windows movie maker advice? - Harley Forum

94flhtcu · #1 07-29-2009, 04:38 PM

Maybe someone could help me with windows movie maker... It's a conversion issue... camera is .mov... uses quicktime to view... I then convert this to .avi... windows may play the movie, but no audio. I have tried several converters to no avail. HP can't help. Ever, with anything. Can't call Microsoft cause it was part of my computer. If someone can shed some light on this, other than buying a mac (will do when I can) Please give me some advice. Thanks!

JCourneyaP · #2 07-29-2009, 09:24 PM

Good to see you back again 94.

Sorry I am a Mainframe guy. I know little about PC's. I use them all the time but have to play around and get help sometimes.

I am sure we have some PC wizards aboard.........So who is gonna step up and help 94 out???

Tbone · #3 07-29-2009, 10:19 PM

OK, here goes.

Google "windows movie maker convert .mov to .avi no sound".

Apparently, when a .mov file is made by a camera, there are different codecs used to creat the video and the audio. When WMM converts the file to .avi it uses default codecs to convert the video and the audio. You need to know what codec to use on each one and to do so you need to know what codecs created each one.
Evidently the video codec being used to convert the video is working.
Follow the links in the google search and it gives some programs that will reveal the codecs for a file that was created. Then you can set the converter to use the proper codecs for conversion.
I wish I could give an explicit answer to your question but that is what I found reading the search results. I'm afraid it is not going to be as easy as one would want.

The easiest answer I found was this:

The full version of Apple QuickTime can
convert the .mov files.

Just as an experiment...try converting one
of your .mov files at the following online site:

Media-Convert
Media Convert - free and on line - convert and split sound, ringtones, images, docs -

Apple Quicktime conversion instructions

1) In the "File" field...click the "Browse"
button and navigate to the .mov file you
wish to convert. When you select the
file...the path will appear in the 'File' field.

2) The "Input format" field should automatically
show..."Apple Quicktime (.mov)" leave it
as is...

3) "Output" format has two drop windows...
the field on the left will display, "No video
preset"...leave it as is...

4) In the next drop window to the right
you can choose the format you wish to
convert to...try:

Audio Video Interleave (.avi)

5) Left click the blue *OK* button.

Now...wait for the file to be converted.
(be patient)

When the conversion is complete you will see:

File successfull converted !

Left click the Download button...the Save As
screen will appear...left click the Save button /
Choose a folder to save in...left click the Save
button. When the file is downloaded you should
be able to play it with Windows Media Player
and it should be compatible with Movie maker.

CrossBonesRick · #4 07-29-2009, 11:07 PM

Check cnet.com for help. They are PC guys and cover many of these topic. Or I could have my 13 year old son help you. He has been making movies with his digital camera for a long time now. and he has been very successful.

94flhtcu · #5 07-30-2009, 06:07 AM

Hey, Joe...good to hear from you too. Thanks to my previous employer, I suddenly have a lot of internet time, and wanted to visit my buds on the site...

Crossbonesrick...if your son will run a mower and split firewood, he can come out for the summer! I'm not a slave driver, so we'll be fishing and riding some too... not as cool as pop's ride, but riding... And, I know you are right about the age thing. I have become the coot I used to poke fun at!

Tbone, thank you for the in depth advice. That's just what I was looking for, tho I don't use google, I have searched before. I have tried several different converters. I will try what you suggest. I also think I'll have to buy the full quicktime program. I have not tried the converter you suggested, and I will today. My memory cards are backing up because I can't do anything with the movies.

I am somewhat familiar with what's not happening, but I don't understand why the other converters failed. I mean, yeah, I found out about the codecs, and the site you found may teach me more about my issue since it id's the codec.

Getting long, I'll try it sometime today...thanks again, and thanks for your service to our country...that is for all our brave men and women in the services...

admin · #6 07-30-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94flhtcu

Maybe someone could help me with windows movie maker... It's a conversion issue... camera is .mov... uses quicktime to view... I then convert this to .avi... windows may play the movie, but no audio. I have tried several converters to no avail. HP can't help. Ever, with anything. Can't call Microsoft cause it was part of my computer. If someone can shed some light on this, other than buying a mac (will do when I can) Please give me some advice. Thanks!

You didn't say how you wanted to use the video. If you just want to watch it, you can download a free version of QuickTime from the Apple web site, and then use that to watch the video. Unfortunately QT on a PC makes you download the whole video before it starts moving (opposite of Progressive download which starts playing as you download). Of course if you have the video on your hard drive, then it will start playing right away.

If you were planning on posting the video on your web site, you could post the video as a Quicktime Movie (.MOV), but it would probably piss of most of the Windows users. You could convert the .MOV file to .WMV (I'm a Mac guy so I'm on thin ice here, but I believe the .WMV applies to Windows video). You can make the conversion by getting QuickTime Pro, which is about $50, but is a completely worthwhile program to have. Or you could go the internet route and let an on-line service make the conmversion for you (a number of those services have been mentioned here). Let us know how you fare in case others have the same dilemma.

CrossBonesRick · #7 07-30-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94flhtcu

Crossbonesrick...if your son will run a mower and split firewood, he can come out for the summer!

Hell. I'm trying to get him to learn those skills myself. Right now he is skilled at sitting and playing video games. Not for much longer though.

Hell, I'll come out and hang with you if you got fishing and willing to ride. I can even provide my own bike.

94flhtcu · #8 07-30-2009, 05:36 PM

Crossbonesrick, there's a great pond 300 yds. from the house...we can all fish and ride! I've been thinking about going one morning...

Thanks, admin.. I've already considered purchasing the full version of quicktime. I just thought one of the converters had to work. I did try to convert to .wmv, and the message was the same as before..something like windows can not play the movie xxxx. That's not exactly the error, but close. Another codec problem I guess. Eventually, I'll figure it out.

I had wanted to burn a dvd, so I could eventually dump the parent files and the final project. Wishful thinking, I suppose. I havn't had time to check out the one Tbone suggested...maybe tonight.

The camera I have required me to download the quicktime viewer, but it seems like I have some control over cutting clips, and actually forming a movie with the program. I don't remember paying for it though. We'll see, been playing with that too.

Thanks for the advice!

94flhtcu · #9 08-03-2009, 11:37 AM

Hey, Tbone... is this something you have used, or did you google it and report just to be helpful...not having much luck. I have great internet, but the program seems to take for ever...I was trying it out on a 23 second video...admittedly, I bailed, but had waited a good while, too. The movies I have are much longer than the test video I tried.

No sweat, just curious. I think I'm about to spend 30 bucks...