Exporting video as an image sequence

May 5, 2011 11:11 PM

I'm looking for a (preferably free) video editor/processor that will let me export a video clip as an image sequence.

Ideally, the program would support many different formats. It just needs to be able to cut a clip, adjust the frame rate, and the aforementioned exporting as an image sequence. Right now I use VirtualDub, which does precisely what I need it to, but the fact that it only supports AVI files is a pain. Recommendations?

posted by btfreek to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Once you export an AVI from VirtualDub, a media player like KMPlayer will allow you to export the AVI as a frame sequence (BMP,JPG,PNG).
posted by Gyan at 11:18 PM on May 5, 2011

Oops, misread the question. KMPlayer won't be good for trim points, but it'll do the rest.
posted by Gyan at 11:20 PM on May 5, 2011

Response by poster: Sorry, I should probably clarify -- I'm looking for something that can take input that is something other than AVI.
posted by btfreek at 11:24 PM on May 5, 2011

ffmpeg supports pretty much every codec and container format and can read/write image sequences. Specify the image filename using C-style printf format strings, e.g. "ffmpeg -i inputfile.ext image%5d.png" will create files named image00001.png, image00002.png, etc.
posted by Rhomboid at 12:04 AM on May 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Avidemux, despite the AVI in the title, inputs multiple formats, creates image sequences, and is free.
posted by sharkfu at 12:11 AM on May 6, 2011

What do you mean adjust the frame rate? My little saved snippet is for mplayer (probably using ffmpeg libraries to do the work):

$ mplayer -ao null -vo jpeg:subdirs=out -ss 00:55 -frames 200 -zoom -xy 300 -vf framestep=4 in.avi

Short explanation:
"-ao null": we don't need no audio;
"-vo jpeg:subdirs=out": jpeg plz;
"-ss 00:55": start from;
"-frames 200": this many frames;
"-zoom -xy 300": this wide image;
"-vf framestep=4": give me only every forth frame.

There's probably an equivalent command line for plain ffmpeg. Should handle about any input format you throw at it.
posted by zengargoyle at 5:28 AM on May 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

AVISynth can read anything supported by DirectShow with a bit of scripting (basically, you write a script, and the script "appears" to be an actual AVI to the program playing it). It's compatible with VirtualDub.
posted by neckro23 at 9:56 AM on May 6, 2011