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Preset for WMV and/or mp4?

Specific to Premiere Elements Version 11.

Preset for WMV and/or mp4?

Postby MJK1250 » Fri Dec 27, 2013 12:56 pm

All
I have ten old video clips that were taken with a web cam and I can't seem to figure out the best preset to use for a PRE11 video project. The clips were originally mp4's but I also have them as WMV's. My goal is to edit them in PRE11 and create a SD DVD.

First question is which format should I import into PRE11 - mp4 or WMV?

And the most important question is which preset should I use when setting up the project?

As always, I'd be very grateful for any suggestions.

MJK
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Re: Preset for WMV and/or mp4?

Postby Steve Grisetti » Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:14 pm

This could be a challenging one, MJK. But I would make sure that the first clip on my timeline was an MP4. This will trigger the program to set up to those project settings. WMVs don't make for very good source video, but they may work. Depends on their resolution and compression.

You may even want to make a short test project that includes samples of both video formats, then Publish & Share/Computer/AVCHD with the YouTube HD preset and view the results in Quicktime Player or, even better, the VLC Media Player. If you're happy with the results, go ahead and finish your project!

Do note that, particularly when working with WMVs, you'll likely have to render often. So work in Expert view and render (press Enter) whenever you see a yellow line along the top of your timeline.
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Re: Preset for WMV and/or mp4?

Postby MJK1250 » Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:48 pm

Steve
Thanks so much for the super quick reply. I'll stick to the mp4 versions and hope for the best. I'm assuming that your suggestion for a short test project using the YouTube HD preset under Publish & Share was just so I could easily view the results in QuickTime?
Since I've got plenty of blank discs (I ordered 100 of the Verbatim DVD-R blank discs) can I just do a test with one of the mp4's and burn a disc using the Publish & Share/Disc/Burn To Disc option or am I missing something?
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Re: Preset for WMV and/or mp4?

Postby Bob » Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:37 pm

MJK,

Today, mp4 files are generally high definition. But, 10 years ago, mp4 files were standard definition. It sounds like Steve may have been thinking of current HD mp4s. Just to confirm, your mp4 files were created 10 years ago and are standard definition. Correct? Also, were the wmv files converted from the mp4 files, or were the wmv files the original format and the mp4 files created from them?

I would use the original files, whichever ones those are. That will give you the best quality. As Steve said, the first clip placed on the timeline will set up the project settings. Publish and share to the standard definition format you want.
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Re: Preset for WMV and/or mp4?

Postby MJK1250 » Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:44 pm

Bob - thanks for the follow-up. I'm not sure if the originals were mp4 or WMV but there is not any difference in play-back on my computer with either format so I decided to do a test DVD using the mp4 files. The result is okay (not great but neither were the originals) and I guess I can use it as is.

These were all shot with a web cam in 2005. Frame width - 320, Frame height - 240, Frame rate - 15frames/second and Total Bitrate - 296kbps. For my test DVD, I used the SD preset and just dropped the clip on the timeline. Not sure if I should have changed a setting somewhere to reset the frame rate to match my original 15 frames/second but I did get a finished DVD that while a bit fuzzy, is probably the best I can do unless you have any suggestions.

Thanks again for all your help.

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