Joining 2 or more AVIs together with zero quality loss? How?

As my project gets more and more complicated I'm having to split it into smaller chunks. No problem there...

The question is, when I want to stick 10 or more AVI's together again, what's the best way to do it with zero quality loss?

Sure, I could render them all, and then import them back into my NLE, and then re-render out. Is that normal?

There are also a number of programs that can stick 2 AVI's together.

I can't afford to lose any quality on the sound or picture. Does anyone know a freeware utility or technique that can do this with no loss?

This is kind of important, so I would appreciate it if I got just one answer. If I log on tomorrow and get 63 views and no replies I'll... uh.... O.K...... there's nothing I can do. Probably just sulk a bit.

But thx if you can help. 12-14 hour days fray your nerves don't they?

:weird:
 
Memory issues. I only have a Gig. There are some complicated parts with a dense soundscape and fast, flickering cuts. My VAIO has a difficult time rendering these.

Once the section gets longer than 10 minutes my computer slows down.

If there's something I'm missing please tell me.
 
I think I understand the problem, but let me make sure:

I had this problem with my first short, a 45 minute piece of crap done on a crappy computer. I couldn't do anything longer than 10 minutes without my NLE freezing or not allowing me to see the picture cut in real time. My solution was to render a 5-10 minute section at a time, load each section into a new project, connect them and render the final. It was flawless. Is this what you're wondering?
 
I think I understand the problem, but let me make sure:

I had this problem with my first short, a 45 minute piece of crap done on a crappy computer. I couldn't do anything longer than 10 minutes without my NLE freezing or not allowing me to see the picture cut in real time. My solution was to render a 5-10 minute section at a time, load each section into a new project, connect them and render the final. It was flawless. Is this what you're wondering?

I think as long as you're keeping consistent with file-types, this solution is the way to go. Done right, there shouldn't be any loss in video quality.
 
Mencoder can do it losslessly very easy to do in Linux, Mencoder can be installed in OSX and windows.. It is harder to install in windows but can be done.

In Linux, all I do to concatenate 3 .AVI files is open a command line terminal in the folder where the files are and type:

mencoder -oac copy -ovc copy -idx -o output.avi video1.avi video2.avi video3.avi


and VIOLA! I will have a file output.avi w/ all 3.

You might google concatenate avi alongside your OS and see what comes up.




.
 
Check your settings in your NLE, as long as there is no effects, color correction etc. you can always select an export that does not re-render the footage with any loss.
 
Im curious about the aspect of not re-rendering....

If I chose a NON compression codex, does that UNDO the compression of the previously rendered files? In otherwords say that in my NLE I import two AVI's that are compressed for windows media. If I then render that movie in a NON-compression codex, do I end up fluffing the resulting file?
 
In Premiere Pro, there is a box check marked in the EXPORT that says "re-render" and if you uncheck it, then it will simply be doing a file copy to create a single new AVI, unless you have titles, effects, or color correction or any kind of change to the AVI.
 
Thanks for your answers everyone.

I had this problem with my first short, a 45 minute piece of crap done on a crappy computer. I couldn't do anything longer than 10 minutes without my NLE freezing or not allowing me to see the picture cut in real time. My solution was to render a 5-10 minute section at a time, load each section into a new project, connect them and render the final. It was flawless. Is this what you're wondering?

Exactly, except mine is a 25 minute piece of crap that I hope to extend to feature length at some point. I will probably do what you suggested, as most answers on this thread say there's no quality loss. I come from an lo-fi analogue music background, so I always think that another stage of processing might mean a drop in quality. But with digital I'm starting to understand that isn't the case.

Check your settings in your NLE, as long as there is no effects, color correction etc. you can always select an export that does not re-render the footage with any loss.

OK, on the last render I'll just make sure not to use any effects. I see the sense in this.

google concatenate avi

I normally use windows cos I don't know much about computers. This seems like a useful command once you learn how to do it. I'd love to install Linux at some point...
 
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