What is LiVES ?

LiVES began in 2002 as the Linux Video Editing System. Since it now runs on more operating systems: LiVES is a Video Editing System. It is designed to be simple to use, yet powerful. It is small in size, yet it has many advanced features.

LiVES is a Free, Open Source video editor *and* a VJ tool.

LiVES mixes realtime video performance and non-linear editing in one application. It will let you start editing and making video right away, without having to worry about formats, frame sizes, or framerates. It is a very flexible tool which can be used by both VJ's and video editors - mix and switch clips from the keyboard, trim and edit your clips, and bring them together using the multitrack timeline. You can even record your performance in real time, and then edit it further or render it straight away as a new clip !

For the more technically minded, the application can be controlled remotely or scripted for use as a video server. And it supports all of the latest free standards.

LiVES is good enough to be used as a VJ tool for professional performances, and as a video editor is capable of creating dazzling clips in a wide variety of formats. For a full list of the features of LiVES, look at the features page.

Check out some of the other pages here for screenshots, demo videos, add-ons, and of course, you can download and use it for free !

Features
The current *features* that LiVES supports:
Platform

* Stable and well tested core.
* Fully cross platform for GNU/Linux and many flavours of Unix (e.g. BSD, openMosix, IRIX, OSX/Darwin).
* Runs on at least x86, amd64, ppc and xbox/x86.
* The LiVES audio/video platform is custom extendable through RFX plugins. See the Custom RFX page for more details.
* Allows quick and easy prototyping of new tools, utilities, effects, transitions, generators and more, using the included RFX builder window.
* Plugins can be written in Perl, C, C++, python, or any other language, allowing O/S level access to individual frames within clips.
* Will scale for high/low end hardware. Can be split into client/server components.
* Control every function in LiVES remotely using OSC protocol.
* Packages for most major GNU/linux distributions: Ubuntu, Mandriva, Gentoo, Debian, Suse, Fedora Core, Rock Linux, Source Mage, Alt Linux, Frugalware and Dynebolic.
* 100% original, non-proprietary code.
* more technical details...

Video

* Loading and editing of almost any video format (via mplayer decoder).
* Smooth playback at variable frame rates, forward and in reverse. Display framerate can be controlled independantly of playback framerate.
* Frame accurate cutting and pasting within and between clips.
* Saving/re-encoding of clips, selections, and individual frames.
* Lossless backup/restore.
* Streaming input and output.
* Real time blending of clips (various chroma and luma blends).
* Can handle in/out streams in LiVES to LiVES or yuv4mpeg format. Streams can be piped from stdout into other applications.
* Supports fixed and variable framerates. Playback rate can be smoothly adjusted independant of display rate.
* Ability to 'scratch' with video - that is to move smoothly backwards and forwards through it, and to record yourself doing so.
* Playback can use LiVES' own internal player, there is also a high performance fullscreen SDL playback plugin
* Internal support for RGB24, RGBA32, YUVA, YUV, YUV422, YUV420 (jpeg and mpeg), YUYV, YUV411 and UYVY palettes; chroma super and subsampling is implemented.
* Ability to edit many filetypes and sources including remotely located files (with mplayer/ffmpeg libraries), and directories of images.
* Real time capture/recording of interactive (via mouseclicks) external windows.
* Encode to any of the 50+ output formats which are now supported (e.g. mjpeg, mpeg4, mpeg1/2, h264, VCD, SVCD, DVD, ogg/mp4 ogm, Matroska mkv, dv, swf, Ogg Theora, Dirac, MNG, Snow, xvid, and even animated GIF and PDF!)
* Encoder formats can easily be extended through the encoder plugin API.
* LiVES will suggest the best settings for saving to each format.
* Resampling of video (time stretching) to any frame rate (1 to 200 fps - accurate to 8 decimal places); option to auto-resample or speed up/slow down between clips.
* Ability to instantly alter the playback speed of video and audio independently.
* Rotation, resizing and trimming of video clips.
* Deinterlacing, subtitle removal.
* Instant saving/loading of clips for performances/presentations.

Audio

* Can load mp3, ogg, mod, xm and wav files.
* LiVES can also load tracks directly off CD to use with your video (using cdda2wav).
* Ability to save audio selections, and append audio.
* Sound can be trimmed to fit video selections.
* Cutting and pasting of audio within and between clips.
* Resampling of audio (rate, channels, sample size, signedness and endianness); audio is auto-resampled between clips.
* Supports (auto)inserting of silence and deletion of audio sections.
* Able to record from any external audio source.
* Fade in/fade out feature for clips.
* Audio speed and direction can be smoothly adjusted; both in real time and when rendering.

Effects/Transitions

* Many effects, including random/targeted zooming, panning of video, colour cycling and colorisation/colour filtering.
* Merging/compositing of frames is possible: e.g. frame-in-frame, fade in/out and transparency.
* Real time previews as the effect is processing.
* Support for the Frei0r effect plugin architecture (via a wrapper) which will allow sharing of realtime effects with other applications.
* Use real time effects to blend clips together, regardless of frame size or fps. Luma and chroma blending are currently supported.
* Multiple real time effects are possible during playback (VJ mode), these can also be rendered to frames.
* Effects and transitions are now fully customisable using the RFX builder window.
* Effects/blends can also be applied to incoming streams in real time.
* Dynamic loading of effects.

Multitrack

* Multitrack window with drag and drop
* Intelligent screen organisation - shows you only the information which is relevant, no more and no less
* Support for an almost limitless number of tracks and effects
* Rapid rendering - resize/resample and effects apply done in a single pass
* Tracks can be laid out entirely with keyboard, or with mouse, or a combination of both
* Multitrack settings can be targetted for a specific encoder, or generic
* Layouts can be saved and reloaded
* Audio blocks can be timestretched and even reversed
* Non-destructive editing, with multiple levels of undo/redo.
* Full automation of effect parameters.
* Any number of layers can be composited together into a single layer.

Extras

* Full crash recovery.
* Simple and intuitive menu layout.
* Remote monitoring of the application can be enabled
* I18N text support. Translations into French, Czech, German, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese and Hungarian are included.
* Support for audio output through jack.
* Jack transport support (master or client)
* Full integration with upcoming videojack standard (work in progress)
* RFX builder allows rapid prototyping of new effects, transitions, generators, utilities and tools. Custom RFX scripts can be exported to share with others or downloaded and imported. Test scripts are run in a sandbox to allow safe testing of new plugins.
* Midi sequence synchronisation (start/stop).
* Can load single images or directories of images in numerical order and assemble them into videos or slideshows.
* Ability to play music through xmms (including random selection of tracks).
* Shuttle controls for firewire cameras/recorders. Can grab from DV and HDV formats.
* Can stream out (on stdout) using yuv4mpeg format.
* Project files (clips and layouts) can be exported and imported
* Toys!

GUI

* Based on gtk+ 2.8+, runs under KDE, Gnome, Metacity, Fluxbox and almost all other window managers.
* Several built in themes/skins available (see screenshots). Custom themes will be supported soon.

Download and try LiVES, the tool that lets you ~play~ with video!