Edit/Save non-protected m4v files?

[Dimwhit]

I can't see my exact question having been answered, so I'll give it a go.

I have some non-protected videos (personal stuff) in m4v format that was created from DVD using Handbrake.

I would like to edit these files (cutting out parts) and merge them together. Easy enough. QT Pro does that. But I want to save it straight to the current m4v format. QT Pro, when it saves edited m4v files, converts them over to mov files, which I want to avoid.

Anyone know of a program that can edit/save m4v files without having to convert them at any point in the process?

 

[Sedulous]

You can trim videos using QTX or iMovie. But no matter what, as far as I know you will need to re-encode. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable would have better insight.

One possibility would be to extract the video from your mp4 using MKVTools and maybe feeding those into some kind of video editor (iMovie?) that can then export the final edit without re-encoding.

 

[MisterMe]

.mov is a container format, not a video format. The default video format for the .mov container is MPEG-4.

 

[Dimwhit]

.mov is a container format, not a video format. The default video format for the .mov container is MPEG-4.

So if .mov and .m4v files both use the MPEG-4 format, then in theory, you should be able to edit the files and save them without re-converting. A pass-through on the video or something? Do you know of an app that will do that?

 

[KeithPratt]

QT Pro, when it saves edited m4v files, converts them over to mov files, which I want to avoid.

There's no re-encoding going on in this action, so all you need to do is rewrap the MOV to M4V. Not sure of an application to do that, but MPEG Streamclip will rewrap MOV to MP4, and then manually changing that extension to M4V might work.

The default video format for the .mov container is MPEG-4.

Please expand.

 

[Dimwhit]

There's no re-encoding going on in this action, so all you need to do is rewrap the MOV to M4V.

So when I save an edited m4v file in QT, it's not re-encoding it? Because it sure seems like it with as long as takes to save it.

 

[KeithPratt]

So when I save an edited m4v file in QT, it's not re-encoding it? Because it sure seems like it with as long as takes to save it.

'Save' won't re-encode, but 'Export' will. How long is the movie and how long is it taking to save?

 

[Sedulous]

So when I save an edited m4v file in QT, it's not re-encoding it? Because it sure seems like it with as long as takes to save it.

When you "save" it creates a .mov container filled with all the fragments you've placed in it. Perhaps that is why it takes a while. I'd be surprised if it plays back reliably on mixed sets of devices. I've had trouble getting playback of mov containing multiple video sources.

 

[Dimwhit]

When you "save" it creates a .mov container filled with all the fragments you've placed in it. Perhaps that is why it takes a while. I'd be surprised if it plays back reliably on mixed sets of devices. I've had trouble getting playback of mov containing multiple video sources.

That's good to know. I have done it once before, and it played back fine, but I thought it was re-encoding it. Apparently not. Would be nice if QT could change it's container from mov to something else.