Questions about Movie Maker 2

[John W]

I love this product. Does anyone know if it is based on another more full
featured product? I almost looks like a trimmed down version of Techsmith's
Camtasia Producer. If this is based on a more full featured product, I
think I want to consider purchasing it.

I have the following questions about Windows Movie Maker (currently using
version 2).

1. I have seen references to differences between Movie Maker 1 and Movie
Maker 2, and how some people kept a copy of version 1, upgraded to version
2, then copied version 1 into the same directory and use both. Does
version 1 have features they took out of version 2?

2. Is there any way to alter the volume of a audio/music track at certain
parts of a movie? It looks like I can only control the volume for the
entire audio track I added, not portions. I want to lower the volume during
a part of the video where there is speaking.

3. Is there any FAQ explaining the different movie saving (encoding) modes,
and what their purposes are for?

4. I am having trouble with a MM2 movie I created with XP, playing in
Windows Media Player 6.4 for Microsoft NT 4. I created a MM2 movie which
starts as pictures with music, then goes into a video. I think I have
downloaded and installed the proper codec's, and the movie plays, but
certain transitions effects do not play well at all in Windows Media Player
6.4. I do not know if it is caused by the encoding I selected or something
else.

Finally, I purchased Plus Digital Media edition because it was the right
price, and so I can burn to CD. Anyone know if Microsoft plans to enhance
Windows Movie Maker and add VCD/DVD burning capabilities?

Thanks in advance,

John W

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

Hi John,

It's not based on a fuller featured product.... Camtasia Producer does look
and feel a bit like it. So does Microsoft's Producer. MM2 is an expansion of
MM1 that was originally included in Windows Me, and then in the first
versions of XP. It's meant for entry-level video work and I think it will be
staying at that level.... but does so much so well that it is often all that
is needed.

MM1 previews and works at a 30 fps project environment, good for exact
splitting of frames if level of exactness is needed. MM2 works at 15 fps (or
12-1/2 for PAL) so the previewing of special effects and transitions can
occur in real time. MM2 produces type I DV-AVI files while MM1 produces
type II. Some people have more success with analog capture with MM1 than
with MM2. "Pass-thru", which worked in MM1 doesn't in version 2, but there's
a utility to use to do it.

You can adjust the volume of a selected clip.... if you want to adjust parts
of clip, you need to split it first.

Maybe my Saving Movies > Sample Video Clips page will help with the various
choices in saving, but it's probably a good idea for me to expand on it.

To use WMP version 6.4, you need to use version 8 or codecs.... you can do
it in MM2 with custom profiles or pick the pocket PC choices.

--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 - www.papajohn.org
Photo Story 2 - www.photostory.papajohn.org

..

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

PS - I guess I should have mentioned that chapter 5 of my Do Amazing Things
book covers the various saving options. I have the basic instructional info
about Movie Maker 2 in the books. The website is primarily for
problem-solving and additional material related to the Do Amazing Things
book.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 - www.papajohn.org
Photo Story 2 - www.photostory.papajohn.org

..

 

[John W]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. ;-)

I have not looked yet... but does MM2 have help explaining how to split a
music track?

Thanks again.

John W

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

Yes, here's an extract from the Help file:

Splitting and combining clips

You can split or combine audio, video, and pictures into smaller, more
manageable clips. When you split a video or audio clip, the large clip is
divided into two smaller clips. For example, if you have a video clip, and
you want to insert a video transition in the middle of it, you can split the
video clip at the point where you want to insert the video transition and
then add the desired transition.

The following table indicates where you can split the different types of
digital media files in Windows Movie Maker.

(table)

--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 - www.papajohn.org
Photo Story 2 - www.photostory.papajohn.org

..

 

[John W]

Sorry... So many questions. Also sorry if I just need to research online
and the MM2 help further.

To use WMP version 6.4, you need to use version 8 or codecs.... you can do
it in MM2 with custom profiles or pick the pocket PC choices.

On the answer, how do I select version 8 of the codec's? I am assuming MM2
is saving in version 9 of the codecs? Is that explained on your MM2
website or in your book?

I have seen a utility which renames the codec's. Are you familiar with
it? Does it rename the codec's into something more understandable (i.e.
the actual codec name and settings)?

Is it just best to try every save movie option and try the results on other
machines?

Another problem I ran into on another PC (a slower one) is that one of the
save options resulted in a file that worked fine on my PC, but would
play-freeze-then continue playing. It was almost like it was taking too
long to decode the movie before it would continue playing, and would only do
it at certain portions of the movie (and consistently at those portions).

I have seen that certain save movie options result in more blurry movies.
Would you know which save movie option will yield the best results so that I
can import the final movie into my copy of MyDVD version 4 so I can save as
a VCD or DVD? I think that I have seen mention of using the DV-AVI? Is
that a lossless codec?

I do not have a video recorder, I only working with already made AVI's and
pictures. One this I can control is how the AVI is created. It
originally is from a SWF file. I used a utility which converted the frames
to BMP's then converted those to an AVI. Which lossless codec would you
recommend I save the AVI into so the movie looks the best when I import into
MM2? Does your book or site cover that question?

Is your book all MM2 or a mixture of MM2 and MM1? Is the book in a
downloadable form (i.e. PDF?)

Do you know if there is a way I can just extract MM1 from the XP CD to see
the difference?

Your website talks about a conference where you learned about the future of
Movie Maker and Photo Story. Do you recommend I put on my seatbelt and not
spend money to purchase something else? Can you disclose if they have
plans to make a commercial version of Movie Maker (one you have to buy)?

