See Hardware acceleration p109 in the PDF manual available under Help.

I have searched through all the "advanced settings" menus and see no option for "smart render" as mentioned in the operating instructions. Can you please post a screenshot of where this checkbox is located?

VSCL version 22.2.0.53 (downloaded yesterday). Windows 10 PC.

Hi

. . . . I have searched through all the "advanced settings" menus and see no option for "smart render" as mentioned in the operating instructions. Can you please post a screenshot of where this checkbox is located? . . . .

The option is there as shown below

however there are limitations - AFAICS they are:

1. it is only available for exporting as MPEG-2 - no support for AVCHD export as mt2s format
    
2. the MPEG-2 options do not support Full HD - 1920 x 1080, maximum is 1440 x 1080 - if source video is Full HD then Smart Render will not work
    

The only MP4/AVCHD/MPEG-2 codec available is the MainConcept codec - no option to use the Intel HD codec.

The puzzle for me is - as the program cannot edit video - why would the program offer a video export option?

The purpose of the software is to clean the video audio and export the cleaned version to enable importing into video editing software. Many video editing software available already supports the video formats VSCL can handle and allow removal/muting of the original audio for replacement.

However - there is the possibility that someone, who uses VSCL regularly, knows different.

John EB

As I indicate in the other post, I would not use VSCL or AML for exporting the video, however, it can be done. The best that I can figure is that someone may only want adjust the sound and export to a similar video file with clean sound, which is why the feature is there, however limited. I get the same thing in AML, little or no parameters, and none on mp4. Note that there is a Share feature to be able to export the video directly to YT, FB, etc., thus further explaining uses for exporting the video.

On my Surface Pro 4, which is what I am using, opening AML sucks up over 90% of the CPU (8 GB RAM), even with nothing loaded. Often I get a memory error upon closing it. I don't recall this problem on my desktop. I may need to reinstall AML on the SP4.

Did either of you check the resulting exported files to see that the actual parameters ended up?

I would like to know what happens with VSCL. When loaded with nothing, what is the CPU usage and what RAM do you each have?

John CB

Hi John CB

. . . . I would like to know what happens with VSCL. When loaded with nothing, what is the CPU usage and what RAM do you each have? . . . .

CPU <0.1% RAM 189.5 MB

Exporting AVCHD 1920 x 1080i PAL to AVCHD 1440 x 1080i NTSC - VSCL did not change values, however a video exporter was started which took :

Software encoding - 54.7% CPU and 223 MB RAM with mixdown

Hardware encoding (Intel QSV) - 36% CPU and 286MB RAM with Mixdown

HTH

John EB

@johnebaker

Thanks for checking. There must be a problem with my installation. I'll re-install it when I get home.

John CB

The puzzle for me is - as the program cannot edit video - why would the program offer a video export option?

Exactly my concern! It shouldn't touch the video stream at all. If you want to convert video formats that could be an option but the default export should be to match the input file.

My current method of enhancing the audio in a video file is to run it through "ffmpeg" to separate the audio and video streams. After enhancing the audio track in a DAW I remux the audio file with the original source video file (again via ffmpeg). Audio enhanced with no degradation or re-encoding of the video stream whatsoever.

I was hoping this is how VSCL worked since it is named "Video Audio Sound Cleaner" not "Video Editor". Alas it seems I must still use the ffmpeg approach as it appears I cannot be sure WHAT I am getting with the VSCL video export.

BTW - the one feature that caused me to purchase VSCL is the spectrum matching feature ("cloner"). Best EQ matching tool I have ever used - and I've used nearly all of them.

@jeff-rippe

As I said, the video export is there for a purpose, just not yours. The idea is to edit and export the audio and then remux, normally in the video editor. BTW, AML is much more powerful than VSCL. The same process can be done with Samplitude, just don't remux/export with the video from Samplitude, only export audio.

John CB

@jeff-rippe

And as I said:

The purpose of the software is to clean the video audio and export the cleaned version to enable importing into video editing software. Many video editing software available already supports the video formats VSCL can handle and allow removal/muting of the original audio for replacement.

The workflow with ffmepeg/DAW/ffmpeg/Video editor is overcomplicated and unnecessary.

Here is a quick example of how you audio clean from MEP with VSCL

Very easy in comparison.

HTH

John EB

@jeff-rippe

And as I said:

The purpose of the software is to clean the video audio and export the cleaned version to enable importing into video editing software. Many video editing software available already supports the video formats VSCL can handle and allow removal/muting of the original audio for replacement.

The workflow with ffmepeg/DAW/ffmpeg/Video editor is overcomplicated and unnecessary.

