Other software for creating video samples
Binaries4all QuickJumpAs explained on the previous page, AviDemux can't cope with every video format. Complementing
this AviDemux tutorial, it's time to clarify which tool is the best for
what job, in creating samples from your videos.
Basically there are three useful programs:
- AviDemux, which was described in the previous chapter.
- Yamb, which will be explained in the next chapter.
- MkvToolNix, explained in the final chapter
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each ?
For general use, AviDemux is the best option, because:
- it's flexible, it provides a video preview.
- it handles many formats quite well.
- it allows you to select cutting points by KeyFrame, which helps ensure audio is in sync.
It's so good, so why does one need the other two?
- AviDemux chokes a bit on H.264 encodes, offering two modes, the first one might crash the program, the second is safer but looses video and audio timing pretty badly.
- AviDemux also bogs down when creating a sample of a HD 720p file; the ones in my experience where x.264, and did not crash the program or lose synch, but took a long time to scroll through the file looking for edit points.
So, it looks like we need an alternative for AviDemux when:
- handling H.264 video which AviDemux warns you about.
- handling 720p or higher resolution MKV files, for ease and speed.
The alternatives:
a. Yamb,
can only be used for MP4 files but handles them perfectly; and has no
problems with H.264 files which choked AviDemux.
Disadvantages:
-
your edit points are selected purely by timestamps, for example
from the very beginning to the end of the first minute of video.
b. MkvToolNix,
intended for mkv files, can also open AVI and MP4, but saves to .MKV
only; has no problems with 720p files which bogged down AviDemux.
Disadvantages:
- no video preview at all.
- your edit points are
selected purely by timestamps, for example from the very
beginning to the end of the first minute of video.
In the next chapter we will check out Yamb.
To the next chapter: 
Creating a video sample for .mp4 files with Yamb
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