Print to Tape using .wmv instead of .avi?

Hammer45 wrote on 4/9/2002, 5:34 AM

Using the 'Video Capture/Print to Tape' feature, I notice the only file format you can choose from the File/Open dialog box is .avi. I would much prefer to use the .wmv file I created, as it turned out much sharper and clearer than the .avi file. (For that matter, can anyone tell me why THAT is? There is a very noticeable improvement in the 45-meg .wmv file over the 815-meg .avi file!)

Anyway - the question is, is there any way I can use the .wmv file to print to tape? As always, your help is much appreciated.

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 4/9/2002, 5:59 AM

The only way you can use the .wmv file is to load it into the timeline and render it out to a DV .avi file. I assume that the requirement for a DV format file is that this is the format that is sent through firewire to a DV camcorder. If you use any other format, the video would have to be rendered to DV as it is sent to the camera, and most computers aren't fast enough to do this in real time.

Hmmmm. Physically it just isn't possible for the .wmv file to be clearer and sharper than the .avi file. .wmv is compressed and therefore information and details are lost. However, i suppose it's possible that the .avi version shows many harsh details that may look like flaws to you. The .wmv version may cover these in much the same way that professional photographs are softened and airbrushed to cover up wrinkles and other imperfections. It's probably just your subjective judgement of what looks better to you.

Hammer45 wrote on 4/9/2002, 9:14 AM

Actually, the .avi file is more blurry - it's the .wmv file that is sharper and has better detail. You can definitely make out faces in the .wmv file that are obscured in the .avi file. I wish I could show it to you, but both files are too large to upload.

I hadn't thought of re-rendering the .wmv file to a .avi file - I will try that and see if it keeps it's quality. Thanks again for the suggestion.

Chienworks wrote on 4/9/2002, 11:27 AM

Just out of curiosity, where are you viewing these files that you notice such a difference? By any chance are you using Windows Media Player to make the comparison? WMP has a bug in that it displays DV .avi files at half resolution. Looking at them in just about any other viewer should show them at full resolution.

Hammer45 wrote on 4/9/2002, 11:53 AM

I also tried it in RealOne and Quicktime - RealOne was about the same as Windows Media Player, and Quicktime was TERRIBLE (probably not too surprising considering the respective companies). There's really no comparison - the .wmv file has sharper text and better quality pictures. I may cut snippets of each and upload them so you can see for yourself.

Also, I can't load the .wmv file to the timeline. When I open a new project and go to import a media file, the dialog box doesn't recognize or display the .wmv file. It only shows the .avi and .mpg files for selection. Is there some other way to get the .wmv file on the timeline?

I really do appreciate all your time and expertise - thanks.

Hammer45 wrote on 4/10/2002, 2:06 AM

I found a way around my problem:

I still can't load .wmv files into the timeline (if someone knows how to do that, I would love to find out), but I was able to produce a better .avi file using the Divx 5.0 codec. It has a slight delay on the cross-fade transitions, but other than that it is totally acceptable and much better than what was being produced before.

If anyone has any more insights, I would enjoy hearing them.