Let’s say for example, you have selected MPEG4 Xvid as a video container, you can now click on the configure button. On the rate control section, you can control how AviDemux can convert a video. If you want faster encoding, you have to choose single pass (which I commonly do). Commonly, I choose “Constant Bitrate” and set it. The higher the bitrate, the larger the file, lesser compression. I used 3500kbit/s as it is just fine for both video quality and file size. Click on OK once you have changed it.
- Next, on the video section, click Filters. This will now determines what editing you want for the video. Double click on Resize then uncheck “Lock Aspect Ratio”. From there, you will now be able to change the resolution of the file, whether it b e 1280 x 720 and so forth….. Then click on OK if you are satisfied with the resolution. Then click on Close for the Filters menu.
Audio Configuration
- Like the Video Configuration menu, you will another drop down menu to choose in which containers you will use for the audio conversion. (Again it’s your choice what you will use. Normally, AVI uses mp3 (lame) while mkv and mp4 use aac as the audio codec)
- After you have selected which audio codec you will use, click on Configure. You can change the default settings but I usually just use the default settings. Click on OK if you are already satisfied with the settings.
- Next click on Filters. If during the time you opened the video it prompted you: “Multiple Audio Tracks, the file you have just loaded has several audio tracks”, select on the Mixer: “Stereo”
Time Shift: Some audios have different time stamp than the video. Most commonly in TS file you need to set values on it so that the final product won’t have problems with audio and video syncs.
How to know the values for Time Shift:
a. Open TS muxer
b. Open the TS file that you want to convert
c. Once the file is already loaded, you will see in the tracks section the video and audio files which are embedded on your TS file.
d. Highlight the first audio track that you can see (commonly 2nd or 3rd track).
e. You will see on the general track options: Delay (in ms) - then the value. Take note of the value (including the sign)
f. Now go back to AviDemux and you still have the Filters box, put in the value that you saw in TS Muxer. Include the minus (-) sign if the value on TSMuxer has it.
Then Click on OK once you have already configured the Audio Filters section
Format - Default Format is AVI. If you want to choose another format just select from the drop down menu.
6. Once you are already satisfied with your settings, you can now Save > Save Video. Put in the file name and the extension (For example. Music Station.avi) Don’t forget the extension. Remember to use the extension from the format you choose. .avi for AVI, mp4 for MP4 and .mkv for MKV.
7. Now it will proceed to encoding of video. If you want the video for faster encoding, you can choose in the priority mode: “High” but it will make your PC slower for other applications since the RAM will be all directed to video encoding. If you want a medium speed, choose: “Normal”. That way even if you are using the PC, it will still encode your video a faster than Below Normal mode.
Additional Stuff.
If you want you can test first the encoding settings, you can encode a small portion of file so that you can check if the audio will sync to video (because sometimes even if you shift the values on timeshift it will not appear sync in your final product (this is true for hikkichan’s uploads)). You can do this by just aborting at any time with your encode. Then play the file on a media player. Check the sync. If the audio seems ahead of the video, you can put more negative value for the timeshift. If the audio seems way behind the video, you can add positive value for the timeshift. Remember that 1 second = 1000ms.
DVD ripping
> There are a lot of DVD ripping softwares around. I use DVDFabDecrypter to rip DVDs. Then use AutoGK to encode DVD-VOBs to AVIs.
III. Screenshots
1. Image Grabber II
- This is one handy program that you should have in your PC. It is a lightweight program that enables to make automatic thumbnails for your uploads. It makes putting your file information easier.
Download Image Grabber here
How to Use Image Grabber:
> Open Image Grabber
> Open the Video you want to have automatic thumbnails
> Click on this
to set the number of frames to be extracted (I commonly use 9 frames)
> Click on File > Save File...
> Fill out the details (video name, filesize, resolution, duration)
> Click on Save
> Tada.. Your finished product (Example)
2. Media Player Classic
- If you feel lazy to use Image Grabber, you can use this to make thumbnails. It also supports MKV and TS files (Image Grabber can't open MKV and TS)
How to get thumbnails using MPC
> open MPC
> Open Video Files
> Don't play the file. Press on stop or pause
> Click on File > Save thumbnails
> You can choose the output folder destination, change the file name, picture format, number of thumbnails (4 rows x 4 colums = 16 thumbnails) and image width
> After you have changed the settings, click on Save
> and poof you have your thumbnails (Sample Picture).
IV. File Splitting
1. HJ-Split
- another free lightweight programs which can be used to split and join files
How to Split files
> Open HJ split
> Choose Split
> Open File
> On Split File Size, you can set the size you want for each parts BUT don't forget to indicate Megabytes not Kilobytes!
> Click on OK
> Done
How to Join Files
> Be sure you have downloaded all the parts and it is saved on the same folder
> Open HJ-split
> Choose Join
> Open the file you want to join (normally you will be only be able to choose the .001 part)
> click on Join. It will automatically detect all other parts provided that all parts are saved in 1 folder
> Done
These steps are all pretty simple. Again if you have questions, feel free to contact me.
All the programs that I'm using here are free based program. If you know some paid programs with the same functions, then please feel free to comment so that I can add here
I. Video Players
1. VLC Media Player
- A portable media player that can play different audio and video formats. Very useful to play different regions of DVDs. Can be use to get video snapshots.
Download VLC Media Player here
2. Codec Packs
> Codecs are required to encode and/or decode (play) audio and video. Also these are essentials to edit videos.
Download Codec Packs.
II. Video Editing Tools
1. Virtualdubmod
- This is my favorite video program. It's a lightweight but powerful video editor program. I commonly use this for cutting segments from a video, joining videos, resizing videos, and hardsubbing videos.
Download Virtualdubmod here
Common Virtualdubmod how to's
How to Cut Segment of Videos
> Open Virtualdubmod
> Open Video File
> Locate the beginning of the segment of the video you want to cut (you can use shift + right arrow to search faster)
> If you have already located the beginning of the segment, click on this
(arrow-like icon going to the left)
> Locate the end of the segment of the video you want to cut (you can use shift + right arrow to search faster)
> If you have already located the beginning of the segment, click on this
(arrow-like icon going to the right)
> Then click on Save As...
> For the compression of the file, you can choose the codec but for everyone's convenience choose XviD MPEG-4
> Then click on Save and it will now encode your file. If you have checked the "Don't run this job now, add to job control...." then you have to open the Job Control window to start encoding your file.
How to Resize Videos
> This is very helpful as some PCs can't play very large resolution of video files
> Open Virtualdubmod
> Open Video File
> Click on Video > Filters > Add > Resize > Resolution -> For 1280 x 720 files, you can choose either of the following resolutions: "720 x 480 / 704 x 396 / 640 x 480" but I recommend to resize using the first 2 resolution
> For filter mode you can use any of those but as for me, I'm using either Biconic / Bilinear.
> Then click on Save As...
> For the compression of the file, you can choose the codec but for everyone's convenience choose XviD MPEG-4
> Then click on Save and it will now encode your file. If you have checked the "Don't run this job now, add to job control...." then you have to open the Job Control window to start encoding your file.
Pretty Simple! ^^
Converting TS files
- Original video uploaders sometimes post TS versions of their files (hikkichan and cashmere of JPopsuki). TS is the lossless format for videos (like how FLAC for audio). TS files are very big files and not all PCs can play these files so you need to convert this to AVI. But then Virtualdubmod can't convert this so you need Project X to convert files. Although AutoGK can convert TS but as for my experience I am not successful as I'm having problems with audio codecs.
My Process of Converting TS/MKV/MP4 to AVI files
Important Programs:
AviDemux: (this is the new Virtualdubmod and my new bestfriend in converting files)
TSMuxer:
Steps:
1. Once you have downloaded and installed AviDemux, open the program and open the TS file you want to convert.
2. It will prompt you a dialogue box with: “It appears to be an mpeg file, do you want to index it?”. Click yes.
3. Wait until it loads all the images
4. Once you have video open, most commonly you will see, “Multiple Audio Tracks, the file you have just loaded has several audio tracks” just click on okay. Then click on Audio > Main Track > just click on okay.
5. On the right corner side, you will see Video and Audio sections.
Video Configuration
- On the dropdown menu, you will see there different containers in which you can convert TS file (it’s your discretion which containers you will choose (I commonly choose MPEG4 (XviD) but if you plan to convert it on other formats aside from AVI you have to choose H264 or (for mp4 and MKV))
- Let’s say for example, you have selected MPEG4 Xvid as a video container, you can now click on the configure button. On the rate control section, you can control how AviDemux can convert a video. If you want faster encoding, you have to choose single pass (which I commonly do). Commonly, I choose “Constant Bitrate” and set it. The higher the bitrate, the larger the file, lesser compression. I used 3500kbit/s as it is just fine for both video quality and file size. Click on OK once you have changed it.
