Help with captured video files, please!

[biglou]

I have several questions, if I can remember them all. I know Okie and some others are adept at manipulating their captured video, so here goes:

Home PC-
Compaq 5000, 800mHz processor
O/S-Windows ME
Video card-ATI All-in-Wonder 128 (I think:o)
Software-Ulead VideoStudio 4.0
Viewer-Windows Media Player (whatever version came with the PC, it has the changable "skins" option)

Work PC-

Gateway boat anchor, 266mHz processor. :o
O/S-Windows 98Plus.
Viewer-Windows Media Player 7.1 (just downloaded it a couple weeks ago)

My questions:
1) A 3-minute mpeg is about 45meg. Is there any way to reduce that size? The same footage saved as an AVI was 1.08gig!!

2) When I play the captured and rendered video files back (at home), either in Windows Media Player or RealPlayer, I can only play, pause or stop. There is no "scroll bar" or total clip time displayed. It just says 0:00 up in the corner. There is a timer that runs as the clip plays, but the scroll bar icon does not move as the clip plays, however.

3) I burned these to disc to bring to work to play. They played fine at home after burning them, with the exception of the problems noted above. At work, however, I get an error message that says the format is not supported. I have the latest verson of Windows Media Player here at work. When I click "properties", it says that it is an mpeg movie file. It just won't play here at work. Why would something play at home but not at work using the same program (WMP)?? I don't even have the latest decompressor at home. I have to download the DIVx (4.1, I think) at home before I can watch the super motard video I posted last week. THAT I can watch here at work, where I have the latest WMP version and the DIV4 decompressor. Is it possible that the DIV4 will not support the mpeg I created at home, and that my WMV at home doesn't support the motard video, thus making them mutually exclusive?

I'm stumped, and not a real natural with this video stuff. So, any info would be greatly appreciated, and please, talk slowly! Thanks in advance.:)

 

[Anssi]

Going much smaller than 15 megs/minute will seriously hamper the quality of the clips. You can check out mine at my gallery to see how the quality and size compares.

WMV uses codecs, which are like algoritms that you can download (such as divx) and install. They are used to make the player play clip compressed in different ways. It is extremely unlikely that the players are mutually exclusive, you just have to find the right codecs which can sometimes be a chore. I would try and re-install Divx on both machines.

Also, I would try and use Windows update (Tools-Windows Update in Internet Explorer) to make sure you have the newest codecs for WMV. Check out Codec Central if you're really serious, they provide a nice features list of the most relevant codecs.

 

[Mac]

What compression format are you using. I have not had good luck with mpeg2!! I think good hardware is needed for this.

I use Media Studio Pro and have found that compressing using the VCD format or the MP4 format works best. With VCD a 30 minute movie is 325meg and quality is pretty good. It is also one of the fastest compressors. The VCD res is only 352x240 but it looks pretty good. If you want 720x480 res than try the mp4 format. For the best quality try Indeo 5.10, it has great quality but compresses very slowly and the file size is rather large.

I can run the VCD format on any of my computers with no problems but the mpeg2 format causes some problems.

 

[biglou]

Thanks guys. I am doing some research right now. I think they are mpeg2 files that I saved them as but I'm not positive. Not sure if I have the VCD option with my software, but it does sound familiar. I'm not sure about the compression, either. I do know that I am using the 352x240 resolution. Unfortunately, all that software is at home, so I can't double check anything until this evening. I will download the codec from work (T1 line) and bring home to install. I think I'm on the right track here, but keep those suggestions coming!:)

 

[biglou]

Downloaded Directx 8a. Still does not play. When the WMP error center pops up, this is what is displayed, along with a list of file types that are supported.

Windows Media Player does not support this file type
Error ID = 0x80040265, Remedy ID = 0x00000000

 

[kx100]

Lou,

here's what could be wrong:

the media file you are attempting to play is not a supported file format for windows media player (duh..), or the media file uses a 'Codec' that is not supported by windows media player.
- some of the windows media player files are missing or damaged.
- the media file is damaged.
- the media file uses a Codec that is not installed.
- the operating system does not have audio capabilities.

for example:
- no audio device is in the computer
- the correct audio device driver is not installed or is disabled
- WindowsNT and Windows2000 Terminal is used (which has no audio capabilites)
- Windows XP Terminal is configured to not play audio

also, when you encoded the video at home and brought it to work, it's looking for Codec that the gfx card @ home has but the computer @ work doesn't. I bet 100 bucks if you took the gfx card from home and installed it on the box at work with the drivers, you could play that clip fine.

Tony