Re: Why can I edit mp4 files (Flip Mino-HD) in Movie Maker?

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I found a file I can download and use as a test...
http://www.vimeo.com/2317967

--
PapaJohn
www.papajohn.org


"PapaJohn" <PapaJohn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23pQeNMZuJHA.3816@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You're right... my info is for the original Flip, not the HD model. I
don't have an HD camcorder of any brand or model, and gave up long ago
trying to keep up with the newest models and file formats.

Do you happen to have a link to a downloadable sample file, or can you
email one that's less than 10 MB.... my email address is at the bottom of
the main page of my website. I'd be interested in checking it in XP,
Vista, and Windows 7, and adding info to my website's Flip page.

I agree with you about Movie Maker being a natural choice when it comes to
editing clips from Flip and other best-selling cameras/camcorders. Movie
Maker was originally made for DV. My local Sams Club last month stopped
selling DV models, but it has a big pile of Flips.

Vista's Movie Maker didn't really go beyond MM2.1 in XP when it comes to
using different file formats. The MPEG2 codec in the Ultimate and Home
Premium editions helped a bit, but it'll be the newly created Windows Live
Movie Maker in Windows 7 that offers the big step toward more universal
file use.... today it's only a promise, not an available app.

I'm currently reading a book about streaming media... it says that MPEG2
specified 7 video profiles, while MPEG4 provides no less than 38....
digital video gets better and better, but with the confusion of more and
more choices.
--
PapaJohn
www.papajohn.org


"eisenworks" <guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ca0ecd26e43cc8e176dc7df2bd008a23@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PapaJohn;1015587 Wrote:
I should have noted that the option in Flip to email a video produces a
wmv
file that works fine in Movie Maker. One user might be wrestling with a
Divx/Xvid file and another using a wmv.
--
PapaJohn
'www.papajohn.org' (http://www.papajohn.org)


"PapaJohn" <hipapajohn@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eSxVOYXuJHA.1300@xxxxxx> > >
I think you're right... it's about the codecs on the different
systems and
which ones work with Movie Maker.

As I don't have a Flip camcorder, I can't comment on it from
experience. I
got some technical info from Flip and a couple test files... and get
any
info that comes from postings from those who use them, like
yourself.

Flip told me the avi files from the camcorder were Divx encoded....
but
GSpot reported them as Xvid. Either way, my standard approach to
using
such files is to convert them first to something more universally
accepted
by Movie Maker, or you risk running into issues at any point, such
as
when
trying to save the project as a movie after having invested lots of
time
editing it. Movie Maker was made to work best with DV files. Those
who can
use Divx/Xvid files in it without problems might just be lucky.
--
PapaJohn
'www.papajohn.org' (http://www.papajohn.org)

"eisenworks" <guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:aa4e81c3d369ce79db97ddd1bd86049b@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > > >

It's clear that most people cannot edit .mp4 files from their
Flip
Mino-HD camcorders in Movie Maker. I can, on three different
computers
in my household -- all except for the lone XP system. All of
these
computers have different applications installed.

I thought I had it figured out. When I plug in the Flip, it
installs
FlipShare automatically. I have plugged the Flip into two of the
three
Vista systems. When I look at Tools->Options->Compatibility on
the
systems that have FlipShare installed, I see that there is a
DirectShow
filter called "PDT IPP Video Decoder" enabled, and it's in one of
Pure
Technologies' (Flip) directories. If I disable that, in Movie
Maker, I
can no longer play or edit the .mp4 files from my Flip Mino-HD.

However, on my wife's Vista system, the Flip has never been
plugged
in,
FlipShare hasn't been installed, the above-mentioned filter isn't
present, and I can -*still*- load, play, and edit an MP4 file
copied
from one of my other computers. She hasn't installed any video
editors
on her system. There is a bare minimum of filters listed as
active
in
Movie Maker.

Papa John, unfortunately, only talks about Movie Maker 2.
There's
discussion all over the internet from people who would like to
know
how
to edit these files in Movie Maker, and about different utilities
to
use
to convert the files so they can be edited.

What am I missing? I would like to be able to explain to others
how
I'm able to edit my Flip files without conversion, but I'm at a
loss.

Has there been a recent update to Windows Vista that made this
possible?


--
eisenworks> > > > > > >

You'll note that I'm referring to the Flip Mino-HD, which produce .mp4
files -- not .avi. They are 720p 30 files. This is the latest, and
hottest, Flip. It's the best-selling HD camcorder on Amazon for quite a
while, now, and I'm interested in helping people get the footage edited
in WMM, because... well... they CAN (or, at least, three Vista computers
in my house can.) The only options this camcorder has to produce .wmv
files puts out 640x320 files for YouTube. You can upload the .mp4 clips
and get an HD rating, from YouTube, but the .wmv movies don't get the
nod.

WMM seems the right 'scale' of editor to work with footage from a $200
HD camcorder for the masses, so it's worth pursuing.

I have a utility called "mediainfo" that gives this information on one
of my files:

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Sony PSP
Codec ID : MSNV
File size : 13.1 MiB
Duration : 10s 533ms
Overall bit rate : 10.5 Mbps
Encoded date : UTC 2009-02-21 18:49:26
Tagged date : UTC 2009-02-21 18:49:26

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@xxxx
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 10s 533ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 10.4 Mbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 30.000 fps
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.376
Stream size : 13.1 MiB (99%)
Language : Japanese
Encoded date : UTC 2009-02-21 18:49:26
Tagged date : UTC 2009-02-21 18:49:26

Audio
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : No
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 10s 518ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 64.0 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Channel positions : C
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Stream size : 82.4 KiB (1%)
Language : Japanese
Encoded date : UTC 2009-02-21 18:49:26
Tagged date : UTC 2009-02-21 18:49:26

Sorry for referring to you as having a forum. It's just that so many
people quote you in the Windows Movie Maker Forum that it feels like
yours. :D

You clearly know more about Movie Maker than anyone else I've found.
If you don't the answer on this one, I despair of finding anyone who
does.


--
eisenworks




.

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