What do you use to encode WMV

[Morne]

Hi All

What do you guys use to encode WMV files? Do you use the Microsoft WMV File encoder or do you encode inside your Video App (NLE)? How to encode without things like AE or Nuke? I'm having problems with the Microsoft WMV encoder in that it has stupid presets ie it changes may resolution depending on which preset I use. Isn't that kinda stupid or is it just me? OK dont answer that one. I mean I have a file 720X576, but by using the microsoft media9 WMV encoder doesnt keep the resolution no matter what preset I use. Using custom settings results in the program telling me I used invalid output resolution. Help please...

[Joost Ink]

VirtualDub will be your friend.
You can not render straight to WMV, but you can download ffdshow and it contains the (based on) WMV codecs, you write it as an AVI, but the codec is WMV.

[muzzy]

Windows Movie Maker, so simple, already in xp.

[sv]

Hi All
Isn't that kinda stupid or is it just me? OK dont answer that one. I mean I have a file 720X576, but by using the microsoft media9 WMV encoder doesnt keep the resolution no matter what preset I use. Using custom settings results in the program telling me I used invalid output resolution. Help please...

It isn't just you!
It's the most stupid program ever, and whenever i use it you just basically have to start with a preset, enter the correct settings, go back and change all the other settings that have just suddenly changed.

It's really quite amazingly dumb. But in asnwer to your question i do tend to use it rather than exporting from AFX, why? maybe because I've done it this way round for years and know it works, where as years ago, WMV encoders in AFX weren't producing the same quality as this encoder. (Before anyone picks me up on this - i'm talking about years ago, not now - the .wmv export in AFX is fine now, and people in the office use that method directly).

[Morne]

thanks for the reply guys. Here's another question for you. I've made another animation and re ndered it at 720X576 but at an aspect ratio for widescreen dvd. So in my NLE it will "flatten" the image to look correct. It will be 720X405 in square pixel format, but as stated the NLE auto shrinks it to make it wide screen.
So now if I play the file in RAM player in max then everything is smooth as silk without any flickering so its perfect and very crisp and clear. But now when it gets shrinked the thing flickers all over the place. Any thoughts?
(P.S. I could'nt render it out at square pixel 720X405 becasue my NLE will then add the black at the bottom and top of the image which gives it that letterbox effect which is fine for TV but on PC playback will look crap with the black parts showing in the window.)
Any thoughts?

[mike_kennedy]

Virtua Dub sounds better, even most NLE's and AE and Fusion all use the Microsoft Interface so it's a pain with even high end apps, WMV is a poorly supported format unfortunately.