Page Two: Trim that Clip! (Warning: long, printable page.)

Okay, let's recap. You have MPEG Streamclip installed, and either the Quicktime Alternative app installed (which I don't recommend because it can sometimes mess up iTunes) or MPEG-2 Playback Component. (Remember, the MPEG-2 Playback component is a PLUG-IN which enables MPEG Streamclip to recognize your ripped DVD files.) And, you've either ripped a DVD to your hard drive, or have downloaded some small VOB (DVD digital video files) found on the previous page. You're all set.

Opening the VOB file:

Start up MPEG Streamclip. Open a VOB file in MPEG Streamclip by going to File >> Open Files >> and locating the spot on your hard drive where the ripped copy of your DVD is located. Find a folder called "VIDEO_TS." Navigating inside this folder, you will find a myriad of different, weirdly named files. (See illustration below.)

In the VIDEO_TS folder you will see files with the VOB extension. This is what you're looking for. Typically, you'll want to pick any VOB file that is around 1 GB (approx 1000 MB) in size. (Any one of these files will do, as long as it's around 1 GB.)

(NOTE: If your DVD has television episodes, then you may have to open several VOB files until you stumble upon the episode you are looking for.)

Usually what happens when you select one of these VOB files is that you'll get the above message. It talks about "opening all the files of the stream together"? It's asking if you want to open all the VOB files that make up the movie (or TV episode). (Usually it takes more than one VOB file to contain a whole program, since each VOB video file is rarely more than 15 minutes long.) Click "Open All Files." You want to be able to browse through the whole program.

Sometimes (but not always) you'll get a message about fixing the timecode. If this happens, choose "Fix Now." After you click "Fix Now," a message will pop up, with a checkbox about "do not skip any files (should not be enabled when joining files)." Well, since you are joining files (joining all the VOB files required to make up the entire program) you will uncheck this box and then click "Proceed." MPEG Streamclip will then take a little while to analyze the whole set of VOB files.

Finally, MPEG Streamclip will open the video:

The video picture is often too dark in a VOB file. (You will lighten it in your video editing program.) I lightened this picture in Photoshop.

Here we get down to the nitty-gritty. Your program is all loaded in MPEG Streamclip, and it's time for you to Trim That Clip!

In the above illustration, you'll see that MPEG Streamclip has controls, not unlike a regular media player. There's a "Play" button (red arrow), so you can actually watch a video in it. There's also a slider bar, where you can scroll to just the part of the video you want to see. (Blue arrow.)

To the right of the player controls are some time codes (circled in pink). This will indicate what parts of the clip you have selected. You can see that I've chosen a little less than two minutes. (My selection starts at 37 minutes, 33 seconds, and ends at 39 minutes, 20 seconds.)

Selecting In and Out Points:

Move the slider bar (blue arrow above) to the part of the video where you want your clip to start. You'll see that the slider may quickly scroll through scenes in the program, so when you get to approximately the right area in the show, slow down and use your keyboard's right and left arrow keys (located to the left of the number pad). Slowly nudge, nudge, nudge your way, frame by frame, until it's just where you want it. Then, either press the "I" key on your keyboard, or go to "Edit >> Select In."

Then, move the slider bar to the spot where you want the video clip to end. Press the "O" key, or go to "Edit >> Select Out."

Now you've got your clip isolated. You'll see in the illustration above, I've got two pink arrows pointing to the "in" and "out" points. You'll see a small sliver of a darker color right in the middle of the slider bar. This indicates the area of the video that will be extracted. Again, look at the "In --> Out" numbers (circled in pink). This will tell you how much video you're going to extract.

Trim that Clip!

This is the big moment: You're going to extract the clip and save it to your hard drive!

Trim that Clip, Higher Quality (Mac or PC—Windows users save as AVI).

For excellent results in any Windows or Mac-based video editor (with the possible exception of iMovie users, see note below), convert your DVD's files to DV MOV or DV AVI. It requires a few more steps to make a clip, but this is a Good Thing, because the process allows additional options which may help improve the quality of the clip before it is imported into the editor.

After you have selected your "In and Out" points, go to "File >> Export to Quicktime." (Windows users, "Export to AVI") A window like the one shown below will pop up.

Under "Compression," click on the drop-down menu and choose APPLE DV PAL (PAL DVDs) or "Apple DV/DVCPRO NTSC" (for Region One DVDs), (Sony Vegas users should be careful to only use Apple DV/DVCPRO NTSC or Apple DV PAL. Using some other DV variant might result in a messed-up picture when the clip is imported into Vegas.)

For "Sound," keep it at "Uncompressed" (circled in blue).

Click on the "Options" button (circled in pink). For "Scan mode," it's usually okay to pick "Progressive." For "Aspect Ratio," you probably want 16:9 (most current DVDs and programs are in this aspect ratio, but if you're not sure, consult the aspect ratio tutorial). Click OK to leave the "DV Options" menu.

If you have a PAL (Region Two) DVD, you may not need to check the "deinterlace" box (circled in orange). Don't know what interlacing is? (link opens to new window). In summary, if you noticed these somewhat unattractive horizontal lines going through parts of the VOB file when you were selecting your "in" and "out" points, then definitely check the "Deinterlace" box, and it'll get rid of those lines.

Keep "Frame Size" at its default (whatever MPEG Streamclip selects automatically). All other settings should be left alone; they're all fine.

Now, click on the "Make Movie" (or "Make AVI") button, select a spot on your hard drive, and save your clip! You now have made a clip that can be opened in Mac and Windows editing applications.

Sony Vegas users, read information below about editing in DV AVI .

iMovie users, you might consider converting your files the "dodgy" way, by following this tutorial (requires free membership to access the FoolishPassion fan video forum).

 

TRIM THAT CLIP—FOR WINDOWS USERS, (easier but not the recommended way): Go to File >> Convert to MPEG with MP2 Audio. Find a spot on your hard drive to save the file, and give it an appropriate name. Click "Save." MPEG Streamclip will take a few moments to process the clip, and that's it! All done! Your clip has been ripped! You now have an MPEG-2 file (with an .MPG extension).

Editing in MPEG-2 takes less hard drive space. But it's not considered the "best" format for editing video. This page explains in more detail why, and look what Sony says about editing in MPEG2. ("MPEG-2 files are heavily compressed and when re-encoded, the quality decreases significantly.") MPEG-2 is not supported by all video editors (so if you really want to use it, confirm that it's officially supported by your software), and in those programs that do support it, there can be quality issues (specifically, editing with frame accuracy—an important detail for vidders). For better quality and for a more hassle-free experience, you are strongly encouraged to edit in a non-lossy or slightly compressed format, like DV AVI.

THAT'S IT! You did it!

When you are finished ripping all the clips you want to use, you can delete the entire ripped DVD from your hard drive (optional).

WARNING TO SONY VEGAS USERS: If you edit with DV AVI by following this tutorial, Sony Vegas will not necessarily recognize the file's proper aspect ratio. As a result, your finished video picture might end up look distorted and squished (too long and narrow). There are some settings you must apply to each clip to make sure that Sony knows what aspect ratio it is. This tutorial on the Foolish Passion Fan Video Forums (free membership required) will tell you all about it. In brief, you need to right-click on each clip in the timeline, select "Properties," find the drop-down menu for 'Pixel aspect ratio' and select your clip's proper aspect ratio—PAL DV (which means fullscreen), PAL DV Widescreen, NTSC DV (fullscreen), or NTSC DV Widescreen.

Back to top