What Should I Use For Simple Editing .wmv Files?

[abrogard]

I was going to use VirtualDub and I have 1.10.4 but then I found it couldn't see .wmv files.

Googled about it and found references on this site going back to 2011 about running Avisynth and writing scripts etc..

Is that what I should do or has a simpler/better way come along in the last 6 years since those posts?

I just have some Amscope generated .wmv files showing footage of microscope work. Just want to cut out the non-event footage essentially and join the rest together and then perhaps do some voice over explaining to the viewer what's going on.

that's all. No big deal. Don't need fancy effects or complicated visual editing - perhaps alter contrast and brightness sometimes but even that I could manage without.

[transporterfan]

That's all!!! Video editing and a narration. Man, that's a production!
If you do this on a regular basis you don't want to be messing about. You should be using an editor, Vegas or similar.
Audacity for recording your narration might be a boon, too.


EDIT: Given your task is rather simple, you might consider an online editor (example: https://clipchamp.com/en/video-editor). You would have to find one (Google/try it out) which works with wmv and you would still have to record your narration.

[jagabo]

VirtualDub can open WMV files if you add a source plugin that supports it (Windows Media, ffmpeg, DirectShow...). VirtualDub FilterMod has built in source filters for WMV. But you really want an NLE for what you're doing.

[abrogard]

What's an NLE?

I've got Audacity. I don't know how much I'll be doing. Just awakened an old interest, it might grow, it might die.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[jagabo]

NLE = Non Linear Editor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-linear_editing_system

Some may not accept WMV as input files though.

[abrogard]

Ah, thanks. So NLE is essentially non destructive editing? And Linear Editing is the old time 'cut a piece of film out and throw it away' destructive editing?

And NLE is plus a lot of enhancements such as the major one: indexing of the whole thing so's any frame is instantly retrievable?

And Virtual Dub is not NLE? It can't jump to a frame and it does destroy the original?

I've found Magix on my machine. I remember now I purchased it some time ago - year or more. Now it's giving me hassles about running on this or that machine. Tells me I've got it installed on two machines one of which I can't find on our LAN ! But I guess I'll get it all going. So Magix would be a NLE? And Magix probably records audio, too?

Why don't I already know? Sorry guys, I"m very pressed for time and my computer playing gets squeezed in when I've got a minute.

[jagabo]

VirtualDub may quality as an NLE but most people mean something a little more full-featured when they use that term. If you are comfortable with VirtualDub you should try VirtualDub FilterMod. It should be able to open your WMV file, cut/paste edit, and save with whatever codec/container you need. Then record your audio track and edit it in something like Audacity. Finally, mux your video and audio together with the appropriate muxing tool. A more full featured editor would allow you do do all that in one application.

[babygdav]

Old thread, fyi :

Doesn't Windows 10 Photo's video editing feature handle wmv?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4051785/windows-10-create-or-edit-video

I don't have any wmv to test, but you'd think Microsoft would be able to handle its own format.