AVI file from Camera wont load in MS4

bamafamily wrote on 2/2/2005, 12:58 PM
Hey All,
I have a semi unique problem. I was running Build 42 of MS4 and was getting an error when I started the program. It said: "An error occurred starting Vegas Movie Studio. The reason for the error could not be determined"

I downloaded the 4.0a Build 48 update and installed it. I still get the same error.

It does not preclude me from starting and running the program, although I think it lis a clue to the real problem.

I have a Canon S400 digital camera. It can take movie clips in AVI format at 320x240 resolution @ 15fps. When I try to put it in the media pool, hte sttributes on the audio are fine, but the Video shows as "Stream Offline" If I try to drag it onto the tracks, it will only drag to an audio track and the audio plays fine.

When I try to play this in WMP, it plays fine. I think I might have a Video Codec problem, but I dont know how to check the codecs and verify what should be there.

Anyone help me on this one??? thx

Mark

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 2/2/2005, 1:11 PM
The file you've taken off your camera is a VOB, a form of MPEG. As you may know, Mark, an MPEG isn't just one type of file but a format that could be one of many kinds of files (called codecs, or compression methods). Some of these codecs are very common, others are designed for a particular purpose.

All of which is a long way of saying that these digital camera files really aren't designed to be edited. Most editing programs won't read them at all. And, being MPEGs, even if you can read them, they're liable to give you all kinds of funny, flickery images once you cut them.

But, if you're bound and determined to use these files, you can try to convert them using Windows MovieMaker (if it can read them) or a free download called VirtualDub (from www.virtualdub.org). If either of these very versatile programs can play the files, you can either output them as DV-AVIs (in the case of MovieMaker) or do a Save As an AVI (in VirtualDub).

These faux DV-AVIs should work in MovieStudio -- but then you've got the whole resolution issue since these images are only 1/4 the size of a standard video image.
Chienworks wrote on 2/2/2005, 1:35 PM
Actually i think this must be a digital still camera, not a DVD camcorder. The files are probably MJPEG encoded AVI files. Do a search on this forum for MJPEG or "morgan" to find the necessary codec.
bamafamily wrote on 2/2/2005, 2:07 PM
Chien....

I found a thread concerning Canon Powershot still cameras...It is indeed a MJPEG coded file. I got the appropriate codec and am now trying to work with the file...ISince I am new to MS4, I am still floundering and can only come up with a 3MB file for a 15 sec video...

I went to moviemaker real quick and produced a 750Kb file (in WMV) format...

Any hints as to how to get the MS4 file down to a reasonable size??

thx
Mark
Chienworks wrote on 2/2/2005, 4:54 PM
You don't want a reasonable size going IN to the editing software. You want as much data as possible for the best quality you can get. Don't worry about the file size until after the editing is done and you are rendering out to a finished file.
bamafamily wrote on 2/2/2005, 5:06 PM
Actually...I need to add something to this...
I am not editing these tiny 320x240 files..
I just want render them so my folks can see them..

I have a DV203D camcorder for my big projects, that I edit, and add transitions too..

I just want to shrink these so my folks can view them online or I can send them a link for download..(dialup)

thx again
Mark
Chienworks wrote on 2/2/2005, 7:11 PM
In that case, if MovieMaker works for you, stick with it.

If you really want to render them in Vegas then you'll have to choose the appropriate template for the output size & quality you want.
gogiants wrote on 2/3/2005, 11:26 AM
I think what you're seeing is that in Movie Studio 4 you don't have the option of changing the bitrate of the .wmv file that you produce. That would certainly explain why you're winding up with a large file.

Upon discovering this I did what you did: I just used Movie Maker to produce a lower bitrate .wmv file.

A more convoluted option for those of us who have an old version of Movie Studio and maybe don't have Windows XP (which includes Movie Maker) would be to install the older version of Movie Studio for this type of thing.