MM2 Rendering MPEG-4 Files

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

Here's a couple samples at Neptune that I made for my next newsletter...
rendered by Movie Maker 2.1 using an MPEG-4 video codec.

http://papajohn.neptune.com?selectedalbum=papajohn189435

The footage is from a small local Civil War re-enactment on Saturday... the
sample runs 30 seconds... both sample files are rendered from the same
project. The first uses fade transitions but no effects. The second has a
few effects applied to make it look old...

The newsletter will be about using Movie Maker to render MPEG-4 files...
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
tips and tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx

 

[Bob [MVP]]

I didn't realize you could use Movie Maker to render to
any video formats other than WMV and DV-AVI. Interesting...

--
-Bob
_______________________________
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Media Center Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/ehome

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

It's WMV but compressed with an MPEG-4 codec rather than a Windows Media
video codec.

.... and it takes a custom profile to do it.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
tips and tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

It's certainly edited MPEG-4 files very well here... those that I've had to
capture on the XP 64 bit using Nero.... and then transfer back to the MCE
2005 desktop (with Roxio).
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Printing & Imaging

 

[Bob [MVP]]

It's WMV but compressed with an MPEG-4 codec rather than a Windows Media

video codec.

That doesn't make sense to me. I thought WMV = Windows Media Video.
So if it's not encoded using a WMV codec, it's not a WMV video. What
am I missing here? Thanks.

--
-Bob
_______________________________
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Media Center Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/ehome

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

I guess that WMV is the container, like AVI and MOV... what's inside can
vary. Similar to the MPEG-4 files from still cameras that use ASF
extensions.

I used MM2 to render a dozen sample movies from the same project file, each
using a different profile or setting (DV-AVI, WMV with a Windows Media Video
codec, and WMV with the ISO MPEG-4 V1 codec)... and I'm studying how they
differ.

If I put a WMV with WMV codec in GSpot on my laptop, the proposed codec
solution uses a WMVideo decoder.. if I put a WMV with MPEG-4 codec into it,
the proposed codec solution uses the MPEG-4 decoder.... so it's confirming
the differences.

Also used TMPGEnc to make DVD quality MPEG-2 files from the DV-AVI files....
to throw into the study/comparison pile..
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
tips and tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx

 

[Bob [MVP]]

Thanks for the explanation.

BTW, every time I've tried to watch one of your videos from
the Neptune site, the streaming performance is horrible. I
end up having to download the video to my hard drive, so I
can watch it. Is that a common complaint?

--
-Bob
_______________________________
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Media Center Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/ehome

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

My current 'normal' is to render videos with a 750 kbps bitrate.... and I
upped these to 1000... I've been moving up from the 300 level over the past
couple years.

I have the same problem if I view it on my older 866 Mhz computer, but it
plays fine on my 2.4 Ghz laptop and a 3 Ghz desktop.... all of them access
the site by a common router/switch.... so performance for me varies with the
system.

Saving it locally and playing from there is the right approach if it's not
playing smoothly in the neptune interface.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
tips and tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx