What is the easiest way to edit/remove audio portions of videos? What software is best/easiest for PC users? What experiences have you had?

Hooking up 2 vcrs w/ a switch takes too long - I am interested in converting the video to digital and being able to cut out the audio quickly, say after a ruling on the day of trial w/ the judge telling me that I should have already prepared my video.

If you are using an Apple, all you have to do is import the video into iMovie (through a digital camera or a piece of hardware, such as Dazzle). Once the video has been digitized and sits in iMovie as a clip, removing sound is quite easy.

First, you separate the audio from the video (go to top of menu, select "Advanced" and then "Extract Audio." That gives you two clips: video and audio.

Second, select the portion of the audio you want to silence. Then, you can either uncheck the sound (at the far bottom right of the screen), which silences it. Or, you can simply delete the particular sound clip.

Done.

English,
It's a small world after all...
I have our detective doing the same thing (or trying to) right now. Only about a 15-20 second sound bite. The tape is already in so we have to make a copy of it, then make a copy of the copy and cut recording (of the recording) for that time span. Tried it the first time by just hitting the mute button , but don't think that worked. This is the first time with us. We have been able to use the Mute button during playing the tape for the jury. If they want to watch the tape during deliberations, they had to bring them back into the court room and then it's re-played with us muting in the required place.

I can email it to whoever wants it.

Email is jbray76007@cs.com.

I am looking into getting a capture card for my PC (not apple)so that I can capture the video from a vhs tape, then convert it to a format where I can take out audio tracks at different times. I think that we are going to get the Pinnacle Studio Plus according to our computer people.

Has anyone used this program?

uuuhhh... Speak English, please.

Just kidding.

Most recent Windows operating systems come with Windows Movie Maker already installed - it's a great tool for audio and video editing.

Microsoft, amazingly, offers it as a free download as well: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx

I have a question slightly off topic. Our jail, using a commercial service, is recording jail phone calls. Of course, they can be very helpful when the defendant makes some statement like, "well of course I did it, but I am just hoping for probation" Does any one have the predicate questions for admiting those computer generated recordings where the S.O. is claiming they don't know how the equipment works, it just does because the company installed it? Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

Contact the company directly through their sales rep who dealt with your law enforcement agency. I've done the same thing and they were very helpful. They should be able to provide someone who can testify re the necessary predicate questions to get the conversation(s) into evidence. They will have a vested interest in making sure that the taped conversations can be used as evidence in your jurisdiction since this was certainly one of their selling points. If not, I'd look for another vendor.

We've generally been able to get the conversations in by having someone identify the voices on the tape. As we don't have the manpower to pull the calls on every case, its only generally done on bigger cases. Usually we have at least one officer who can identify the voice of the Defendant. The jail phone system tells us the number he called. You can send the officer out there with the tape and speak to the person he called. The officer can then testify as to the tape, the fact that it has not been altered or changed, and identify all of the voices on the tape. We've not been required (and I don't think Texas caselaw requires any longer) that you prove up the equipment if the officer can prove up the tape and the voices on the tape.

Robert, I think that identifying the voices on the jail recording might get you over the evidentiary hurdles but I've run into two problems in that regard. First, we rarely are able to identify the "other" voice. It is generally an uncooperative person or someone who cannot be identified. Second, I thought the case law "exempted" us from the normal recording predicate IF the recording was not made under "our" control. For instance, if we have a tape made by a defendant or some unidentifiable person(s), we are not required to prove that the person who operated the recording equipment knew how to operate the recorder, etc. However, I think the State would not get the "exemption" when the recording was made by the jail folks or law enforcement. I haven't looked up the law lately so I'd encourage anyone relying upon my opinion to check it out in the books first.