The video is Black :-( Help

[Valentina]

Hello.
I just made a video with movie maker. My sources are DIVX files.
The preview of the video is OK, but after the exportation, the WMV
file is all black, I can hear only the music. No video.

I made videos like these in the past months and It was all ok, so I
tried to watch old WMV videos I made and I can see them without
problems.
So I don't think I miss a codec. I think the problems is movie maker
that do not export the video propely.

Can you help me?
Thanks
PS: sorry if my english is not very ok

 

[PapaJohn]

When Divx encoded video files don't work in Movie Maker, as yours didn't,
they should be converted to files compressed with codecs that are known to
work. See the Import Movie Source Files > Video section of my website.

 

[new to movie maker]

Hi,

I have the black video screen too. I convert my mov file to avi file by
using "ffdshow video codec" compressed method. I can play the avi file in
Media player. But somehow, movie maker doese not have the option in the
tools->options->compatibility to check the ffdshow codec to see the video. I
tried to install the encode software several times, but movie maker still did
not have the option. What shoud I do?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Graham Hughes]

avi is just a conatiner and it can contain over 800 different file types.
Just dv.avi works without problems in MM. So either convert to this or wmv.

 

[Valentina]

When Divx encoded video files don't work in Movie Maker, as yours didn't,
they should be converted to files compressed with codecs that are known to
work. See the Import Movie Source Files > Video section of my website.

The strange is that I can import Divx files into Movie Maker without
problem,
I can see the files, I can work on files to make my project (cut, fade
in, fade out, effects...),
but when I export the the projet into a WMV file, is alla black. It's
like I don't have divx codec on my pc :-( And that is false.

So I have to convert all my "sources Divx files" to (what? MOV is ok?)
and then import them into Movie Maker ? An then use them for my
project? And then export them into a WMV file?
Right?

I have to do my projet again from the beginning (please say no) or I
can only replace the source files with the new one I made?

Thanks a lot
V.

 

[walter]

The strange is that I can import Divx files into Movie Maker without
problem,
I can see the files, I can work on files to make my project (cut, fade
in, fade out, effects...),
but when I export the the projet into a WMV file, is alla black. It's
like I don't have divx codec on my pc :-( And that is false.

Did you really mean to say "save" or "publish" when you wrote "export" up
above?

Until you answer that, nobody can help you any further.

Because if you really did intend to write "export" (like to youtube or
someplace) what you're "exporting" is the PROJECT, not the finished product.
You need to SAVE/PUBLISH before you can export.

 

[Valentina]

Did you really mean to say "save" or "publish" when you wrote "export" up
above?

With "export" I mean the point 3 of the menu on the left
SAVE ON COMPUTER (btw, my MM is in Italian, I don't know if the is
translation is correct).

Because if you really did intend to write "export"  (like to youtube or
someplace) what you're "exporting" is the PROJECT, not the finished product.
You need to SAVE/PUBLISH before you can export.

My problem is that i CAN save the project (File > Save Projet) put I
can't SAVE ON COMPUTER propely.

Thanks
V.

 

[walter]

With "export" I mean the point 3 of the menu on the left
SAVE ON COMPUTER (btw, my MM is in Italian, I don't know if the is
translation is correct).

I knew there was some kind of language barrier "thing" going on here.
NO offense, meant.

My problem is that i CAN save the project (File > Save Projet) put I
can't SAVE ON COMPUTER propely.

Now I'm really confused. I don't know if "Export" in the Italian version,
is the same as "Publish" in the Vista version, which is the same as "Save
Movie File" in the XP version, or what.

Are you saying you cannot save the project as a MOVIE? Or that you cannot
save the project itself to your computer?

I run the latest (English) XP version of WMM and there is no "export"
function.

I was thinking that by "export" you meant you were trying to create a movie
that was suitable in size for posting to a website or a video-sharing thing
like youtube.

