Windows Media Encoder Slowest Thing on Earth?

[michaelgazin]

I downloaded windows media encoder to convert my files to WMV. I recently got a portable media center that will only play wmv files. When it works, the conversions are brilliant....when it works. Starting when I select the file I want to convert, it takes 30-60 minutes to just load the file...when I finally am able to click the convert/encode button, the conversion generally takes far less time than the actual loading of the file. This is getting really frustrating. I sometimes will wait at the computer for an hour while the file loads, and end up having to just end the program for fear that the program will just remain locked up. Is this normal? My computer is brand new and top of the line. It is 3.0 ghz, 1 gb ram, 160 gb HD, and can handle any program I run with ease...except wme. Why does the program suck up so much memory/cpu and then inevitably lock up? I have restarted the comp and run the program with nothing else running in the background. Any advice/suggestions/sympathy?

[SingSing]

I use windows movie maker to make wmv files from mpeg, and avi. It did not take that long. Have you tried that ?

[michaelgazin]

I have not tried that, but I just used the program River Past Video Cleaner Pro and it worked quickly and smoothly. I will test out the movie maker also though, thanks for the advice.