Video
Guides > Edit > Remove Footage with VideoReDo
Article
last updated March 10, 2009
Removing
commercials from an MPEG is a really simple splicing
process, and should not be considered "editing" in
the traditional video sense. All that is required to remove
commercials is to cut and join the footage. This guide is
good for trimming MPEG files in general, not limited to just
cutting commercials.
VideoReDo is an easy-to-use
non-linear editor with an intuitive user interface. It can also fix audio sync problems normally associated with certain types of MPEG files.
Portions of this guide were
provided by the folks at VideoReDo.com
Using VideoReDo
to Remove Commercials
There are two main modes in VideoReDo:
(1) An additive "scene" mode, where footage to be
kept is selected, or
(2) A subtractive "cut" mode, where footage to be
deleted is selected
Cut mode is often used for removing
commercials while Scene mode may be more useful when you are making a "best
of"
video file. You can also automatically detect and mark for deletion commercial
segments using Ad-Detective, although it may or may not be completely helpful or
accurate (automated software rarely is). This tutorial
demonstrates "Cut Mode".
1.
Start VideoReDo Plus. Open a file
for editing.

The
timeline is green, indicating the entire file will be output, as no commercial
segments have yet been selected for deletion. If thumbnails are not displayed,
press the F11 key or use the menu: View>Show Thumbnails. This will display a
series of frames below the main screen allowing easier placement of selection
markers. Use
the Upper Slider (1) for coarse adjustment through the timeline and the Lower
Slider (2) for fine adjustment. Even finer control is available using the lower
slider with the right mouse button.
2. Placing Markers and Deleting
Segments. Move
the timeline cursor (1) to the black frames just before the beginning of the
commercial or, if there are no black frames (fade to black transition) to the
first frame of the commercial. You can see the center thumbnail (2)
highlighted with a green box. This is the frame currently displayed on the main
screen with the fade-out from the show and the fade-in to the commercial
visible. Also the audio graph (3) displays a low point indicating the audio has
faded as well. This is the best frame to mark the beginning of the commercial. 
Press the SET START button to mark
the beginning of the segment. A mark will appear on
the timeline indicating your choice. Navigate to the end of the
commercial. Press the SET END button to mark the end. A second mark will appear.
Press the CUT SELECTION button and the segment between the 2 marks will turn red, indicating the successful selection of the
commercial. Repeat as necessary to mark all the
commercial segments of the file.
You can automatically detect
and mark commercials for deletion by using the Ad-Detective button. This method
is not magical, so be sure to verify the cuts.
3. Previewing Your
Cuts. As you are placing your cuts or once
you have finished, you can select Preview Mode to view your output file before
saving. Press the TOGGLE PREVIEW MODE button (looks like a filmstrip). The timeline display will change
from:
to: 
You can preview your video and the
cuts by navigating the same as in edit mode or by pressing the >> or
<< buttons to jump to the cut points. You can also set a Preview
lead-in time so as you jump to the cuts, VideoReDo will display them with your
selected pre-roll time. This is available under the Tools>Options menu.
4. Managing your
edits. As you are editing or previewing,
you may wish to modify the precise location of your cuts (to add or remove an
extra frame or two for a “cleaner” edit. This is easily accomplished by simply
double-clicking on the edit that will highlight the selected
cut. You can use the >> and << buttons or “S” and “E” keys to navigate to the beginning and end
of the cut. Reposition the marks using the SET START and SET END buttons and press
CUT SELECTION again. A dialog
box will appear asking you to confirm replacement of your existing cut. Click
“Replace” if you are satisfied with your changes.
5. Saving your
edited file. Press the SAVE AS button to save
your edited, commercial-free video. The file will be saved in a few minutes
without re- encoding the entire video. Only what you viewed in preview mode (or
the green segments of the edit mode timeline) will be saved.
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