To do that, In MY version of WMM I would create the project the way I want
it, and then go to FILE>Save Movie File>save to My Computer>Name the
file>Designate where to save the file>Other settings>HIgh Quality Video
Small>And let it do it's thing. When it's finished, I would be asked by WMM
if I would like to also save the PROJECT (for future editing) or not. At
that point I would select either yes or no as to saving the PROJECT, but I
will have already MADE (and saved) the MOVIE, which I would then upload to
the Internet.

If that's no help to you, I'll bow out of this conversation as I fear I may
be making things worse for you, rather than better.

Good luck!

 

[Valentina]

I knew there was some kind of language barrier "thing" going on here.
NO offense, meant.


Now I'm really confused.  I don't know if "Export" in the Italian version,
is the same as "Publish" in the Vista version, which is the same as "Save
Movie File" in the XP version, or what.

I'm using Windows XP. It's "Save Movie File"

Are you saying you cannot save the project as a MOVIE?  Or that you cannot
save the project itself to your computer?

I can't save the project as a MOVIE.
I can save the project in my computer (the project is the *.MSWM file,
right?)

I run the latest (English) XP version of WMM and there is no "export"
function.

Sorry I use the wrong word, "Export" is wrong.
"Save Movie file" is right.
Using "Save Movie file" I can save my project into a *.WMV file.

I was thinking that by "export" you meant you were trying to create a movie
that was suitable in size for posting to a website or a video-sharing thing
like youtube.

Yes! Right.

To do that, In MY version of WMM I would create the project the way I want
it, and then go to FILE>Save Movie File>save to My Computer>Name the
file>Designate where to save the file>Other settings>HIgh Quality Video
Small>And let it do it's thing.  When it's finished, I would be asked by WMM
if I would like to also save the PROJECT (for future editing) or not.  At
that point I would select either yes or no as to saving the PROJECT, but I
will have already MADE (and saved) the MOVIE, which I would then upload to
the Internet.

Ok, my version is different (I have 5,1 version on WinXP)
I have to save first the project, then the movie.

If that's no help to you, I'll bow out of this conversation as I fear I may
be making things worse for you, rather than better.

Good luck!

Thanks anyway
V.

 

[walter]

I'm using Windows XP. It's "Save Movie File"


I can't save the project as a MOVIE.

Ahhh. OK. Now we're getting somewhere.

I can save the project in my computer (the project is the *.MSWM file,
right?)

It's MSWMM in my version, but probably, yes.

Sorry I use the wrong word, "Export" is wrong.
"Save Movie file" is right.
Using "Save Movie file" I can save my project into a *.WMV file.

OK. So are you saying that your SAVED .wmv file does not play correctly?

Yes! Right.


Ok, my version is different (I have 5,1 version on WinXP)
I have to save first the project, then the movie.

That's probably 2.1. MS is screwy the way they name things. Mine says
Version 5.1 as well, followed by a "build #". Then two lines lower it says
Version 2.1

Kinda like "Publish" in Vista = "Save Movie File" in XP.

Thanks anyway

You're welcome. I tried. But answer my question above anyway. There are
people who read this newsgroup who know a WHOLE lot more about WMM than I
do.

And once again, good luck!

 

[walter]

BY the way? If this project (wswmm) file of yours is under 9MB in size, AND
you'ld be willing to email it to me, I'd be interested in having a look at
it for troubleshooting/learning purposes.

If so, I'll supply a working email address in a follow-up post.

If not, that's fine too.

 

[PapaJohn]

No, you don't need to do the project over.... you don't even need to keep
Movie Maker open until you're ready to save the movie.

You need to convert the file and then put it in the same location as the
original, with the exact same file name.... then Movie Maker will open the
project and save the movie OK.

 

[Valentina]

BY the way?  If this project (wswmm) file of yours is under 9MB in size, AND
you'ld be willing to email it to me, I'd be interested in having a look at
it for troubleshooting/learning purposes.

The WSMMM file is linked to my source videos (the damn DIVX movies),
they are about 1gb.

