Replacing the audio track of a video is a common task, and while many tools exist, Vidiot stands out as a lightweight and efficient option. Its spartan interface is not the most intuitive, but once you learn the basic commands, it becomes quite simple to merge an external audio source with a video and render the result.
One of the first things any video enthusiast wants to do is modify the audio in some of their recordings. I've always used VirtualDub for this task, but I must admit it's not its priority, and it's also discontinued software. It doesn't make much sense to invest in overly advanced software that demands hours of tutorials. All we want is to take an external audio source and use it as a replacement for the original track in the video. The open source world hasn't stood still, and with a bit of Google-fu it's not hard to find options. One of them is Vidiot.
Steps to Replace a Video's Audio Track
- Open the video you want to edit.
- Right-click on the audio track and choose "Unlink..." to detach it from the video.
- Delete the existing audio track.
- Import a new audio source using Project > Add files.
- Drag the new track into the empty space.
- Adjust its duration.
- Apply a "fade out" so the ending isn't abrupt.
Of course, nothing stops you from preprocessing the audio with a more elaborate solution and then using that edited file in Vidiot.
Rendering the Video
When rendering, Vidiot provides support for eight different video codecs and seven audio codecs. Depending on the codec, you can control parameters like bitrate and GOP size, which will determine the final quality and size of the video. For compatibility, it's suggested to choose MPEG-4 or H.264 for video, and MP3 for audio. The rest is up to you. Vidiot's learning curve isn't very friendly (despite its name), but it's worth reading its help and getting to know it better.
