Audio indicator to help with cutting

[Gary]

Dan,

Would it be possible to add some sort of audio indicator to help with edits? Just something that could show a graph or a VU meter so that when cutting, I could know if there is any audio present at the cut point would be a BIG help.

That would be a great feature to add.

[DanR]

Gary, Good request. I'll have to think about how to implement it.

[phd]

A fixed filar in the center of the view with the audio represented by amplitude or dB as a moving background would probably work great. The moving graph could be in blue or black with audio dropouts represented as a red flatline at the bottom. Variable zoom to allow different fields of view at 1 sec up to the full file length would be great. Makes it easier to find commercials by the dead spots.

[DanR]

A fixed filar in the center of the view with the audio represented by amplitude or dB as a moving background would probably work great. The moving graph could be in blue or black with audio dropouts represented as a red flatline at the bottom. What is a fixed filar? I'm not familiar with that term.
Variable zoom to allow different fields of view at 1 sec up to the full file length would be great. Makes it easier to find commercials by the dead spots.Extremely difficult to do efficiently unless the program was already demuxed into elem. streams. A typical program stream file is ~2GB/hour. The audio would have to demultiplexed before we could display the whole program.

I've put this feature on the list Version 2 of things to consider.

[phd]

That's the little fine vertical line showing you your position relative to the whole clip. Having it stationary as the center of the view with the graphic representation of the waveform moving behind it as the line is scrubbed or played. Sort of like an EKG as it goes across the screen. The filar would represent the location of the current frame.

If variable zoom is too difficult, a fixed view at 1 or 2 seconds field width would probably be sufficient.

[Anonymous]

I agree an audio indicator would be a big plus, tmpgenc has it, the main thing i use it is when i am marking commercial breaks, sometimes there is 10 - 20 frames of black, but only 2 or 3 frames with no audio, and i want the break where there is no audio.

[Brainiac 5]

Add my vote for an audio indicator - just a representation of the audio that goes with the current frame would be great. My reason for wanting this is the same as craighackl's - so that I could put my cuts at points where the audio is silent.

This is actually my number one most desired feature!

[Harry]

if this here is up for voting, then add my vote as well pls :D

[DanR]

OK, OK, you've got our attention :D

Lets look at this a little deeper. There are 2 approaches we can take.

The first would be to simply add a moving audio waveform on the screen either as a picture overlay or as a control near one of the sliders. This waveform would graphically display the audio volume (sum of all channels) for about a second or two before and after the current frame. The on-picture overlay might be nice since it doesn't take up valuable real estate and like the current frame display would only be visible when paused. This would keep the overhead down.

Another approach would be to switch the screen into a series of thumbnails, maybe 30 in total. Below each thumbnail would be the audio waveform.

[phd]

#1 sounds like the better way to go if possible.

[Harry]

#1 sounds better :D

[Gary]

#1 sounds best. 2 or 3 seconds should be enough.

[bitter_old_man]

Another vote for #1.

Barry

[Fredd]

You have my vote as well.
I have some cuts to do in sequences that fade to black; a graphical audio view ala TMPGenc was my first idea but #1 solution seems more in VRD behaviour.

[Anonymous]

Dan,

Any chance the audio could be output to the speakers while spinning the mouse wheel round ?

This would soooo assist in knowing where to place cuts!

Kindest regards,
Marc.

(p.s. any chance we could have a check-box that removes the opening splach screen? I've never liked them, no matter who's it is)

[DanR]

Any chance the audio could be output to the speakers while spinning the mouse wheel round ? I'm not sure I see how that would work. When you move the mouse wheel, VRD goes into pause mode. What would you play, a 0.5 second of audio perhaps?

p.s. any chance we could have a check-box that removes the opening splach screen? I've never liked them, no matter who's it is)We will add it to the list.

[Karen0302]

Dan,

Any word on when we might see the audio window in a beta? Not being able to see the audio in order to do a cut at the right place is the biggest single problem I have with VRD.

Karen

[DanR]

You guys don't give up, do you? :)

Seriously, the answer right now is I don't know. But, ask again in a week and you'll probably get an answer. Its not a trival issue for us, as it involves deep changes to some internal architectures of the program.

[Gary]

Dan,

Take a look at some of the audio editing programs such as the old cool edit pro, now Adobe Audition. All that's needed is a window that shows about a 10 second visual graph or so of audio. The lowest point on the graph would be the cut spot.

[DanR]

I have Cool-Edit 2K, great program. I know what has to be done, its still an architectural issue. It will happen, just needs more research before we can project a date.

The good news is that research is going on. :)

[Anonymous]

Dan,

No, not a whole 0.5 seconds, just the audio of the visible frame. For each advance or retreat of a frame you burst the audio of the frame you're now displaying (and, if you're clever, you play the retreat in reverse!).

M.

[DanR]

I'll see how hard that is to do. Don't know yet.