Guide: converting - Windows Movie Maker 2

Although Windows Movie Maker 2 is quite a reasonable program considering it is free, Microsoft tries to lock you in to using it's proprietary WMV format.   Although rather annoying, there is a way around it!

Luckily, WMM2 still allows you to output to DV-AVI, which can be opened by other programs (unlike WMV).

You will need to install these programs:

• Panasonic VFW DV codec (a guide for installing this codec is here)
• DV Type-1 to Type-2 converter

Firstly, you will have to load your project and have it ready for exporting to a video clip.

To save the clip:

File --> Save Movie File...

Choose "My computer" --> then click Next

Enter a save name and location.

For movie settings, you must set it to DV-AVI (can be PAL or NTSC) --> then click on Next

Wait for the clip to render and once done, you will have a DV-AVI (Type 1) file of your short film:

In WMM2 you'll have the above dialogue box informing you that the file has been rendered and you should be able to see it in Windows Explorer.

Step 3: Convert from DV Type-1 to DV Type-2

Microsoft does not provide any VFW (video for Windows) drivers for DV which is why the Panasonic VFW DV drivers are essential...  A further complication, however, is that Windows Movie Maker 2 only outputs DV Type-1 files which cannot be handled properly by VirtualDub (or any other VFW application).  This further makes it necessary to first convert the clip to DV Type-2 which can be opened and processed properly by VirtualDub.

You will need to download the DV Type-1 to Type-2 Converter program here.

It is relatively simple to use:

1. Load the DV-AVI file you just made 2. Select a new destination folder 3. Click on Convert

In a matter of seconds, a new DV-AVI Type-2 file will be created!  There is no data loss and this is a quick (but necessary) process.

Step 4: Set up resizing settings with VirtualDub

The first step is to load the DV-AVI file with VirtualDub:

File --> Open And open your file

Now, add the resizing filter to resize it to 640 x 480:

Video --> "Filters" --> then click on "Add"

Select "resize" --> and set the height, width, filter mode settings to the above picture

And then click OK and OK again.

Step 5: Setting up the codecs and encoding

At this stage, you can either do ONE pass encoding or multi-pass encoding.  A single pass is easier to do and set up, but multi-pass encoding allows better allocation of bitrate so you tend to result in better video quality for the same bitrate.

If you want to do single pass encoding to DivX, click here.

if you want to do multi-pass encoding to DivX, click here.

Step 5a: Single pass encoding

It is very easy to do single pass encoding to DivX with the right settings.

Firstly work out the average video bitrate you are going to use (so that it is within the competition specifications).  This can be easily done with the "Bitrate Calculator" application written especially for this competition.

For example, if my film was 3 min and 40 sec in length and I was planning on using 128 kbit/s MP3 as the audio bitrate, then I simply put the values into the calculator and press "Calculate" to yield...

and the answer = 1397 kbit/s

... 1397 kbit/s.  Thus, if I wanted to stay within the 40 MB limit, my average bitrate for the video should be less than 1397 kbit/s.   If you want to upload a smaller file, then change the "filesize" to a smaller value and press calculate to determine your target bitrate.

Now, on change the AVI video codec to the below (Video --> Compression):

On the panel of codec choices, choose DivX 5.0.5 --> then click on a button named "Configure" or "Settings"

There will usually be a button named "Configure" or "Settings" or "Setup".  This will allow you to change the options in the DivX 5 codec to what you need.

On the DivX 5 codec setup, change the settings to what is on the following images:

1. Bitrate control --> change the "Variable bitrate mode" to "1-pass" --> change the "Encoding bitrate" to the value calculated before (it's a good idea to use a slightly lower value as a buffer)

2. General parameters

3. Profiles Change to above to "Home Theatre" then put in the numbers relevant for your clip

Click OK and you will have set up the DivX codec settings.

Now, you will have to set the audio codec settings:

1. Audio --> set to "Source audio" 2. Audio --> set to "Full processing mode" 3. Audio --> click on "Compression"

Select Lame MP3 as the audio compression and 44.1 kHz, 128 kbit/s CBR, Stereo as the setting as below:

Select Lame MP3 --> and select 44.1 kHz, 128 kbit/s CBR, Stereo

And click OK.

Now, you should save your AVI file:

File --> Save as AVI Set your file name

Click "Save" and in a matter of moments, your new DivX AVI file will be ready!