Vista Tutorial - How to maintain quality between Movie Maker and third party DVD authoring tool

I have already spent a lot of time editing my clips using Movie Maker but I
want to use a program other than DVD Maker to create my DVDs. What format
should I use when I publish from MM to eliminate any possible loss of
quality?

The source material for one set of DVDs is DV-AVI and for a different set,
it will all be mpeg. I have not yet selected the DVD authoring product that
I will be using.
--
Evan Barr
www.ProjectInVision.com

DV-AVI is the highest quality.... and works in all DVD authoring software.

It's possible but unlikely the DVD software will only work with the older
type II DV-AVI files.... Movie Maker renders the newer type I.
--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn


"EvanBarr" <X@Y.com> wrote in message
news:OyE6$t60HHA.4236@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>I have already spent a lot of time editing my clips using Movie Maker but I
>want to use a program other than DVD Maker to create my DVDs. What format
>should I use when I publish from MM to eliminate any possible loss of
>quality?
>
> The source material for one set of DVDs is DV-AVI and for a different set,
> it will all be mpeg. I have not yet selected the DVD authoring product
> that I will be using.
> --
> Evan Barr
> www.ProjectInVision.com
>
>

But is that really required when going from mpeg? The resulting DV-AVI file
will be many times bigger than the source yet with no improvement in quality
(since you can't add what isn't there).


"PapaJohn" <papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote in message
news:%23cQV2B70HHA.5764@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> DV-AVI is the highest quality.... and works in all DVD authoring software.
>
> It's possible but unlikely the DVD software will only work with the older
> type II DV-AVI files.... Movie Maker renders the newer type I.
> --
> website references are to www.papajohn.org
>
> PapaJohn
>
>
> "EvanBarr" <X@Y.com> wrote in message
> news:OyE6$t60HHA.4236@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>I have already spent a lot of time editing my clips using Movie Maker but
>>I want to use a program other than DVD Maker to create my DVDs. What
>>format should I use when I publish from MM to eliminate any possible loss
>>of quality?
>>
>> The source material for one set of DVDs is DV-AVI and for a different
>> set, it will all be mpeg. I have not yet selected the DVD authoring
>> product that I will be using.
>> --
>> Evan Barr
>> www.ProjectInVision.com
>>
>>
>
>

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:34:20 -0700, "EvanBarr" <X@Y.com> wrote:

>But is that really required when going from mpeg? The resulting DV-AVI file
>will be many times bigger than the source yet with no improvement in quality
>(since you can't add what isn't there).

Since I'm in the dark not having DVD Maker don't know what it's output
options are. If you live in the North America then look for a NTSC
template or choice to output to MPEG-2. If you live elsewhere look for
a DVD PAL option. Ideal if the option says the format is DV so there
will be very little loss in quality even if re-edited. AVI-DV files
are way larger and huge and only practical if you plan on recording
back to DV tape for your digital camera or deck. Otherwise most CODECS
will render either DV MPEG or DV AVI at a equal quality level.
>
>
>"PapaJohn" <papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote in message
>news:%23cQV2B70HHA.5764@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> DV-AVI is the highest quality.... and works in all DVD authoring software.
>>
>> It's possible but unlikely the DVD software will only work with the older
>> type II DV-AVI files.... Movie Maker renders the newer type I.
>> --
>> website references are to www.papajohn.org
>>
>> PapaJohn
>>
>>
>> "EvanBarr" <X@Y.com> wrote in message
>> news:OyE6$t60HHA.4236@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>I have already spent a lot of time editing my clips using Movie Maker but
>>>I want to use a program other than DVD Maker to create my DVDs. What
>>>format should I use when I publish from MM to eliminate any possible loss
>>>of quality?
>>>
>>> The source material for one set of DVDs is DV-AVI and for a different
>>> set, it will all be mpeg. I have not yet selected the DVD authoring
>>> product that I will be using.
>>> --
>>> Evan Barr
>>> www.ProjectInVision.com
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

I use the DV-AVI format to maintain whatever quality is there... not improve
it. But yes, you need to hard drive space for them.

You're only other choice with Movie Maker is the WMV file type, which is
compressed. The highest quality choice in Vista is the 3 Mbps one when
heading to DVD. That's better than the maximum of 2.1 of MM2.1 in XP, but
still only about 1/2 of the bitrate of a high quality DVD MPEG2 file.

When I don't use the DV-AVI choice, I use a custom profile to keep the WMV
files up at the 6 to 8 Mbps bitrate level. See my website's Save Movies >
Custom WMV Profiles page.
--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn


"EvanBarr" <X@Y.com> wrote in message
news:eG3FtH70HHA.4932@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> But is that really required when going from mpeg? The resulting DV-AVI
> file will be many times bigger than the source yet with no improvement in
> quality (since you can't add what isn't there).
>
>
> "PapaJohn" <papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote in message
> news:%23cQV2B70HHA.5764@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> DV-AVI is the highest quality.... and works in all DVD authoring
>> software.
>>
>> It's possible but unlikely the DVD software will only work with the older
>> type II DV-AVI files.... Movie Maker renders the newer type I.
>> --
>> website references are to www.papajohn.org
>>
>> PapaJohn
>>
>>
>> "EvanBarr" <X@Y.com> wrote in message
>> news:OyE6$t60HHA.4236@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>I have already spent a lot of time editing my clips using Movie Maker but
>>>I want to use a program other than DVD Maker to create my DVDs. What
>>>format should I use when I publish from MM to eliminate any possible loss
>>>of quality?
>>>
>>> The source material for one set of DVDs is DV-AVI and for a different
>>> set, it will all be mpeg. I have not yet selected the DVD authoring
>>> product that I will be using.
>>> --
>>> Evan Barr
>>> www.ProjectInVision.com
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:10:28 -0400, "PapaJohn"
<papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote:

