Windows Movie Maker only outputs wmv???

[presto]

My dad made some small avi clips with his camera. While I was visiting he mentioned that they were too big for him to put on his web site. I showed him that he had Windows Movie Maker allready on his computer and could use it to make the file size smaller and also to add narration.

A few days later he emailed me that his web page will not accept wmv.

Is it true that Windows Movie Maker can only output in wmv? If so that is QUITE a limitation. Even though I don't use it I had been hearing a few good things about it lately.

[tekkieman]

Nope, you have several options. When saving, select save to this computer. Enter the name and location for the movie. Click next. This page will give you the output options. Select other for a pulldown with a list.

[presto]

When I did that there were many options but as far as I can see they are all wmv format. I have Movie Maker 2 on my computer (My Dad has Movie Maker 1 and since he's running win 98 I think he's stuck with that).

The only other format I see is DV AVI. I don't think even that is offered on Movie Maker 1.

I'll take another look. Is there anyway you can open the program and tell me exactly how to create an mpg with this program?

[Supreme2k]

You can't create an mpg. You have to do DV-AVI, then convert (TMPGEnc).

[presto]

Thanks. I've been reading the comments in the tools section and most people complain about only being able to create wmv and DV AVI.

It's amazing how everytime I think something is going to be easy there is a catch.

Here is my Dad wanting to do some very simple editing and upload a little vid clip to his web page. When I noticed he had Windows Movie Maker it of course never occured to me that it would have this unbelievable limitation. I can't believe any one even discusses this product in a semi favorable light.

I've previewed and currently use many video editors and all of them can output in avi and mpg.

What a waste of time. Now I've got to convince him to download some other program and learn to use it. No doubt some other silly problem will pop up.

I love those commercials where some one decides to do some sentimental printing or video project on their computer and it's click click click and
it's done and the recipient giggles at the results. Never happened in the real world.

Grrrr.

[Supreme2k]

Actually, for a web page, wmv is perfect. No need to download anything else. Only if he intends to put it on DVD or some other format should he use something else, and even then he could simply convert the wmv.

[presto]

Well, He says his program won't let him put wmv on the page. I'll have to check it out. He's using one of those "build your own website" on line programs that you get free with your service provider I think.

[jimmalenko]

Wmv is the "sole" output format because Microsoft bought the rights/patents to ASF, which bred the WMV format. As mentioned, WMV is actually one of the best formats for websites because it is very compressive and the small file sizes while retaining reasonable quality suit people still on dialup and make downloads ultraquick for anyone else on better internet plans. Most people with a reasonably new computer will be able to play WMV if they have WMP 7 or greater I think.

You could try outputting to DV AVI, then using VirtualDub to compress using DivX or XviD, but then you are relying on the people to have the codecs installed. Or use the free version of TMPGEnc to output to MPEG-1.

I am interested to hear that the program your Dad is using to build the website won't accept them. Is he trying to actually play them in placeholders in the website or just offer them for download via <a href> links ?

[miksu]

WMV isn't that nice format. If U want to make movie that everyone can view, use avi with commonly used codecs, or use quicktime mov with common codec. WMV is proprietary and allthough it can be usually played on any OS with properly chosen player, those players are not necessarily bundled with computers, yet it may be hard for newbies to obtain correct player.

Let's keep Internet and it's content accessible for everyone

[jimmalenko]

Let's keep Internet and it's content accessible for everyone

Good call.

[Dj Petro]

I use WMV format files on a website I help maintain and they work out great. They stream from the file so it starts playing almost instantly. If your dad can't get his program to add in wmv, then he may have to hand code it in like I did. Just about everyone has WMP so I don't see why people can't play the files, unless they have a severely old version.

_

[hgd4th]

The folks at microsoft make it hard to convert WMV videos into other formats, but there are some old versions of VirtualDub that will do the trick.

[Supreme2k]

Here's a simple script to embed the video in a web page:

<OBJECT ID="Player" width="320" height="240"
  CLASSID="CLSID:6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6">
  <PARAM name="URL" value="path to your video">
  <PARAM name="uiMode" value="none">
</OBJECT>

The path to the video could be
http://www.mywebsite.com/video.wmv
or
/videos/video.wmv
or wherever the video is located.

Here's with media player controls:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Embedded Windows Media Player 6.4 Control</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<OBJECT ID="MediaPlayer" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240
  CLASSID="CLSID:22D6f312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95"
  STANDBY="Loading Windows Media Player components..." 
  TYPE="application/x-oleobject"
CODEBASE="http://activex.microsoft.com/activex/controls/mplayer/en/nsmp2inf.cab#Version=6,4,7,1112">

  <PARAM name="autoStart" value="True">
  <PARAM name="filename" value="your video file">

<EMBED TYPE="application/x-mplayer2" 
    SRC="your video file"
    NAME="MediaPlayer"
    WIDTH=320
    HEIGHT=240>
  </EMBED>
</OBJECT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

[peregrin]

there could be a simpler answer the Website host may not allow , video clips regardles of the size or type , especially if it's a free hosting site

[Supreme2k]

If that's true, then this whole thread is moot.

[presto]

there could be a simpler answer the Website host may not allow , video clips regardles of the size or type , especially if it's a free hosting site

No he has allready put up some small avi clips. I've emailed him and asked what makes him think he can't use wmv.

Thanks for all the help. You guys are great.

[Vom]

Holy crap.....that search function really comes in handy once in awhile. I just started putting together my first site, and have been trying to find the answer to this question for days. Props to Supreme2K for that code.

I just figured this out, too..

-the controls on the media player take up a good chunk of the table, and it looks like it's scrunching the video down from 320x240 to approx. 320x220..THEN adding the controls to fill up the alotted space as defined in the code:

<EMBED TYPE="application/x-mplayer2"
SRC="your video file"
NAME="MediaPlayer"
WIDTH=320
HEIGHT=240>

If you change the value of the media player table to 320x260, like this:

<OBJECT ID="MediaPlayer" ,WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=260
CLASSID="CLSID:22D6f312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95"
STANDBY="Loading Windows Media Player components..."
TYPE="application/x-oleobject"
CODEBASE="http://activex.microsoft.com/activex/controls/mplayer/en/nsmp2inf.cab#Version=6,4,7,1112">

<PARAM name="autoStart" value="False">
<PARAM name="filename" value="clutch/video/12oe.wmv">

<EMBED TYPE="application/x-mplayer2"
SRC="clutch/video/12oe.wmv"
NAME="MediaPlayer"
WIDTH=320
HEIGHT=260>

...it'll stretch the screen out so your video isn't all crunched down. Also, if you'll see I changed autostart to "False", so it's up to the viewer when to start the video playing back.



Thanks for the help. I've been racking my brain trying to figure this out (lots of links, with no real answers).


Now I just need to figure out how to center the damn thing, and maybe find a nicer skin for it .

[jimmalenko]

Holy crap.....that search function really comes in handy once in awhile.

searching ? ...bah, humbug !

-how do you change it from autostarting: ie:

<PARAM name="autoStart" value="True">

....to having it start at the user's discretion?

change the value to false maybe ?

Either that or just delete that whole line.

[Vom]

Crap...you beat me to my edit.

[Garibaldi]

I didn't even realize that MM would work on anything other than XP. Convert to avi from wmv with Stoik Video Converter. Then TMPGENC to mpeg or XviD encoded avi will get the filesize down (Stoik can do that too).