On the hunt for some video ripping/editing software and could really use some advice

Looking for Software
1

I’m looking for a solution to a workplace problem and hoping you all can help.

In my government team, we often need to review video and CCTV footage. VLC usually works for us, but a lot of the time, the CCTV files come with their own players. For example, we get 12-hour, 10+ GB files that become unmanageable when we try to archive them. The embedded player often gets blocked by our IT policies. Right now, we use an airgapped computer, but I want a better solution that fits our work practices.

I only need to rip about half an hour from these long videos. Is there video ripping software that can grab part of the video while it’s playing in its native player?

Here’s what I need from the software:

  • Must work offline—no uploading files, even partially.
  • Should be from a reputable company (like Adobe) and not some random program.
  • Needs to be easy to use since I’ll need to teach it to a couple of less tech-savvy folks (I can create step-by-step docs).
  • A single license is preferred over a subscription. I’m trying to keep costs down, but I’m spending work money, so I can go for whatever’s necessary.
2

If you can share more about the formats you’re having trouble playing without the “native player,” I can help find a better solution! :blush:

3

I found a document from 2015 that talks about the format issues. The thing is, there’s no way to predict what format might show up over time since the CCTV is from private operators’ equipment.

4

Then OBS is the better solution :wink:

5

You might want to try tsMuxeR; it’s free and has options to split and cut videos. It doesn’t support all formats and codecs, but if yours is one of the compatible ones, it could work great for you!

6

For video ripping, you could check out Bandicam or Camtasia; both let you record part of your screen, so you can grab just the segments you need. Once you’ve ripped the video, consider using Guidde if you want to make how-to videos or documentation. It’s really easy for creating visual aids and works well with different platforms. Hope that helps!

7

Why not just record the video? So you have a smaller file and dont have to rip it. You could use OBS Studio for that purpose.

8

A lot of CCTV formats only work in their own players, so many programs can’t open the files. It could be an .avi file, but if the codec isn’t available, you’re stuck.

I can play the file using the embedded player on an airgapped computer, so if I could just record the screen of that player for a short clip, that would be perfect.

We’ve even had to watch the footage on the CCTV terminal screen and record it with an iPhone, which is definitely not ideal. I want to avoid that!

9

OBS Studio can actually record everything you want to record, so if you play the part of the video you want to cut from the native player, you can just recordit by obs, and no need for other 3d party softwares