>I use the DV-AVI format to maintain whatever quality is there... not improve
>it. But yes, you need to hard drive space for them.
>
>You're only other choice with Movie Maker is the WMV file type, which is
>compressed. The highest quality choice in Vista is the 3 Mbps one when
>heading to DVD. That's better than the maximum of 2.1 of MM2.1 in XP, but
>still only about 1/2 of the bitrate of a high quality DVD MPEG2 file.
>
>When I don't use the DV-AVI choice, I use a custom profile to keep the WMV
>files up at the 6 to 8 Mbps bitrate level. See my website's Save Movies >
>Custom WMV Profiles page.

Wow, that's interesting! You can't output to MPEG-2 in DVD Maker when
that's the default source file type for making DVD's? Why is Microsoft
so anal to force you to use WMV? I agree that 3 Mbps in WMV will give
reasonably good quality, but why not support the standard?

Damn Microsoft looks dumber every day through these eyes.

Let me guess, DVD Maker probably doesn't support two pass encoding
either. Well, I guess Microsoft doesn't take video editing or DVD
creation seriously which is why they just include toy applications.

Evan's post was about going from Movie Maker, not DVD Maker.

DVD Maker's only output is DVDs... with standard VOB files on them.
--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn


"Adam Albright" <AA@ABC.net> wrote in message
news:c9ava3dsjarf1s3ouipqr238i3a3en2tqp@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:10:28 -0400, "PapaJohn"
> <papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote:
>
>>I use the DV-AVI format to maintain whatever quality is there... not
>>improve
>>it. But yes, you need to hard drive space for them.
>>
>>You're only other choice with Movie Maker is the WMV file type, which is
>>compressed. The highest quality choice in Vista is the 3 Mbps one when
>>heading to DVD. That's better than the maximum of 2.1 of MM2.1 in XP, but
>>still only about 1/2 of the bitrate of a high quality DVD MPEG2 file.
>>
>>When I don't use the DV-AVI choice, I use a custom profile to keep the WMV
>>files up at the 6 to 8 Mbps bitrate level. See my website's Save Movies >
>>Custom WMV Profiles page.
>
> Wow, that's interesting! You can't output to MPEG-2 in DVD Maker when
> that's the default source file type for making DVD's? Why is Microsoft
> so anal to force you to use WMV? I agree that 3 Mbps in WMV will give
> reasonably good quality, but why not support the standard?
>
> Damn Microsoft looks dumber every day through these eyes.
>
> Let me guess, DVD Maker probably doesn't support two pass encoding
> either. Well, I guess Microsoft doesn't take video editing or DVD
> creation seriously which is why they just include toy applications.
>

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:50:07 -0400, "PapaJohn"
<papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote:

>Evan's post was about going from Movie Maker, not DVD Maker.
>
>DVD Maker's only output is DVDs... with standard VOB files on them.

I meant to say Movie Maker.

Movie Maker in Vista is the same as in XP... outputs are either DV-AVI or
WMV....

Movie Maker in Vista passes the DVD making process, including making the
MPEG-2 files, over to DVD Maker.... the pass is via WMV files, or the movie
project file without doing any encoding... letting DVD Maker produce the
MPEG-2 files directly from the movie project source files, whateve they are.

As Evan wants to go from Movie Maker to other DVD software, he'll have to
render the movie to a video file in either WMV or DV-AVI formats. Other DVD
software can't use the project file.
--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn


"Adam Albright" <AA@ABC.net> wrote in message
news:88cva3htj1ndmg0mpt3qqpu8abolhoq4ds@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:50:07 -0400, "PapaJohn"
> <papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote:
>
>>Evan's post was about going from Movie Maker, not DVD Maker.
>>
>>DVD Maker's only output is DVDs... with standard VOB files on them.
>
> I meant to say Movie Maker.
>

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:12:37 -0400, "PapaJohn"
<papajohn@chartermi.net> wrote:

>Movie Maker in Vista is the same as in XP... outputs are either DV-AVI or
>WMV....
>
>Movie Maker in Vista passes the DVD making process, including making the
>MPEG-2 files, over to DVD Maker.... the pass is via WMV files, or the movie
>project file without doing any encoding... letting DVD Maker produce the
>MPEG-2 files directly from the movie project source files, whateve they are.

Why such a convoluted process?
>
>As Evan wants to go from Movie Maker to other DVD software, he'll have to
>render the movie to a video file in either WMV or DV-AVI formats. Other DVD
>software can't use the project file.

Well I just looked at the Vista Business version of movie maker and
the only output choices for publish are 'this computer', 'recordable
CD', 'email' or 'digital camera'. None offer any file type choice or
bitrate choice. Why is Movie Maker so lame? It's almost comical. Are
they different in Home Premium and Ultimate?

He would be better off staring with Sony's software which does the
whole process start to finish plus offering way more options.