Re: Re: [Matroska-devel] Re: Variable Framerate,plugi n based video editing tool

Chris, I understand your concern, but it seems to me it would be pointless to spend time defining some kind of plugin and codec API with nothign for them to process. If we do the file and scripting/control thing properly, then on the list #3, 4, 5, and 6 are done for free, and #9 about 90% just pending the definition of the filter plugins. The scripting and control component is probably at least half the project in terms of completing the goals. You can pretty much do real editing once it's in place barring rendered effets like transitions. After that all that's needed is the API for the filter and codec plugins and the GUI to make it all easy to use. The scripting IS the editor, the filters and the rest are just tools for the scripting language to use.

To create it, we'll basicly need a modified muxer/demuxer that knows to look for and parse the editing control stream, using it to control how the other data in the file is presented. Since matroska already supports all different kinds of streams and even simultaneous multiple video/audio streams, it shouldn't be that complicated to add. Much of the work was already done by matroska's design.

If this is done right it should be possible to just mux a multitrack MKV, then type up an editing control stream in a text editor with some timecodes and mux it into the file, then play it back to see if we can do cuts, loops, and speed changes without even needing any other programs like plugins yet.

----- Original Message -----
From: Christian HJ Wiesner <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:07:28 +0100
To: Discussion about the current and future development of Matroska <[email protected]>
Subject: [Media-api] Re: [Matroska-devel] Re: Variable Framerate,plugin based video editing tool

> Steve Lhomme wrote:
> 
> > Pushing it even further... I think this file format to save an 
> > "editing session" is actually the heart of TCVE. It should be possible 
> > to store everything in that file format. And therefore TCVE simply 
> > becomes a GUI editor for that file format.
> 
> Steve, dont you think one step too much into the future here, scaring 
> all developers away ? This editing language is certainly a good idea, 
> but shouldn't we concentrate on the very basic sceleton for now, means 
> to create a framework that will allow
> 
> - input plugins
> - muxing of MKV files
> 
> ??
> 
> If you look at my roadmap below
> 
> -------------------------------------------
> 1. Define basic structure, including the internal scripting
> 2. Define API for input/output modules
> 3. Allow muxing of MKV files, using different source formats
> 4. Implement simple cutting/editing based on frame number / timestamp
> ----- note : at this step mkvmerge becomes redundant
> 5. Add Preview for the most used and free formats ( via libavcodec ? 
> licensing problems ? )
> 6. Implement enhanced one step editing, similar to Virtualdub ( mark 
> areas to be deleted / copied )
> 7. Define a codec plugin API
> 8. Realize re-encoding of audio and video streams, using de/encoder plugins
> ----- note : at this step vdubmod becomes redundant
> 9. Adding NLE, with fades etc.
> --------------------------------------------
> 
> you will find that the first goal must be to come to step 4. , means to 
> replace the basic muxing functionality of mkvmerge. Your 'editing 
> command file format' would become interesting from step 6. no ?
> 
> > So if everyone agree, we should concentrate on this file format a lot.
> 
> We shouldnt take the same risk as with matroska here, wanting too much 
> at a time, risking everything goes down the drain. Lets make a policy of 
> small steps here, first make a working muxer with a plugin structure, 
> then add file splitting, then editing, then reencoding using codec 
> plugins, then NLE . We need help for this huge task, and we should have 
> learned from experience that you dont get support from people when you 
> are in the planning stage still, nobody will give a dime for our nice 
> plans. Give them something basic and working to play with, and interest 
> and support will come all of a sudden. Just my 2 cents
> 
> Christian
> 
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> 

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