If an AVI file doesn't work as a source file in Movie Maker, you often need
to convert it to another AVI file that does work.... that's often a
confusing point... what codec works?

I recently did another wave of tests to check which of the compression
codecs made AVI source files that go into the collection, to the timeline,
and render OK to a Movie Maker movie...

There are 14 compression choices that work on my laptop.... some render
much faster than others... some result in much higher file sizes, but they
all work.

I added a couple charts to the Importing Source Files > Video > AVI page of
my website to show you the list, and how they differ in rendering speed and
file size...
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
MM2 Tips and Tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx

Thank you for that Papajohn.
It always seems to confuse people to try to understand that AVI isn't simply
one codec creating one compression Ratio. AVI is a file extension actually
used by many different codecs and with many different compression ratios
meaning just because a file has an AVI extension doesn't necessarily mean it
will work with all programs. Similar but smaller scale analogy is MPEG,
MPEG2, MPEG4, they all can have an MPG extension but they aren't all the
same.
-Wojo

"PapaJohn (MVP)" <PapaJohn@CharterMI.net> wrote in message
news:eozGGViEGHA.1312@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> If an AVI file doesn't work as a source file in Movie Maker, you often
> need to convert it to another AVI file that does work.... that's often a
> confusing point... what codec works?
>
> I recently did another wave of tests to check which of the compression
> codecs made AVI source files that go into the collection, to the timeline,
> and render OK to a Movie Maker movie...
>
> There are 14 compression choices that work on my laptop.... some render
> much faster than others... some result in much higher file sizes, but they
> all work.
>
> I added a couple charts to the Importing Source Files > Video > AVI page
> of my website to show you the list, and how they differ in rendering speed
> and file size...
> --
> PapaJohn
>
> Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
> MM2 Tips and Tricks:
> http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
> Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx
>
>

Yup, people can more understand when I say to convert an MOV or MPG to AVI
than when I say convert an AVI to another AVI.

Lot's of opportunity for new confusion... like when I suggest rendering the
new AVI using the Microsoft Windows Media Video 9 codec... but using
VirtualDub to do it, not Movie Maker.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
MM2 Tips and Tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx



"Wojo" <[REMOVE]wojos_web@[REMOVE]verizon.net> wrote in message
news:FPdvf.26707$Uf7.6390@trnddc01...
> Thank you for that Papajohn.
> It always seems to confuse people to try to understand that AVI isn't
> simply one codec creating one compression Ratio. AVI is a file extension
> actually used by many different codecs and with many different compression
> ratios meaning just because a file has an AVI extension doesn't
> necessarily mean it will work with all programs. Similar but smaller scale
> analogy is MPEG, MPEG2, MPEG4, they all can have an MPG extension but they
> aren't all the same.
> -Wojo
>
> "PapaJohn (MVP)" <PapaJohn@CharterMI.net> wrote in message
> news:eozGGViEGHA.1312@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> If an AVI file doesn't work as a source file in Movie Maker, you often
>> need to convert it to another AVI file that does work.... that's often a
>> confusing point... what codec works?
>>
>> I recently did another wave of tests to check which of the compression
>> codecs made AVI source files that go into the collection, to the
>> timeline, and render OK to a Movie Maker movie...
>>
>> There are 14 compression choices that work on my laptop.... some render
>> much faster than others... some result in much higher file sizes, but
>> they all work.
>>
>> I added a couple charts to the Importing Source Files > Video > AVI page
>> of my website to show you the list, and how they differ in rendering
>> speed and file size...
>> --
>> PapaJohn
>>
>> Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
>> MM2 Tips and Tricks:
>> http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
>> Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx
>>
>>
>
>

Great explanation...it was an interesting read. I liked the charts showing
size and speed. Off topic, but, I have to thank you for those high def
emulations. I'm still amazed at what happened... I wasn't happy with a
video I made of stills and some video clips when rendered in any of the
normal formats. But when I used the 960 x 720, (from something Wojo said in
a post the light came on!) the view on computer and saved as image file on
CD, for others, was great. Sonic at highest quality settings made a better
dvd this time than Movie Factory, and it blew me away when I projected it.
I'm not very technical but I know what good results look like! ha ha
I experiment all the time, but I really do admire and appreciate your rather
vast knowledge and dedication to the subject of making movies. Thanks

"PapaJohn (MVP)" wrote:

> If an AVI file doesn't work as a source file in Movie Maker, you often need
> to convert it to another AVI file that does work.... that's often a
> confusing point... what codec works?
>
> I recently did another wave of tests to check which of the compression
> codecs made AVI source files that go into the collection, to the timeline,
> and render OK to a Movie Maker movie...
>
> There are 14 compression choices that work on my laptop.... some render
> much faster than others... some result in much higher file sizes, but they
> all work.
>
> I added a couple charts to the Importing Source Files > Video > AVI page of
> my website to show you the list, and how they differ in rendering speed and
> file size...
> --
> PapaJohn
>
> Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
> MM2 Tips and Tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
> Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx
>
>
>

Thanks for the comment dickmr... it means a lot coming from someone like
you.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
MM2 Tips and Tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx



"dickmr" <dickmr@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:35C39407-8AAE-4F9E-AEC6-AB12756E43AC@microsoft.com...
> Great explanation...it was an interesting read. I liked the charts
> showing
> size and speed. Off topic, but, I have to thank you for those high def
> emulations. I'm still amazed at what happened... I wasn't happy with a
> video I made of stills and some video clips when rendered in any of the
> normal formats. But when I used the 960 x 720, (from something Wojo said
> in
> a post the light came on!) the view on computer and saved as image file
> on
> CD, for others, was great. Sonic at highest quality settings made a
> better
> dvd this time than Movie Factory, and it blew me away when I projected it.
> I'm not very technical but I know what good results look like! ha ha
> I experiment all the time, but I really do admire and appreciate your
> rather
> vast knowledge and dedication to the subject of making movies. Thanks
>
> "PapaJohn (MVP)" wrote:
>
>> If an AVI file doesn't work as a source file in Movie Maker, you often
>> need
>> to convert it to another AVI file that does work.... that's often a
>> confusing point... what codec works?
>>
>> I recently did another wave of tests to check which of the compression
>> codecs made AVI source files that go into the collection, to the
>> timeline,
>> and render OK to a Movie Maker movie...
>>
>> There are 14 compression choices that work on my laptop.... some render
>> much faster than others... some result in much higher file sizes, but
>> they
>> all work.
>>
>> I added a couple charts to the Importing Source Files > Video > AVI page
>> of
>> my website to show you the list, and how they differ in rendering speed
>> and
>> file size...
>> --
>> PapaJohn
>>
>> Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
>> MM2 Tips and Tricks:
>> http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
>> Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx
>>
>>
>>