Video Quality change in Windows Movie Maker

[Guest]

Hey Guys,

I'm creating a number of short video clips in WMM from approx. 6hrs of video
footage. I created the first clip in WMM on one machine and everything came
out fine with a high quality picture. The following 4 movies I've created
(on a different laptop with same version of WMM) have all come out with lower
quality video despite using the same source file as the first. In testing,
I can preview the source file in the WMM preview window and see the same
quality. As soon as I drag the video file to the timeline and watch it the
video quality becomes grainy and a little choppy in movement. I can't locate
any preferences or similar settings that ight allow me to modify how the
timeline view deals with video quality.

does anyone have any ideas as to what's happening? Are there potentially
other codecs or filters on the first laptop that might be causing this?

Thanks for any insight!

freebass

 

[Graham Hughes]

For best quality you need to use dv.avi video files.
MM only shows a preview of low quality adn every other frame, to enable you
to add effects adn play hte file back in real time to see what it looks
like, where other apps make you render a temp file first.
To keep best quality you need to save your end file also as a dv.avi.

This should then be the same quality as the original.

You cannot use the preview window in any app to let you know what the
quality is like.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply Graham. I did realize that previews were going to be of
lower quality after reviewing some of your other posts but I still did not
understand why the finished file was problematic. If you can spare another
cerebral moment...I'm not seeing any areas in WMM that allow me to specify
output file type (i.e. avi vs. wmv) the only options I see have to do with
the usage case - web viewing, low quality, hi quality, cd, etc.). Am I
missing something obvious that lets me specify .avi in WMM 9?

thanks again!

freebass

 

[John Inzer]

Thanks for the reply Graham. I did realize that previews were going
to be of lower quality after reviewing some of your other posts but I
still did not understand why the finished file was problematic. If
you can spare another cerebral moment...I'm not seeing any areas in
WMM that allow me to specify output file type (i.e. avi vs. wmv) the
only options I see have to do with the usage case - web viewing, low
quality, hi quality, cd, etc.). Am I missing something obvious that
lets me specify .avi in WMM 9?

thanks again!

freebass

=======================================
WMM 9? Sorry...there is no such
version of Windows Movie Maker.

Here's some info on Vista Movie Maker 6:

Windows Vista
Movie settings: frequently asked questions
http://tinyurl.com/2mj77y

Movie Maker in Vista -
Publishing / Quality Profiles
http://tinyurl.com/325yvz

Windows Vista
Enjoying your pictures and videos
http://tinyurl.com/33fdk2
(scroll down to: Creating your own movies)


And...to save as an .avi movie file in MM 2.1
(and several other options)

Type...Ctrl+P to open the Save Movie Wizard /
Choose...My Computer /
Next /
Enter a Name and a Save Location /
Next /
Show More Choices /
Other Settings /
Open the drop window and choose...DV-AVI /
Next /
Wait while the movie is saved /
Finish...

Also, when saving as .wmv...you may
find it useful to use a custom profile:

Movie Maker 2 - Saving
Movies - Custom WMV Profiles
http://tinyurl.com/s2vgu

Creating Custom Profiles
for Windows Movie Maker 2
http://tinyurl.com/cuny7

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

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

 

[Guest]

Thank you John and Graham. I didn't notice the dv-AVI option earlier and
feel a little embarassed for not being more thorough. Your help is very much
appreciated!

(question: I see consistent mention of Vista Movie Maker on this forum. Is
that available for XP or just the VISTA platform? Sounds like it has more
functionality than WMM 2.1?)

 

[John Inzer]

Thank you John and Graham. I didn't notice the dv-AVI option earlier
and feel a little embarassed for not being more thorough. Your help
is very much appreciated!

================================
Don't be embarassed...I learn new things
every day. And...you're welcome.
================================

(question: I see consistent mention of Vista Movie Maker on this
forum. Is that available for XP or just the VISTA platform? Sounds
like it has more functionality than WMM 2.1?)

================================
No, Versions 2.6 and 6 are Vista only.

Actually, Vista Movie Maker questions should
be directed to:

microsoft.public.windows.vista.music_pictures_video

Discussions in Windows Vista
Music, Pictures, and Video
http://tinyurl.com/yqjkwz

I think folks see the words Movie Maker and
don't realize this is a Windows XP newsgroup.

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! -
Digital Image MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

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