Railfan Technology > Need to take first 19 seconds off mp4 video

I need a simple tool to take the first 19 seconds off an mp4 video I took this afternoon. Everything I have tried (Ubuntu, Win 10) is too complex. I just need to get file size under TO limit.

John

I use Microsoft Windows Movie Maker, Free Download from Microsoft.  Part of Windows Essentials.  Start a new project, drag your mp4 over to the blank window.  Select the Video in the Application and Video Menu appears and then there is an option for "Trim".  Then adjust as needed, whatever you want to keep has to stay inbetween the sliders of the trim.  Then you can click on "Home" and then Save Movie on the right hand side of the toolbar.  Choose Recommend Settings.. Save the File and then you should be good.  *Note, this does not affect the original mp4 file.

SouthWest RailCams
CA, NM, CO, TX, AZ
https://SouthWestRailCams.com

Thank you, but my PC seems to be working differently than yours. First, I cannot drag the mp4 file to the blank (red) screen. Second, the only way I can get the trimmed file under the TO max of 410 MB is to reduce quality and that gives very small video.

john

If windows, I'm assuming: I don't know where the mp4 file is. If it's already somewhere on your PC, try using Windows Explorer, select it, then click Copy. Then put Windows Explorer in the folder where you want it to work on, and click paste. Elementary, but possibly the answer. Other than that, perhaps you can break down into farther detail, where it is, etc. Make no assumptions.

DocJohn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you, but my PC seems to be working
> differently than yours. First, I cannot drag the
> mp4 file to the blank (red) screen. Second, the
> only way I can get the trimmed file under the TO
> max of 410 MB is to reduce quality and that gives
> very small video.
>
> john

If you're trying to upload video straight from the video camera to TO unedited, then this is what you might expect, since the file is too big. You should be using some sort of a video editor before uploading anyway. 410 MB limit is VERY generous.

Many of us can reduce the video size to 100-150 MB within the 6 minutes limit using any of the video editors available - the easiest ones to use are the free ones (iMovie for Mac, MovieMaker for Windows as mentioned above). Keep in mind that TO's video player will reduce the video size to DVD size (854 x 480, a.k.a. 480p) for playback, so trying to upload videos at much higher resolutions (1080p or higher) won't do much for quality, but sacrifice playability since your uploaded video will be taking up too much bandwidth.

In years past, Apple's Quicktime Pro (NOT the free version, available for both Mac and Windows) allowed trimming of mp4 videos based on time (19 seconds) without going into full-blown editing mode, which is what you originally requested, but your problem is not just the length of your video, but the size of the unedited/unprocessed video. Not sure if Quicktime Pro's features and functionalities are the same after the version went from 7 to 10 few years ago, but in your case, that length of time issue is probably moot, in my opinion.

Consider Freemake Video Converter to compress the original file. It can't trim your file, but
it sure will reduce the file size for T-O.

http://www.freemake.com/free_video_converter/

It's free if you can tolerate a 1 second promo at the beginning of your compressed file

Robert Pierce
Sugar Land, TX
SWRails.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/17 08:57 by TexBob.

I use Handbrake, which is also freeware.

Dwayne