Need some software

[floppybootstomp]

I am perhaps being lazy here but I'll ask anyway.

I need some software recommending for use within Linux Mint to:

1) Record audio from sound card line in
2) Edit audio (something like Audacity)
3) Burn DVD's from video clips in all common file formats (avi; mpg, flv etc)
4) Edit video

I'm slowly becoming dependent on Mint to do more tasks and so far have e-mail; internet; office; photo editing; Microsoft Publisher substitute (Scribus) plus a few other things covered.

Mint is installed on a swappable 160Gb hard disk mounted in a caddy. The system is based around an Asus M2N-sli deluxe motherboard with AMD dual core 3.2Ghz CPU and 2Gb memory.

All hardware including printer functions perfectly. At this stage I am not interested in playing games within Mint.

When I use Win XP Pro with this machine it's main tasks are recording audio from a variety of sources through a hi-fi amplifier; editing captured audio files (mostly using Audacity to edit files recorded from vinyl, mostly 'topping and tailing' where tracks segue into one another on the album);burning DVD's from video files using Nero 8; editing video which often involves compiling seperate clips and creating a menu system within Pinnacle editing software. And also capturing video and audio from a VCR and DVD player.

Perhaps there's some software to suit those requirements within the repository?

As I said, I am being a little lazy here, asking for suggestions before searching but if anybody knows of software to suit I'd be pleased to hear recommendations.

 

[Urmas]

1) Record audio from sound card line in
2) Edit audio (something like Audacity)

Audacity
Gnome Wave Cleaner

3) Burn DVD's from video clips in all common file formats (avi; mpg, flv etc)
4) Edit video

Kino
Kdenlive
Avidemux
PiTiVi

DeVeDe

k3b


Try these first – they should all be in Mint repos.

Lemme know if you need more suggestions.

 

[Abarbarian]

I have used K3b and DeVeDe both excellent programs. Also DVD Styler is worth a look.

http://www.dvdstyler.de/

You might find one of your Windows programs runs with Wine but have no working knowledge to offer an opinion.

http://appdb.winehq.org/

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thanks for the suggestions fellas

I am definitely NOT going down the WINE path, that's kinda defeating the object, sort of like having a bath with your booots on And I hear WINE is flaky at best.

If I am going to do this thing then I want nowt but open source software.

I have an instance here where I need to segue tracks three and four when burning a CD from a bunch of mp3 files and wonder if the software linked to above can do this? I can carry out that function within Nero 8, I just right click on the mp3 when it's in the burning folder within Nero and choose to delete track lead-in silence.

 

[Urmas]

I am definitely NOT going down the WINE path, that's kinda defeating the object, sort of like having a bath with your booots on...

Agree. 200%.

I need to segue tracks three and four when burning a CD from a bunch of mp3 files and wonder if the software linked to above can do this?

k3b.

When it comes to burner software, there ain't none better.

 

[Abarbarian]

Wouldn't want to get them purple boots wet now would we.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Wouldn't want to get them purple boots wet now would we.

They do still exist

Longest lasting pair of Doc Marten boots I've ever owned, purchased from Camden Lock May 2007.

Now own a more sedate navy blue pair as well, for those formal functions such as funerals, court appearances, producing one's vehicle documents at the local nick and appointments with one's divorce lawyer

I haven't tried any software yet, been busy doing a mailshot, but I will, I will.

 

[floppybootstomp]

k3b is already installed and I've just installed Audacity, nice to see some familiar software

Getting there. Next up, video editing and capture, but I have decided to finally build a video/audio switcher first, I've had the bits for ages but never got round to making it.

It's basically a box, nine phono sockets and a multiway switch for selecting between VCR and DVD player.

Time to get the drill out...

 

[Abarbarian]

http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/top5-linux-video-editing-system-software/

The above may help. I ain't used any of them so can not offer any suggestions.


DigiKam is my favourite for capturing picture from a camera.

http://www.pitivi.org/

This sounds like it should integrate and work well for you gnomey types.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Not really interested in software for interfacing with a camera, a camera is seen as a HDD anyway so I just plug the camera or the card into the puter and cut and paste into a folder.

I made my switcher today, works ok. The case was one I had hanging around surplus to past work but I'd lost the bolts that hold the lid on, hence the white insulation tape keeping it together.

