Video conversion

[Rat]

Can anyone recommend a good and preferably free app for video file format conversion? It's driving me mad.

I have a collection of wmv files that I want to burn to DVD so as to make a DVD movie (preferably with each file as a chapter), but none of the DVD burning or video editing apps I have will accept wmv.

Now I'm no fan generally of wmv, but it's not an uncommon format. Why does no one support it?

I currently have Premiere and Ulead Video Studio, if anyone knows any plugins for those; and I'm using Nero Vision Express and Nero Burning... to make the final DVD product.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers,
Rat.

[Andonyx]

Originally posted by ratcomp1974
Can anyone recommend a good and preferably free app for video file format conversion? It's driving me mad.

I have a collection of wmv files that I want to burn to DVD so as to make a DVD movie (preferably with each file as a chapter), but none of the DVD burning or video editing apps I have will accept wmv.

Now I'm no fan generally of wmv, but it's not an uncommon format. Why does no one support it?

I currently have Premiere and Ulad Video Studio, if anyone knows any plugins for those; and I'm using Nero Vision Express and Nero Burning... to make the final DVD product.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers,
Rat.

No one accepts this because it's a proprietary MS format, and as an MPEG 4 based video compression you theoretically should not be using it to do any serious video work anyway, since it's lossy.

But that rationale doesn't help you one wit now does it?

It's not free, but I know for a fact that Video-Factory by Sonic Foundry, now a division of Sony Digital Media software will accept WMV and you can then convert directly to Mpeg 2 DVD specc files.

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/products/showproduct.asp?PID=856

Hmm, it looks like they changed the name to Screenblast Movie studio since Sony Took over but it should be the same product.

[Rat]

Cheers for that. I'll give that a go. If it works well, as it's a sensible price, I may even pay for it.:)

Cheers,
Rat.

[davidhorman]

http://www.divx-digest.com/articles/wmv2avi.html

David

[teddygrahams]

Try Windows Movie Maker 2 - it's included with Windows XP, buy you may be able to run it on other versions. It's a decent program especially when working with MS formats that other shareware programs require special (hard to find) plug-ins to use.