WMM is great for the price, but it is a very limited program and, as
Papa John's web site clearly shows, is prone to crashes. So, I post to
ask what video editing program would WMM users recommend that is not so
expensive or hard to learn?

it's usually much easier to resolve the crashing issues than it is to learn
anything else.... and then find the other software crashes too
--
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

"mcp6453" <mcp6453@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Osnm01iEGHA.916@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> WMM is great for the price, but it is a very limited program and, as Papa
> John's web site clearly shows, is prone to crashes. So, I post to ask what
> video editing program would WMM users recommend that is not so expensive
> or hard to learn?

PapaJohn (MVP) wrote:
> it's usually much easier to resolve the crashing issues than it is to learn
> anything else.... and then find the other software crashes too

One real limitation I have with MM is its inability to replace the sound
track without increasing the file size. My understanding is that the
muted Audio track is still encoded into the movie file even though there
is a replacement Audio/Music track. Is that correct? We are producing a
streaming video file, and size does matter.

I, too, have problems with having recorded 12-bit audio on a Sony DV
camera. It would be helpful to be able to remove the 12-bit track,
convert it to 16-bit, and reinsert it into MM to avoid the squelch
noises that your web suggests may be related to the 12-bit audio setting.

Also, on your web site, there is a discussion about how to see installed
codecs. Audio codecs are not listed in my Sound category of Device
Manager in Windows XP. Any thoughts as to why?

Movies rendered by Movie Maker have a single set of stereo sound channels...
which merge the audio from the video clips and the audio added on the music
and narration track into one stereo track.

The file size of the audio portion is determined by the audio setting of the
profile... if you want a smaller audio file size portion, then lower the
audio quality. It's probably best to do it with a custom profile for your
needs.

You always have a sound track in a saved movie... when I want to put a
silent movie online and save the file space, I set the audio to use zero
kbps... the track is there but of essentially zero size.

The codecs on your system seem to differ by the tool looking at them... try
the GSpot utility and compare your results to what you see via the system
tools. I don't know why the differences, and don't explore them unless they
effect the making of movies.
--
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


"mcp6453" <mcp6453@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:%23W%23zUWjEGHA.272@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> PapaJohn (MVP) wrote:
>> it's usually much easier to resolve the crashing issues than it is to
>> learn anything else.... and then find the other software crashes too
>
> One real limitation I have with MM is its inability to replace the sound
> track without increasing the file size. My understanding is that the muted
> Audio track is still encoded into the movie file even though there is a
> replacement Audio/Music track. Is that correct? We are producing a
> streaming video file, and size does matter.
>
> I, too, have problems with having recorded 12-bit audio on a Sony DV
> camera. It would be helpful to be able to remove the 12-bit track, convert
> it to 16-bit, and reinsert it into MM to avoid the squelch noises that
> your web suggests may be related to the 12-bit audio setting.
>
> Also, on your web site, there is a discussion about how to see installed
> codecs. Audio codecs are not listed in my Sound category of Device Manager
> in Windows XP. Any thoughts as to why?

PapaJohn (MVP) wrote:

> The file size of the audio portion is determined by the audio setting of the
> profile... if you want a smaller audio file size portion, then lower the
> audio quality. It's probably best to do it with a custom profile for your
> needs.

How do I set the audio setting of the profile? I tried to investigate
before writing the post, but MM crashed on me three times in a row.

You don't use Movie Maker to change the profile setting... see the Saving
Movies > Custom WMV Profiles page of my website.

.... and for the crashing, check the Problem Solving > Crashes and Hangs page
--
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


"mcp6453" <mcp6453@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:uGVQzNkEGHA.2036@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> PapaJohn (MVP) wrote:
>
>> The file size of the audio portion is determined by the audio setting of
>> the profile... if you want a smaller audio file size portion, then lower
>> the audio quality. It's probably best to do it with a custom profile for
>> your needs.
>
> How do I set the audio setting of the profile? I tried to investigate
> before writing the post, but MM crashed on me three times in a row.