A few pix:

The more observant amongst you may notice that the phono sockets are different. The red & black ones are from RS and I had those hanging about. The yellow ones are from Maplins. The RS sockets are both cheaper and of better quality but there's not a lot in it.

And in place:

On a different but sort of related subject Maplins reduced the price of one of their rather good flight cases from £20 to £15 recently so I bought one for my soldering iron. Most excellent. Makes both storage and on site use much more convenient.

And after I connected my new little switcher thought I'd best try things out. DVD playback within Nero and Pinnacle capture ok, VCR audio ok but pic info just a load of mush.

To cut a long story short that involved cleaning video heads and observing/adjusting VCR loading arms, the VCR is kaput. It's twenty years old. Perfect timing eh? I finally decide to build switch and VCR goes belly up.

So now I'm looking for a vcr, hope I can find someone who doesn't use theirs any longer as single VCR's still cost around 80 quid and VCR/DVD combo is a minimum of £150.00. There was a time when VC players were sold for around 40 quid but not any more.

Still, no panic, I'm sure patience will see one come my way and there's quite a lot going cheap on E-Bay.

We shall see.

Another thought occured to me, will Linux see my PInnacle Dazzle video/audio/USB interface video capture device without any software for Linux?

Too late now but I'll find out tomorrow I suppose.

Can you tell I really have too much time on my hands?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Update:

Installed PiTiVi and it doesn't appear to have a capture facility. And the edit function seems complicated to me.

Attempted burning a DVD using k3b from a 696Mb avi file with no success, kept getting error messages.

Score so far, Bill Vs Linus:

Pinnacle: 1 PiTiVi: 0

Nero: 1 k3b: 0

I just report as I see, but feeling a bit disappointed

Of course, it could just be me being Nobby No Brains...

 

[Urmas]

.avi issue: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1405271

Dunno about PiTiVi... try the others (Kdenlive, Kino).

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thanks for that link Urmas, that was exactly my issue.

I shall give DeVeDe a try.

And I do intend to try all of them.

I will uninstall PiTiVi. Hmm, how do I uninstall something in Mint? Same as in Windows?

While I'm here, one other minor issue, seems Google within Linux doesn't have an image search function. Well, none I can find anyway. When I use Google with any version of Windows it has an image search button.

As for k3b being the best software ever, on my brief experience of it so far Nero seems to be in the lead. I must confess I've always like Nero, despite a few bugs it has; their rather agressive sales policy and a hefty price tag.

There again, if we look at things another way k3b could be in the lead does it costs not a single solitary penny

 

[Urmas]

I will uninstall PiTiVi. Hmm, how do I uninstall something in Mint? Same as in Windows?

Which tool are you using for installing stuff? Whachamacallit Mintinstall? There ought to be options for both install and unistall. I tend to use Synaptic Package Manager – it has more control (install, remove, COMPLETELY remove [whacks user config files as well], lock package version etc.) Or, using command line:

sudo apt-get install packagename
sudo apt-get remove packagename (uninstalls package only)
sudo apt-get purge packagename (deletes config files as well)

A question, though? Are you short of disk space? Or "just" a tidy person?

There again, if we look at things another way k3b could be in the lead does it costs not a single solitary penny

Uh... that's one way to look at things. But I never used to like Nero very much when I was using Windoze... in fact, I bought Roxio and did my burning stuff with it. Nope... I "just" like k3b very much – OK, these days most of my burning is .isos, so...

... Google within Linux doesn't have an image search function. Well, none I can find anyway.

Say what? Open the Google page, MOVE THE CURSOR INTO THE PAGE AREA, options will appear on the top of the page – Internet, Image Search, Maps, Translator (AAARGH!), Blogs etc.

Like so (in Finnish):

 

[floppybootstomp]

What tool am I using for uninstalling stuff? Dunno, haven't uninstalled anything from Mint so far.

Short of disk space or tidy? Just tidy

Without having to worry about Games installs, this HDD at 160Gb is plenty so far.

I do like Nero, once you get used to the few bugs there are and circumnavigate them, it just works.

I can drag an avi file to relevant position, click once or twice and the avi file becomes a DVD. Pretty good, in my book.