Thanks for such a great web site. I am still trying to take it all in.

Sincerely,

John W

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

John,

Thanks for the positive comment about the website. Yes, the digital video
editing process, from creating source files to distributing your finished
movies, has a learning curve.

I'm under NDA with Microsoft not to share info about what I learn about
future changes to the software, or any schedule info about their releases.
In the 'What's New' page of my site, I'll be saying anything I can... things
that are already public info elsewhere.

I'd never suggest waiting for the next version of anything.... there's
enough software available today to jump into video editing, learn all you
need to about it, and make amazing results. Use today's software and change
as your skills and the software/hardware evolves. Version 2 of Movie Maker
should be all you need; what else would you be looking for in a 'commercial'
version? The usual answer is DVD burning.... but you already have software
for that if you have a DVD burner.

Both of my books are totally about MM2, not a mixture of MM1 and MM2.
Neither is available as a downloadable PDF file... They are carried in
Borders and Barns&Noble bookstores, so you could browse them if you happen
to be at one. And they cost just slightly more than a monthly magazine if
you want one.


On some of your specific items:

- see the Saving Movies section of the website for using version 7, 8 or 9
codecs to save movies.

- I know of John Kelly's utility to rename codecs, but haven't downloaded or
tried it myself. Managing the codecs on your computer is one of the more
difficult areas of the learning curve... especially if you tend to collect
codecs from many different areas. My Problem solving > Acceleration and
Codecs page lists all of the codecs that have been found to conflict with
MM2.... most people have only one or two of them, so managing them is pretty
easy regardless of which method you use.

- your choice of quality when saving a movie will determine the visual and
audio quality, and the smoothness of playback... see the Saving Movies >
Sample Video Clips page of my site.... or go thru all of them on your
computer... save the same project to each choice, play it back, and decide
what best fits your computer. And realize that, if you distribute it to
others, the right answer will probably be different. Higher quality movies
need more powerful computers to play them back smoothly.... the sweet
spot(s) for you and your viewers will need to be determined as you go.

The books don't cover the best codec to use when converting files to prep
them for MM2. The answer to that might change by the month, so I leave
things like that to the website.... there's a page on the site devoted to
Importing Source Files > Video > Flash, and it's waiting for some more info
about codecs.... I don't usually convert from Flash files to get to MM2. The
page about Importing Source Files > Video > Recorded TV is probably the
furthest I've gotten in exploring different codecs to create AVI files for
MM2 use.

See the Problem Solving > Go Back to MM1 page of the site for info about
getting MM1 again.... sounds like you're already at the MM2 level.


Enjoy your learning....
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 - www.papajohn.org
Photo Story 2 - www.photostory.papajohn.org

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[John W]

Thanks again for your expertise and thorough answers.

FYI: The SWF was from a sporting event I was in, and my coworkers sister
videotaped the event. Either she or her husband works for a website
designing service and created a SWF movie of the event. I converted it to
AVI, and created a movie that begins with my pictures from practice and the
race day, then I show the movie.

This is such a cool free tools. I have always been interested in getting
into video editing. I wish I had some hardware to convert some video's that
I have taken for others. Friends are always asking me to either take
pictures of an event or video tape weddings. I wish I had MM2 when I did
the wedding and had the hardware to convert it so I could have edited the
movie. Unfortunately that was about 5 years ago, and they just got the raw
unedited film.

Thanks again. I will review your entire site before I ask any more
questions. I also have two $10 gift certificates to B&N, so I will check
out your books.

Sincerely,

John W

 

[John Ward]

Can you provide a brief synopsis comparing the differences between the "Zero
to Hero" and "Do Amazing Things" books?

Thanks,

John W

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

There's probably more content packed into Zero to Hero.... the only critical
comment I've seen of it so far is that it's too packed, with not enough
white space on each page. Some people really get into annotating pages as
they read. I wrote 1/2 of the book and the support vehicle for questions
about it is the forum at the Friends of Ed website. The 3 authors get tapped
to respond to questions, so I don't have to take care of them all.

Do Amazing Things provides white space and is an easier read. I wrote the
whole book and, from the beginning, I planned to provide basic instructional
material in the book, but with full web-based content behind it... complete
with additional info and audio/video examples. For example, yesterday I
added some web-based info about importing audio. It's organized on the web
in a way that aligns with Do Amazing Things. It won't be added to online
Zero to Hero info.

My goal in writing Do Amazing Things was to effectively mix and align info
in a book, on a website, and in posts to this newsgroup, an ongoing evolving
process. The three combined make a more complete and up to date support
process.... books get older as time goes by, but the website changes daily
as hardware and software changes... and we learn more from each other.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 - www.papajohn.org
Photo Story 2 - www.photostory.papajohn.org

..

 

[John W]

So I guess the best way to choose is to go to B&N and take a look at the
books?

Do any of the books go into Windows Media Encoder/Profile Editor so one can
control the moving encoding?

Thanks,

John W

 

[PapaJohn \(MVP\)]

The Zero to Hero book doesn't cover the Encoder at all. Do Amazing Things
has a paragraph and not much at all.... my focus in the books is MM2.

You could choose by going to B&N, sitting in a big comfy chair, spending the
money on mochas, reading the books there, and buying neither.... or buy them
both. I spend a lot more in a year on mocha than I do on books.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 - www.papajohn.org
Photo Story 2 - www.photostory.papajohn.org

..