Ask questions, and hopefully shed some light on them here!

Ok, I'll bite. Other threads seemed to recommend Handbrake to compress/convert files. It's free, so the price is right! But I can't get it to work with the avi or wmv files that Windows Movie Maker publishes, so I've been stuck.

Any thoughts on a Windows software solution (preferably freeware)?

Originally Posted by DJ-S1 Ok, I'll bite. Other threads seemed to recommend Handbrake to compress/convert files. It's free, so the price is right! But I can't get it to work with the avi or wmv files that Windows Movie Maker publishes, so I've been stuck. Any thoughts on a Windows software solution (preferably freeware)?

Hi,

Check out MPEG Streamclip:

http://www.squared5.com/

There's a PC and Mac version, it works well in my experience and hey, it's free! :)

Just open your file with it, choose export (I use export as a Quicktime movie), choose h.264. Audio should be AAC 128kps Stereo.

Thanks Tristan, I'll give it a go -

Wow, timely new formu and topic for me.

I need to record a couple of quick video clips this weekend and get them on a DVD. My wife is a voice teacher, and one of her students needs an audition DVD. I have arraned to borrow an HD camcorder (Panasonic that records in AVCHD) and need to burn a standard DVD that will play on a regular player. Any tips? I have the software that came with the camcorder avialable, as well as iMovie.

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by jziegler Wow, timely new formu and topic for me. I need to record a couple of quick video clips this weekend and get them on a DVD. My wife is a voice teacher, and one of her students needs an audition DVD. I have arraned to borrow an HD camcorder (Panasonic that records in AVCHD) and need to burn a standard DVD that will play on a regular player. Any tips? I have the software that came with the camcorder avialable, as well as iMovie. Thanks in advance.

I have sony hd cam and can burn hd to a regular disc that will play on a blu ray but BREAK A REGULAR DVD PLAYER. . This is according to my manuals as I have not atemped it myself.

I am searching every alternative for HD editing and converting for uploading to web (here & elswhere) and it is rough out here. I have sony hd cam sr5 (i think) and bought Vegas Plat software (not easy to use yet.. but ill get it I hope) to edit & output hd stuff. I have tried Handbrake software & works smooth but the quicktime video (mpg4) is JERKY... and i tried changing some settings to no avail . Should I get quicktime pro to convert... am trying the squared four tonight that ws mentioned and see what happens 1st. oh yeah... my hd files (AVCHD) have to be converted to mpg2 before inputing them in handbrake.... doesn't that hurt the quality before I even get to the h.264 encoding? Thanks
BTW Vuze,com has hd content that looks great... u can upload hd there. Torrent based

Originally Posted by kc_tinman I have sony hd cam and can burn hd to a regular disc that will play on a blu ray but BREAK A REGULAR DVD PLAYER. . This is according to my manuals as I have not atemped it myself.

I have the manual for the camcorder I'm borrowing. I didn't have a chance to look at it earlier. They have a similar warning about the AVCHD files (may not be able to eject disc they say). But, I read a little more, and I'm in luck. They have a function in their software to create a standard DVD-video disc. Although the MPEG2 export may be slow. Looks like it should be good enough for what I need now.

Thanks for the warning.

Nice timing on the forum.

I'm a bit of a video guru myself, specifically with codec/conversions and directshow filters.

I do a lot of device compatability, so if you're wondering if x-type codec plays on x-type device, go ahead and ask me. :)

I work with everything from cellphone video to 4K(if you have a year to render)

Originally Posted by DI-Joe Nice timing on the forum. I'm a bit of a video guru myself, specifically with codec/conversions and directshow filters. I do a lot of device compatability, so if you're wondering if x-type codec plays on x-type device, go ahead and ask me. :) I work with everything from cellphone video to 4K(if you have a year to render)

Fantastic! Glad to know we've got you as a resource!

Originally Posted by DJ-S1 Ok, I'll bite. Other threads seemed to recommend Handbrake to compress/convert files. It's free, so the price is right! But I can't get it to work with the avi or wmv files that Windows Movie Maker publishes, so I've been stuck. Any thoughts on a Windows software solution (preferably freeware)?

Check Out this site for some good freeware
http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products...-Video-Dub.htm

Originally Posted by DI-Joe I work with everything from cellphone video to 4K(if you have a year to render)

DI-Joe:
I'm in Japan and most of our cells use .3gp and a newer variant of .3gp. Do you know of a good free conversion tool to get it in a format for Smugmug?

Thanks

Steve

Originally Posted by Furono DI-Joe: I'm in Japan and most of our cells use .3gp and a newer variant of .3gp. Do you know of a good free conversion tool to get it in a format for Smugmug? Thanks Steve

Actually, your best bet is going to be Quicktime Pro. it plays and transcodes 3gp into h.264(for smugmug) seamlessly even on variable framerate files. It's the best solution, so bone up for the Pro version of quicktime! :)

Thanks a bunch DI-Joe. Just what I wanted to know.

Steve

if you're on a Mac, check out ffmpegX http://homepage.mac.com/major4/
it's a little old I think, but does wonders for me.

StevenV - My only Mac, a notebook, died for good last week.

I tried a few free converters, none worked that well on Smugmug. Broke down and got Quicktime Pro for Windows which worked wonders for .3gp (thanks to DI-Joe).

Thanks for the tip.

Steve

For Windows machines, be sure to try "Super" freeware.

http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html

Super did the trick, thanks Ziggy! One of the more unusual download procedures, though- yikes.

I made a few trial clips as h.264. They look as good as the input files (which aren't that great to begin with) and they are at least half the file size.

My only problem now is the speed I can stream them from Smug. On Auto size, it takes up to 5 minutes to be fully available. At web size it take less time, but I still can't just let it run without having it stop part way through because it can't download it fast enough.

Am I the only one having this problem? It really is preventing me from jumping into videos fully. I need my family to be able to click on a movie and view it right away just like the photos or they get frustrated and give up.

Originally Posted by DJ-S1 Super did the trick, thanks Ziggy! One of the more unusual download procedures, though- yikes. I made a few trial clips as h.264. They look as good as the input files (which aren't that great to begin with) and they are at least half the file size. My only problem now is the speed I can stream them from Smug. On Auto size, it takes up to 5 minutes to be fully available. At web size it take less time, but I still can't just let it run without having it stop part way through because it can't download it fast enough. Am I the only one having this problem? It really is preventing me from jumping into videos fully. I need my family to be able to click on a movie and view it right away just like the photos or they get frustrated and give up.

In order to achieve the level of quality that SmugMug is committed to, and using the codec they chose to use, you would have to resort to some rather extreme measures to resample the video prior to conversion.

YouTube uses both downsampling and a different type of codec that allows faster streaming, but at a major loss in quality. You might consider using YouTube to provide a "teaser" video, and then directing family and friends to SmugMug for better quality.

Otherwise, shorten the video to shorten the download time.

Thanks Ziggy - I'm going to check out Super this weekend for my college-boy son; they're doing videos for their classes and young-adult worship as well. Does it take care of burning to DVD as well, or just create the VIDEO_TS etc. folders/files?