On and on, persevering, being honest, mostly very very pleased but still nervous

 

[floppybootstomp]

Still not having a lot of luck here with creating a DVD from avi files.

I have two avi files at 696Mb each and using DeVeDe have created ISO's with each of them. The two files form one complete movie.

DeVeDe indicates that the two files would take up 98% of a standard 4.7Gb DVD but all I have to burn from is a couple of ISO's and DeVeDe balked at burning a DVD from two ISO's, which is perhaps understandable, I've nver burnt two ISO's together before with any software.

So right now I have DeVeDe converting the ISO's into mpeg files. Well, I think I do, anyway. I can't see any burning options within DeVeDe, to me it's very confusing.

Maybe if the conversion of ISO's to mpeg files is successful I can use k3b to make a DVD. I'll also find out whether I can create a menu for the DVD within k3b.

I know I've said it before but when I use Nero to do this it's seriously easy to do. It looks as though I'll actually have to RTFM on this one and spend some time figuring it out.

But, being a male, I rarely ever RTFM cos I'm of the opinion that with any software, if I can't just use it straight away then it's no good. Yes, I know that's silly but that's just the way I am. Same rules apply for video recorders, cameras and even motor cars, it's a male thing.

As for Google, no amount of cursor hovering opens up any different options for me, I do not have an option to search for images. Strange.

Oh well, highs and lows. On a positive note I've fired up and used Mint every day for around a couple of weeks now, the longest I've continuously used any Linux Distro.

I've noticed there are lots of things I prefer about it to Windows the more I use it and get familiar with it. There are also some things that I haven't quite worked out yet but that's par the course I suppose.

Next up, burn the audio CD with two tracks joined at the hip.

 

[floppybootstomp]

So far, not good. DeVeDe created two mpg files but they're the wrong size (8.1Mb?) and don't have any info at all. They certainly will not open in any of the media players.

Not looking good so far.

I'm begininng to think Linux is perhaps a glorified Word Processor and Web Browser, I would have liked to have thought otherwise but so far that's how it's looking

To justify this whingeing, please bear in mind that for several Windows software applications, what I'm trying to do within Linux is a breeze, no probs at all

I wish it were otherwise.

 

[Abarbarian]

Here is a shot of my FF showing a Google search from my Mandy desktop. You might need a magnifying glass to see the "Image" options.

http://imgur.com/g5pib?full

 

[Abarbarian]

DeVeDe does not burn disks.
Why create two iso's ? DeVeDe will put both files in the same dvd, simply drag and drop files into the left hand little window. Simple menus can be written via the menue options button at the bottom of the main window.

"Creating a disk: fast instructions

Before explaining all the options in DeVeDe, I'll give you the common sequence to create a disk.

First, you choose the disk type you want to create (DVD, VCD, sVCD, CVD or DivX). Then, you drag&drop the files you want in the main window, creating (if is a DVD) the titles you want, or add them one-each-time with the Add file button.

If you want to add subtitles or fine-tune the properties of a file, you should use the Properties button.

Then you should click the Adjust disk usage button. This will automatically set the video bitrate for each file (which depends on the final size of the file, if it has one or more subtitles, if it's already a converted file...).

After that, use the Menu preview button to ensure that you like the menu that DeVeDe will create. If not, you can use the Menu options button to change them. Remember that the menu will use the names of the titles.

Finally, just click the Forward button, choose a destination directory and a name, and enjoy a good coffee while DeVeDe works.

When the ISO or BIN/CUE file has been created, you can use K3b, GnomeBaker or Brasero to burn it. Under Gnome (is possible that under KDE there's a simmilar option) you can right-click on the file and choose Burn to disk too. Or you can use the safest option: command line:

growisofs -dvd-compat -speed=4 -Z /dev/dvd=FILE.ISO
​

for ISO images, or:

cdrdao write --device ATA:0,0,0 --driver generic-mmc --speed 16 NameOfCUEOrTOCFile
​

for BIN/CUE files."




There is a excellent help file with pictures, click on "HELP" at the top left.

 

[Abarbarian]

In K3b open up main program, go to TOOLS at top then "BURN IMAGE" then carry on to burn.This will burn your iso created with DeVeDe. I always verify and set speed at x4. Seemples as the mercat says.