Bring .m2v (or the original vob) into WMM for editing

[Masecaa]

I have five VOB files of a DVD movie that I have stored on my computer. I need to find the best way to import the movie to Windows Movie Maker without damaging the quality of the picture. I don't need the original audio because I plan to replace it with a different one, but it needs to be in a video editing program because I want to make a few changes to the movie as well.

I have gotten so far as to convert the movie to .m2v format, but that is not supported in WMM, so I have tried changing the extension to .mpg but that did not work, and every time I try converting it to .avi or anything else in TMPGEnc, either the file size is way too large (uncompressed) and/or the quality is seriously degraded (any of the several compressors to choose from). I don't need the movie compressed until I'm all finished in WMM, but nothing seems to be working. So I'm stuck.

Should I try something else with the .m2v or should I start over with the vob?

I read several of the guides on this site and others in hopes of figuring it out myself but I'm very confused and at my wits end.

(I really hate using WMM, but at this point I'm convinced I'd better stick with the "user-friendly" choice or I may never get this project completed.)

[Baldrick]

convert to dv-avi like panasonic dv codec or cedocida or use lagarith. it's huge but a bit smaller than uncompressed

[mats.hogberg]

On my system, I have no prob importing mpg into wmm. Run your vob thru VOB2MPG to get mpg from VOB.

/Mats

[Baldrick]

Maybe no mpeg2 decoder installed? like a software dvd player like powerdvd.

Can you play the mpeg2 video windows media player?

[Masecaa]

convert to dv-avi like panasonic dv codec or cedocida or use lagarith. it's huge but a bit smaller than uncompressed

I followed the instructions to install the pdvcodec but "installation failed." Same thing with the cedocida one.

Mats, I have used that VOB2MPG program but the quality isn't the greatest in past experience...I'm trying it again right now just to make sure.

Baldrick, is mpeg2 the same as m2v? If so, yes, the video plays just fine on windows media player, and media player classic..

[mats.hogberg]

vob2mpg gives you exactly the same q mpg as the VOB. Nothing is reencoded, just the mpg video+audio stripped out of its VOB wrapper. If you see any differences between the VOB and the mpg it's entirely depending on the player software playing them back differently.

/Mats

[Masecaa]

^ Ok good, that's what I'm going for- that is, no reencoding until the very end. Well vob2mpg finished and the picture is great. Now, when I import the .mpg into WMM, it recognizes the file but does not show the picture.

[mats.hogberg]

I get no pic in the clip collection window, but once I drag it down to the video track, it's there in the preview window.

/Mats

[Masecaa]

It doesn't show the picture when it's in the video track either - in fact, it thinks it's an audio file! If I try to save it as-is, the setting is on WMA- all audio. This, is not good.

I Googled "vob2mpg wmm no picture" and it looks like this is a common problem. Now I'm beginning to think I'd be better off using a different video editor after all...

[mats.hogberg]

Sure you dropped it on the video track, and not on the audio track? 'cause that's just what I get if I drop it on the audio track.
If I drop it on video, I get video but not audio (as expected).

/Mats

[Masecaa]

I'm sure! I click on the mpeg and drag and hold it right over the video track, and the little popup says "drag an audio clip here to add it to your movie," and then when I let go, it goes into the audio track.

[mats.hogberg]

Odd indeed. Works fine on my system. However, mpeg2 doesn't seem like the favourite import format for WMM, judging by reading links doing the same Google as you:
http://www.papajohn.org/MM2-Importing-Video-MPEG2.html was interesting read.

/Mats

[Masecaa]

Yeah, I was just reading that article as well. I guess I'll try converting it to DV-AVI file, although I'm getting very wary after all these conversions.

[mats.hogberg]

Taking the detour over DV won't affect quality much if at all - certainly not visibly at least.

/Mats

[Masecaa]

Ok, now I'm using VirtualDubMod like papajohn suggested. However, for some reason I'm not able to install the Panasonic DV codec or any of the ones Baldrick originally mentioned. I just get a small "installation failed" popup when it should be finished. And that pisses me off because I have not had much luck with codecs or compressors. Any ideas?

[mats.hogberg]

No, not much - do you have admin rights on your box?
Got some anti virus that prevents registry updates?

/Mats

[Masecaa]

Ooh, that's a good point - I don't have admin rights on this account. I'll try installing it under the admin account...