- Next, on the video section, click Filters. This will now determines what editing you want for the video. Double click on Resize then uncheck “Lock Aspect Ratio”. From there, you will now be able to change the resolution of the file, whether it b e 1280 x 720 and so forth….. Then click on OK if you are satisfied with the resolution. Then click on Close for the Filters menu.
Audio Configuration
- Like the Video Configuration menu, you will another drop down menu to choose in which containers you will use for the audio conversion. (Again it’s your choice what you will use. Normally, AVI uses mp3 (lame) while mkv and mp4 use aac as the audio codec)
- After you have selected which audio codec you will use, click on Configure. You can change the default settings but I usually just use the default settings. Click on OK if you are already satisfied with the settings.
- Next click on Filters. If during the time you opened the video it prompted you: “Multiple Audio Tracks, the file you have just loaded has several audio tracks”, select on the Mixer: “Stereo”
Time Shift: Some audios have different time stamp than the video. Most commonly in TS file you need to set values on it so that the final product won’t have problems with audio and video syncs.
How to know the values for Time Shift:
a. Open TS muxer
b. Open the TS file that you want to convert
c. Once the file is already loaded, you will see in the tracks section the video and audio files which are embedded on your TS file.
d. Highlight the first audio track that you can see (commonly 2nd or 3rd track).
e. You will see on the general track options: Delay (in ms) - then the value. Take note of the value (including the sign)
f. Now go back to AviDemux and you still have the Filters box, put in the value that you saw in TS Muxer. Include the minus (-) sign if the value on TSMuxer has it.
Then Click on OK once you have already configured the Audio Filters section
Format - Default Format is AVI. If you want to choose another format just select from the drop down menu.
6. Once you are already satisfied with your settings, you can now Save > Save Video. Put in the file name and the extension (For example. Music Station.avi) Don’t forget the extension. Remember to use the extension from the format you choose. .avi for AVI, mp4 for MP4 and .mkv for MKV.
7. Now it will proceed to encoding of video. If you want the video for faster encoding, you can choose in the priority mode: “High” but it will make your PC slower for other applications since the RAM will be all directed to video encoding. If you want a medium speed, choose: “Normal”. That way even if you are using the PC, it will still encode your video a faster than Below Normal mode.
Additional Stuff.
If you want you can test first the encoding settings, you can encode a small portion of file so that you can check if the audio will sync to video (because sometimes even if you shift the values on timeshift it will not appear sync in your final product (this is true for hikkichan’s uploads)). You can do this by just aborting at any time with your encode. Then play the file on a media player. Check the sync. If the audio seems ahead of the video, you can put more negative value for the timeshift. If the audio seems way behind the video, you can add positive value for the timeshift. Remember that 1 second = 1000ms.
DVD ripping
> There are a lot of DVD ripping softwares around. I use DVDFabDecrypter to rip DVDs. Then use AutoGK to encode DVD-VOBs to AVIs.
III. Screenshots
1. Image Grabber II
- This is one handy program that you should have in your PC. It is a lightweight program that enables to make automatic thumbnails for your uploads. It makes putting your file information easier.
Download Image Grabber here
How to Use Image Grabber:
> Open Image Grabber
> Open the Video you want to have automatic thumbnails
> Click on this
to set the number of frames to be extracted (I commonly use 9 frames)
> Click on File > Save File...
> Fill out the details (video name, filesize, resolution, duration)
> Click on Save
> Tada.. Your finished product (Example)
2. Media Player Classic
- If you feel lazy to use Image Grabber, you can use this to make thumbnails. It also supports MKV and TS files (Image Grabber can't open MKV and TS)
How to get thumbnails using MPC
> open MPC
> Open Video Files
> Don't play the file. Press on stop or pause
> Click on File > Save thumbnails
> You can choose the output folder destination, change the file name, picture format, number of thumbnails (4 rows x 4 colums = 16 thumbnails) and image width
> After you have changed the settings, click on Save
> and poof you have your thumbnails (Sample Picture).
IV. File Splitting
1. HJ-Split
- another free lightweight programs which can be used to split and join files
How to Split files
> Open HJ split
> Choose Split
> Open File
> On Split File Size, you can set the size you want for each parts BUT don't forget to indicate Megabytes not Kilobytes!
> Click on OK
> Done
How to Join Files
> Be sure you have downloaded all the parts and it is saved on the same folder
> Open HJ-split
> Choose Join
> Open the file you want to join (normally you will be only be able to choose the .001 part)
> click on Join. It will automatically detect all other parts provided that all parts are saved in 1 folder
> Done
These steps are all pretty simple. Again if you have questions, feel free to contact me.