Convert W7 MCE H264 .wtv files

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Convert W7 MCE H264 .wtv files

meanderingmark

65 posts

Master Geek

#39828 19-Aug-2009 22:39

Following on from this closed thread: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=84&topicid=34860

Like some of you, I'm running Windows 7 Media Center. It's fantastic for recording Freeview TV, but at about 2 to 6GB per hour, the Recorded TV folder fills up pretty quick. Normally you'd be able to export the recorded files to DVD using Media Center, however it can't be done for Freeview recordings because they're in h264 format (within the *.wtv container than W7MC uses).

However, I have found that I can use Windows Live Movie Maker to compress the *.wtv h264 files to something smaller.

Windows Live Movie Maker (Beta)
File to extend the beta to the end of 2009

It's the only thing I've found that works, however it's a crappy solution because:

Live movie maker is beta software, due to expire at the end of 2009

it is hamstrung and only outputs to 640x480 30fps or320x240 30fps

it letterboxes widescreen videos

I really don't know why Microsoft deliberately makes everything so awkward.

The old movie maker 2.6 did allow you to add extra output profiles using windows media encoder, however I haven't yet figured out if that is possible with WLMM. I was hoping some bright spark around here might be able to help...

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#248864 20-Aug-2009 00:17

Actually it's just gone final today
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/08/19/windows-live-movie-maker-14-2

You can download it early here

meanderingmark

65 posts

Master Geek

#248881 20-Aug-2009 06:50

Brilliant! What great timing.

There are 480p, 720p & 1080p outputs in wmv, and what looks like the ability to add output plugins.
The 480p & 720p formats seem to compress the DVB-T Freeview .wtv files by about 75% and 50% respectively. My hard drive feels better already.

Dingbatt

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#248915 20-Aug-2009 08:53

How does it handle our 'different' audio standard?

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Nety

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#248924 20-Aug-2009 09:17

This is awesome news. Will be having a play when I get home tonight as I have a program that I have been needing to put on a DVD for a month now...

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

rhysb

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#248933 20-Aug-2009 09:33

Dingbatt: How does it handle our 'different' audio standard?

AAC is supported natively in Win7 now.

rhysb

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#248964 20-Aug-2009 11:07

It looks like MS have updated the live downloads now. You can grab the full Live Essentials here or just Movie Maker here

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Asmodeus

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#248981 20-Aug-2009 11:38

Good stuff. I believe one can use Handbrake too. I've seen someone on here mention it anyway

Deev8

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#249053 20-Aug-2009 14:41

Now what's needed is an editor to "top & tail" recorded programs and remove commercial breaks.

allstarnz

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#249249 21-Aug-2009 00:11

Asmodeus: Good stuff. I believe one can use Handbrake too. I've seen someone on here mention it anyway

yeah, Handbrake is the best to recode the MPEG4 Freeview|HD files with AAC-LATM audio. Nothing else i've found does it as well in one go as Handbrake yet.

meanderingmark

65 posts

Master Geek

#249269 21-Aug-2009 07:09

yeah, Handbrake is the best to recode the MPEG4 Freeview|HD files with AAC-LATM audio. Nothing else i've found does it as well in one go as Handbrake yet.

How did you get the Freeview HD files into MPEG format? Are they from WMC or a different program?

freitasm

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#249275 21-Aug-2009 07:44

meanderingmark: However, I have found that I can use Windows Live Movie Maker to compress the *.wtv h264 files to something smaller.

The problem with Window Live Movie Maker is that it install Photo Gallery *and* install Microsoft SQL Express. Too many things I don't need/want.

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meanderingmark

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Master Geek

#249321 21-Aug-2009 10:05

The problem with Window Live Movie Maker is that it install Photo Gallery *and* install Microsoft SQL Express. Too many things I don't need/want.

OT: No kidding. Welcome to 2009. Here's your free software, would you like a search bar with that?

Asmodeus

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#249335 21-Aug-2009 10:42

Deev8: Now what's needed is an editor to "top & tail" recorded programs and remove commercial breaks.

Show Analzyer (latest version) has support for wtv files. I asked whether it will support our particular freeview flavour of wtv files but haven't had a reply yet and haven't had the time to try it myself.

You can use it with dvr-ms toolbox to set up automatic commercial removal.

All is revealed here

http://www.hack7mc.com/category/commercial-skip

AceVPD

137 posts

Master Geek

#249828 23-Aug-2009 15:57

Asmodeus - I tried previous beta's of show analyzer which were supposed to work with wtv's but had no luck. It just stayed on 0% when processing files. I now can't try the latest beta because the other version had a 30day limit which applies to the latest also. Let us know how you go if you do try it.

HTPC: 3G P4, 2GB RAM, Nvidia 8500GT, HVR 2200 (for FreeviewHD), 2x Hauppauge PVR-150 (1 for analog TV + 1 for AV input), Windows 7
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#250071 24-Aug-2009 13:01

Has anyone had a good play with movie maker yet?

I have found it still somewhat unhelpful but not sure if it is just my setup.

First issue is that I cannot seem to select widescreen. If I leave it on the default 4:3 it works but it puts the recording in a 4:3 box. However if I try to select widescreen the program seems to partially hang. So I have been unable to create a movie that is filling the whole screen. The second issue is that even though I can create a WMV file that plays ok if with somewhat rubbish quality if I tell it to burn a DVD the resulting DVD has no sound.

Now the only think that I am doing which could maybe cause an issue is that the MC is running W7 x86 where as my main PC is running W7 x64.

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