Editing Audio in Video Clips in 7.0

[Igor]

Basically when you insert video clips to a show in PicturesToExe Deluxe 7.0 you have two choices:

1. Play normally the audio track of a video clip.

2. Mute the audio track of a video clip.

However there is an undocumented way to edit audio tracks of video clips directly in PicturesToExe: adjust the start time, the duration, fade in/out, use the Envelope tool.

Briefly: add a video file as a background music or sound comment.

Tutorial

1. Add a video clip to the slide list. For example: "myvideo.avi"

2. Open the Objects and animation editor, switch to the Properties tab and set checked "Mute audio" option.

3. Click the "Add Sound or Voice" button on the top toolbar (for a slide with this video clip).

4. The Open file dialog window will appear. Browse a folder where is located your video clip file.

5. You don't see your video files here. We need a trick. Type manually the filename of your video file. For example, in my case it was myvideo.avi

Also you can enter a full file path. For example: C:\Videos\myvideo.avi

Full file path to a video clip can be copied from the Objects and animation editor, Properties tab for a Video clip object.

6. The program will accept this video file and will extract the audio track from this video file as a sound comment.

7. Immediatelly you will see the Audio clip properties window where you can adjust and edit this audio clip. You can open this window later through the "Add Sound or Voice" button > "Customize" window.

The alternative approach

You can add the audio track of a video clip as a background music.

1. Open the Project options window.

2. Switch to the Music tab and click the "Add music" button.

3. Repeat steps 4-5 in the first tutorial above.

4. Adjust the audio clip via "Customize" button and use Envelope tool.

Notes

It's a reliable solution which will work in current version and all future releases of PicturesToExe.

This method provides exact synchronization and correct rewinding.

If you insert a video clip as an object in the Objects and animation editor with time offset (delay), you need to add a time offset to a audio file according the time position of this video clip on a slide.

We hope to improve access to editing of audio track in video clips in the next version 7.5.

[davegee]

We obviously were not trying hard enough.

Well done Igor.

DG

[Boogie]

Just goes to show what a brilliant and versatile program PTE is.

Thanks Igor for telling us how to use the audio track off a video clip.

[goddi]

Igor,

Fantastic! Thanks. I have been looking for this capability. Now it is 'undocumented'. Now, if you can let it search for mp4 and avi files, it would be easier to input the video file. But who's complaining. I would guess the new version will make it perfectly clear and easy!!!

Thanks... Gary

[davegee]

I continue to be surprised at the lack of interest in this thread?

It provides most (if not all) of the requested gizmos that those who want to use video and be able to manipulate the soundtrack have cried out for.

It is simple to use and provides access to the graphical envelope tool within PTE (and works).

Most cameras come with (free) software capable of doing the required trimming of video and now we can perform the necessary fade in/fade out, momentary lowering of volume etc which has been requested.

What's up?

DG

[Lin Evans]

Hi David,

Perhaps there is lots of interest, but not a lot of "comment" because Igor explained it pretty succinctly. It indeed does provide a perfect "work-around" and perhaps in 7.5 can be "formalized" to auto mute, find the video without the user having to remember all the "specifics" of the name and bring up the waveform for audio control of video.

Best regards,

Lin

[Guest Yachtsman1]

IMO Igor's explanation put off any comments. When I read it, it brought to mind the instructions for programming a Casio digital watch. A picture or pictures are worth a thousand words. Let's hope there is a manual upgrade soon or others like me will continue to use Audacity to edit their sound.

Yachtsman1.

[Lin Evans]

Eric,

It couldn't be easier.

1. You set the video in Objects and Animations screen Properties Tab to "mute audio."

2. Go to Project Option, Music Tab

3. Type in the file name of the video. If you can't remember the name, at least remember the extension. Navigate to the folder where your video resides. You can then type *.flv in the file name for example and see all the .flv files there You could type *.mov and see all the .mov files, etc.

4. Once you have the video name in the Music Track then click the waveform and do with it as you would with any music or sound track. You can also click the "Customize" tab and use any of the properties as you would with any music....

How could you possibly have issues with the above? How could it be any easier?

Lin

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

It couldn't be easier.

1. You set the video in Objects and Animations screen Properties Tab to "mute audio."

2. Go to Project Option, Music Tab

3. Type in the file name of the video. If you can't remember the name, at least remember the extension. Navigate to the folder where your video resides. You can then type *.flv in the file name for example and see all the .flv files there You could type *.mov and see all the .mov files, etc.

4. Once you have the video name in the Music Track then click the waveform and do with it as you would with any music or sound track. You can also click the "Customize" tab and use any of the properties as you would with any music....

How could you possibly have issues with the above? How could it be any easier?

Lin

Hi Lin

I think I'll dig my old Casio watch out & exercise my brain .

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Igor,

One thing you might add ... Since many videos, especially those downloaded from places like Youtube have long file names that may be difficult to remember, it is always possible to "see" a list of videos with a particular extension (.mov, .flv, .avi, etc.) by using the old "DOS" trick of "wild card" by typing a "star" or "asterisk" followed by a file extension.

Example:

To see all files with the extension .flv just type: *.flv into the file name then press the ENTER keyboard key. Doing this will result in seeing all the files in the folder with the extension .flv. Likewise, *.mov will result in all files with the extension .mov being displayed, etc.

This way it's not necessary for the user to actually remember the exact file name, but they can choose it from the list.

Best regards,

Lin

[davegee]

I have found it it to be simple to copy the file name from the Properties of the Video (since it is there anyway)?

DG