Does Dvd MovieFactory Support Wmv Video Files

[Skimmilk]

I was Wondering I f it did so I wont have to waste 5 hours converting it to avi just to burn it

[Bobm03]

MF 3 imports xxx.wmv files.
MF still has to re-encode wmv to MPEG 2 for burning, which means that you'll be "wasting" your time as MF converts in the process to burn the DVD. You'll have skipped the avi to MPEG conversion time though.

[Skimmilk]

Wait what can You explain that for a person thats new to this stuff

[Bobm03]

Movie Factory can import the following file types for making a DVD:
- Microsoft AVI files (*.avi)
- QuickTime Movie files (*.mov; *.qt)
- Windows Media (*.wmv, *.asf)
- MPG files (*.mpg; *.mpeg)

For the most part, *.mpg files already are compliant MPEG 1 or MPEG 2 and do not have to be re-encoded for the burning process. All the other files listed have to be re-encoded. It is this "re-encoding" that takes extra time. How much extra time depends on your compter's processor and memory.

In my own situation, with a Pentium 4-2.8, 512 memory, it can easily take up several hours to burn a DVD with mixed files. For this reason, I always burn my DVDs as the last thing I do at night. It's done by the morning.

[jedi-jae]

So is it possible to convert all your videos to Mpeg 1 or 2 prior to creating your DVD? Can MF do this as a separate task?

[Bobm03]

So is it possible to convert all your videos to Mpeg 1 or 2 prior to creating your DVD?

If you really, really want to, it is possible. Check out the various possible conversions at this very informative website :

http://www.videohelp.com/

(and click on Convert in the HOW TO menu in the upper left corner)

Whatever you do, don't try to digest everything at one sitting. You can end up being very confused (as I was )

In my own situation, I use my Hauppauge 250 PCI card to capture analogue video from VHS and my Hi8 camcorder. The native file is MPEG-2 which I edit with VideoReDo (MF could be used if you want).

I've used MF to make a DVDs with combined captured and edited MPEG-2 files, wmv files creaded by Window MovieMaker 2 and PhotoStory 3 and avi files. As I mentioned earlier, because it takes a long, long time for the encoding process, I burn my DVDs as the last thing on the computer at night. They're ready in the morning.

Can MF do this as a separate task?

Maybe, but I've never bothered to find out.

I am quite satisfied with my workflow and how I do things. For me, it works well and, even though there may be other approaches, that's all that counts.

[ploggy]

So is it possible to convert all your videos to Mpeg 1 or 2 prior to creating your DVD?

it depends on the file that you are using in your projects. some AVIs or MOVs can take longer time to render (in DVD) than using a third party converter. other AVIs/WMV/MOV take reasonable time to render to DVD using MovieFactory.

Can MF do this as a separate task?

if you have DMF4 (or DMF3.5) then you can use the Export Movie tool to create compliant MPEGs from AVIs/MOVs/WMVs in your project.