Here is a quick example of how you audio clean from MEP with VSCL

Very easy in comparison.

HTH

John EB

Thank you but this is an example of how to edit audio within a video project before it has been rendered. What I often work on are finished video projects from clients that want the audio enhanced (advertisements, weddings recorded on camcorders, etc.). I do not want any degradation or re-rendering of the video stream. My current path is ffmepeg -> DAW -> ffmpeg. I do not use a video editor at all. I thought that's what I could do in one step with VSCL.

>>Many video editing software available already supports the video formats VSCL can handle and allow removal/muting of the original audio for replacement.

Yes, but can they do that without re-rendering the video stream? I haven't found it. Not VSCL, Movie Studio or Vegas Pro ("smart renders" only mpeg2 format). Not Adobe Premiere. I've tried some utility programs (including my DAW) that demux/remux the audio/video streams but they ended up messing up the audio/video sync, created corrupt files or only work with limited formats. ffmpeg is the only tool I have found that works 100% of the time (but clumsy to use).

This is crazy because it seems it should be a simple, common task yet I haven't found a simple solution. If you have a way please let me know!

@jeff-rippe

Hi

. . . . What I often work on are finished video projects . . . .

That is an important piece of information that ought to have been in the original question - it puts a different perspective on the original question.

AFAIK there is no other means of demuxing a finished product to extract the sound, clean it up and then re-mux, other then the method you are using, and maintain the same format final product without re-rendering.

If a different format and/or resolution was required then the process would be straightforward as you have seen in the example I have given.

HTH

John EB

@jeff-rippe

Hi

. . . . What I often work on are finished video projects . . . .

That is an important piece of information that ought to have been in the original question - it puts a different perspective on the original question.

I guess I'm confused as well. If VSCL is intended to be used as an audio processor adjunct to a video editor why does VSCL need any video features of its own? Why not just make it an audio plugin?

VSCL as a stand-alone program only seems to do 2/3 the job. It demuxes the audio and video streams; it allows you to process the audio stream; but then offers no way to remux the two back together without re-rendering the video stream (which you have done nothing to). If ffmpeg can do this why can't an app like VSCL do it?

I find this very strange. VSCL has some useful audio tools but the interface seems odd/not fully thought out.

Thank you for the input and info.

Hi

. . . . If ffmpeg can do this why can't an app like VSCL do it ? . . . . .

FFMPEG is not an app, it is a series of 'libraries' which contain various functions and is command line driven.

Third parties have created graphical user interfaces (GUI's) which allow you to run ffmpeg like an app/program this avoiding having to use the command line method which is tedious and prone to typo's.

HTH

John EB

Hi

. . . . If ffmpeg can do this why can't an app like VSCL do it ? . . . . .

FFMPEG is not an app, it is a series of 'libraries' which contain various functions and is command line driven.

Third parties have created graphical user interfaces (GUI's) which allow you to run ffmpeg like an app/program this avoiding having to use the command line method which is tedious and prone to typo's.

HTH

John EB

Right - so why can't a program like VSCL incorporate this? It says in the program info box that VSCL already uses some open source code - probably from ffmpeg!

My point is that VSCL is not a video editor it is an audio editor. It should "smart render" or "copy video stream" by default with OPTION to export in some other format. Not only is that not the default but it appears it's not even possible!

I give. Enough said. Happy New Year everyone.

@jeff-rippe

And as I said:

The purpose of the software is to clean the video audio and export the cleaned version to enable importing into video editing software. Many video editing software available already supports the video formats VSCL can handle and allow removal/muting of the original audio for replacement.

The workflow with ffmepeg/DAW/ffmpeg/Video editor is overcomplicated and unnecessary.

Here is a quick example of how you audio clean from MEP with VSCL

Very easy in comparison.

HTH

John EB

This method does not seem to work in Vegas Pro. I have VSCL linked as the external audio editor; it imports the audio but does not save the modified audio back to the project when closed (like your video shows).

So, is there a trick to using VSCL in Vegas Pro?

I don't know about how Vegas works. VPX and MEP simply send a wav file to VSCL. Upon exiting VSCL, you are asked if you want to save. If yes, then the modified wav file is saved - same name, same location. When you go back to the video editor, you are now working with the modified wav file. I would assume that Vegas does the same thing as my understanding is that this is what happens when one uses SoundForge from Vegas, does it not?

Same with photos. Send a photo from VPX or MEP to the linked external editor. What is sent is the link to the actual file. Save upon exit modifies the original photo (make sure that you have conserved the original elsewhere) and once back on VPX/MEP, the photo is the modified version, as it is the same filename at the same location.

John CB