If so, I'll supply a working email address in a follow-up post.

If not, that's fine too.

Thanks a lot, anyway. You are very kind

V.

 

[Graham Hughes]

This is not a strange problem, it is usual when using files that are not
compatible with movie maker, you can do some of the work, but not all of
it.......

As Papajohn has said, convert the file to a WMV, then give it exactly the
same file name as before and save in the same location and MM will pick it
up as the old file and you'll be ok.

 

[Valentina]

You need to convert the file

Ok. I have to convert 10 Divx movies (they are 350 mb each) into WMV
files.
This it will take me long time.
So sad :-(

and then put it in the same location as the
original, with the exact same file name.... then Movie Maker will open the
project and save the movie OK.

I hope so

Thanks
V.

 

[Marc Baltimore]

I'm having the original problem where after I publish my movie some of the
clips are black, but I can still hear the music.

I'm pretty efficient with Windows Movie Maker and have made 16 videos over
the past year and have never had this problem before. When I preview my
movie in Windows Movie Maker everything is perfect, but once I publish it
certain parts will be blacked out. It isn't the clips because all of them
were converted to .wmv through Tubetilla. I have split clips from the same
videos and some parts will play while others will be black, so it can't be
the videos I converted through Tubetilla...it's just random clips at random
times.

For example - I converted a scene from the movie Planet Terror to .wmv using
Tubetilla and split it into about 12 different segments. All scenes play
during Preview, but only a few of them after I have published the video and
play it back on Windows Media Player.

Like I said before, I have made numerous videos the same exact way using the
same exact process 16 times and this has never happened.

 

[Graham Hughes]

Sounds like the clips to me, conversion can lead to corruption, and
corrupted clips will often play but not edit.
Try converting the ones that don't work again, or with another app, and try
again.
It could be the original clip is corrupt and any conversion will also
include corruption.

 

[Marc Baltimore]

I tried redownloading the same clips and renaming them so them so that WMM
could recognize them - did not work.

I used a different program for converting the same YouTube clips and
imported them into WMM - did not work.

I downloaded different version of the clips, edited them into WMM - did not
work.

I have spent over 10 hours working on this video and it is really irritating
to have done every possible solution that was given to me as well some of my
own and half my video publishes black over top of some music.

You all say it's the clips...then how come the first 2 splits of the same
clip work, but the rest are all black? Shouldn't all pieces I have cut be
black????

Is there some kind of filter on WMM that doesn't allow certain parts of a
video be visible?

Please help because this is seriously making me not want to ever waste my
time working hard on a project just for it to be black after I publish it.

 

[John Inzer]

I tried redownloading the same clips and renaming them so them so
that WMM could recognize them - did not work.

I used a different program for converting the same YouTube clips and
imported them into WMM - did not work.

I downloaded different version of the clips, edited them into WMM -
did not work.

I have spent over 10 hours working on this video and it is really
irritating to have done every possible solution that was given to me
as well some of my own and half my video publishes black over top of
some music.

You all say it's the clips...then how come the first 2 splits of the
same clip work, but the rest are all black? Shouldn't all pieces I
have cut be black????

Is there some kind of filter on WMM that doesn't allow certain parts
of a video be visible?

Please help because this is seriously making me not want to ever
waste my time working hard on a project just for it to be black after
I publish it.

========================================
Personally...I've had major issues with DivX and Xvid
files and I think that is where the root of your problem
lies. They are hard to convert successfully and even
then they can cause issues.


--

J. Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Graham Hughes]

This is a common action when using clips that are not compatible or corrupt,
it works for a bit then gives up.
If the clip as a whole will play in MM then just save it as a wmv file using
Movie Maker. Then try importing it back into a new project and see if you
can then edit that clip.
If that doesn't work, then it could be filters that have been installed, try
turning them all off.
http://www.myvideoproblems.com/Tutorials/MovieMaker/HowDoIOpenCompatibilityTab.htm