Blink 7

Product: AVIDemux
Version: 2.4
Platform: Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows (reviewed)
Description: Non-Linear Video Editor
License: GNU General Public License
Rating: 80%
URL: http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/

When it comes to video editing -particularly the creation of MPEG-4 files from DVD movies- no program is as indispensable as VirtualDub. The simple non-linear editor has been central to video preparation/encoding as both a standalone application and as a tool called by automated video encoding tools. The attraction is simple: VirtualDub is easy to use, remains extendable for new codecs through its support for VFW (Video for Windows) and boasts a dizzying array of 3rd party plug-ins that perform various tasks, ranging from color correction to image stabilization. That VirtualDub is absolutely free, as are most of its plug-ins, does not hurt either.

Alas, “VDub” has been showing its age over the past couple of years – the original program cannot handle variable bit rates when importing MP3 audio and is generally unreliable at encoding its own audio. Only the AVI container is supported when exporting and MPEG-2 is out of the question. Derivative programs, such as VirtualDubMod and VirtualDubMPEG2, have addressed some of these issues but as of now it is difficult to create an entire movie using VirtualDub alone.

Enter AVIDemux, VirtualDub’s first serious competition in the freeware video editing arena. While the visual similarities between the applications are obvious, AVIDemux aims to be more universal and self-contained. The package comes bundled with video codecs, audio codecs, AVISynth support, support for multiple containers and a generous helping of filters.

AVIDemux’s completeness is its major strength, and nowhere is this more apparent than the programs handling of audio. Input files containing VBR MP3’s are properly loaded and synchronized. Audio encoding supports MP3, MP2, AAC, AC3, WAV and OGG Vorbis output. In addition to the options associated with each of the formats, the internal audio filters include options gain, dynamic range compression, time shift and frame-rate change. This virtually eliminates the need to preprocess audio in separate packages before encoding the final video. Powerful.

Not to be outdone, the video aspect also has strong support for both codecs and containers. Output codecs include XVID, x264, DV and Huffy. MPEG-2 output is also supported with presets for DVD and SVCD. AVISynth files cannot be loaded directly but the Windows installation file comes bundled with a GUI version of AVS proxy, which can frame-serve AVISynth scripts directly to AVIDemux. Bundled filters are grouped into categories - transform, interlacing, colors, noise, sharpness, subtitles, and miscellaneous. Combinations of filters can be saved as presets. Naturally, AVIDemux outputs AVI files but also MPEG-2 (transport and program streams), MP4, OGM and PSP containers. Dual audio tracks are supported and multiple-pass encoding can be specified in a single job.

Editing in AVIDemux is fairly simplistic, owing much more to VirtualDub than, say, Sony Vegas. Typically, a user will load the input video, set some encoding options, add some filters and output the video/audio. There are no multiple audio tracks, audio mixers (at least in the conventional sense), cross-faders or hardware support. As such, AVIDemux excels mostly as a finishing tool and possibly as a preprocessing tool (e.g. cleaning up incoming video before working with it in your primary video editor).

The Windows version of the application comes with three user interfaces, and most users will deal primarily with the two graphical fronts: the GTK (Gimp Tool Kit) interface looks like a Java Application, while the QT4 toolkit looks like a MacIntosh application. Finally, there is a CLI version that allows the user to run project files in the background. AVIDemux project files are text-based and contain all of the file/filter/output information, creating opportunities to create batch processes from external applications. With a little bit of VBScript, I recently used AVIDemux to re-encode some anime video such that the permanent subtitles were not cut-off when viewed on a television. The results were impressive and the script is entirely re-usable.

The biggest drawback to AVIDemux is a consequence of its most hyped attributes. Because the program is almost entirely self-contained (with the exception of AVS Proxy) you are pretty much limited to using the included codecs. VFW is not supported so commercial products like Cineform’s NeoHD and the authentic DivX codec are off limits. Granted, these files can still be [slowly] imported via AVISynth, but export is still confined and none of the included codecs have proven particularly useful as intermediate codecs for high definition content. For standard definition video, the internal DV codec only supports PAL video (720*576, 25fps) and there is no opportunity to select a different DV codec.

The interfaces are a little quirky by Windows standards. Mac users will feel at home with the QT4 interface and indeed it is the prettiest of the bunch, but it does not disable inappropriate options or launch the external preview window correctly. The GTK+ interface looks like a Java application and at times is just as unresponsive, though it is more functional than QT4 (unusable options still aren’t disabled). The CLI interface gives no visual indication of errors in project files – it simply stops running and dumps the errors to a log file. This log file can become exceedingly large if you are running a batch process – I’ve deleted a 16GB file after running an ill-fated script on 50 files.

Alas, there is no such thing as a perfect application so the question is “Does AVIMux belong in your collection?” The answer is “absolutely”: AVIDemux excels at XVID / h.264 / MPEG-2 conversion and removes the need for several tools (including VirtualDub). Conversely AVIDemux is not well suited for intermediate processing and could become quickly obsolete if the developers do not keep up with evolving codecs. Regardless, I am a [partial] convert.

Pros:

1. Plenty of native codecs and plug-ins
2. Strong audio processing
3. File format and CLI mode useful for batch processing

Cons:

1. No VFW Support limits interoperability
2. Interfaces not always intuitive
3. Lacks full support for NTSC resolutions

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