Export Uncompressed AVI in Kdenlive for Archiving

This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to export a lossless, uncompressed AVI video file from your Kdenlive timeline. Designed for video editors looking to archive their projects with zero quality loss, this article covers how to configure a custom render profile using FFmpeg parameters to generate master-quality archival files.

Step 1: Open the Render Dialog

1. Open your project in Kdenlive and ensure your timeline is ready for export.
2. Click the Render button in the top toolbar, or press Ctrl + Enter (Windows/Linux) to open the Render window.

Step 2: Create a Custom Render Profile

Kdenlive does not include a pre-configured profile for uncompressed AVI by default, so you must create a custom profile.

1. In the Render widget, look at the top right of the preset selection area and click the Create new profile icon (represented by a plus sign or document icon).
2. A new window will appear to define your custom parameters.

Step 3: Configure the Archival Settings

Enter the following details in the profile configuration window:

• Profile Name: Uncompressed AVI Archival

• Group: Lossless

• Extension: avi

• Parameters:

  f=avi vcodec=rawvideo pix_fmt=yuv422p acodec=pcm_s16le

Parameter Breakdown:

• f=avi: Forces the container format to AVI.
• vcodec=rawvideo: Instructs FFmpeg to export raw, uncompressed video frames.
• pix_fmt=yuv422p: Sets the pixel format to YUV 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, which preserves excellent color detail for archiving. You can use yuv420p for maximum compatibility, or uyvy422 depending on your archive requirements.
• acodec=pcm_s16le: Exports the audio as uncompressed, 16-bit Local Endian PCM, preserving master-quality audio.

Click OK to save the profile.

Step 4: Render the File

1. In the Render dialog, select your newly created Uncompressed AVI Archival profile from the list (it will be under the “Lossless” or “Custom” category).
2. Choose your output file destination by clicking the folder icon next to the Output file field.
3. Ensure the Full project option is selected under the render options if you wish to archive the entire timeline.
4. Click Render to File to begin the export process.

Note: Uncompressed AVI files contain immense amounts of data. Ensure your destination drive has ample storage space and high write speeds before starting the render.