QUICKTIME to AVI ... HELP!!

[Pav]

I know it could be viewed as off topic, but in desperation I have turned to my forum friends!

I wave my white flag! I have been on this for 10hrs+ , and now invovled the help of my neighbour.

I have a KODAK V610 which shoots video with sound. They are save as QUICKTIME movies. I have a quicktime viewer and can watch the clips.

I want to use windows MOVIE MAKER to edit a mixture of photos and video clips but does not support QUICKTIME files.

I downloaded RAD VIDEO TOOLS so I can tranfer the files to AVI files which I can then use. The RAD software works on a few of my QUICKTIME files, transfering them to AVI. However it seems to have problems with some files (I am not sure but think it is the larger files that cause the problem).

I downloaded a trial version of SOILSOFT. This solved the problem converting a file that I had been unable to crack using RAD software. This was a EUREKA moment and I was so pleased!!

To double check before buying the software I tried it on one of my larger files. Didn't work!!

I am sure you know what this feels like!

I really don;t know what to do next! In desperation I bought some video editing software (Coral Movie Maker I think) from PC world after talking to a technical bloke. The box said it could input MOV files and output AVI files. The files it converted did not play as the original MOV file.

Can anyone help before my head starts bleading!

[Magpie]

Not going to be a great deal of help but I've always used the RAD tools and never had a problem converting MOVs for use in Windows Movie Maker with it. Suppose the largest I've done was about 120mb.

What compressor format option are you chosing? I've found the Windows Media Video option produces the best combination of size and quality.

[Pav]

19.2MB is causing a problem on RAD but not on BOILSOFT. The file that I could not convert on BOILSOFT was 29.1MB. I am not sure if the size of these files is the problem, but seemed the only pattern I could find. Having said that I have had problems with a file just 8.61MB so maybe its not the size of the files? (the sizes above are of the quicktime files before converting)

The typical problem is after I have convereted it to an AVI (which most of the time it claims to do) , when viewed in MEDIAPLAYER it will play the video at a very slow speed , frame by frame and may skip some? , yet the audio track plays in the background at the correct speed.

Occasionally the AVI file will not play at all.

I wonder if the problem exsists with the original QUICKTIME file that I have cut and pasted from my cameras memory stick using a card reader (is it ok to cut and paste from the memory stick, rather than using the kodak software and usb port on the camera)? The QUICKTIME files however play with no problems. I'm only stabbing in the dark with these ideas as I am not ICT trained.

[Magpie]

Without having the original files I couldn't say but I can confirm that there is no problem copying files straight of the memory card.

Have you tried playing the AVI files with some other media player like Realplayer?

Have you selected the windows media video codec from the drop down list when converting? That should produce a .wmv file not a .avi

[Pav]

Thanks Magpie, sorry to drag you into this! , neighbour has tried to solve the problem as he is ICT competent but has not used these files before.

In a last ditch attempt tonight (difficult to leave problems like these when you have been working on them for so long!) , I have made sure I have the latest version of Quicktime , Media Player and also Rad Tools.

I have stuck to 1 troublesome clip since my post. I can transfer it to AVI. The sound is perfect but the film is very slow (sound finishes 1/3 into video) and does not keep up with the sound track. Thats where I have to leave it tonight!

Anyone who is able to offer help I'd be happy to email the file (no fish or spearguns! , just a clip of euro disney). At the moment I am unsure where the problem exsists.

Pav.

[Pav]

Have you selected the windows media video codec from the drop down list when converting? That should produce a .wmv file not a .avi

Not seen this as an option on Rad Tools. Once I have selected AVI I am given an option of compression codes. I have tried the ones suggested on tutorials.

[Magpie]

Yes, one of the compression codecs is Microsoft Windows Media Video something or other, its near the bottom of the list. Have you tried that one?

Feel free to email the video to me and I'll try it myself. PM coming.

[Jorg]

Use this: SUPER © .
The best converter out there and it saved me so many times already with some of the craziest conversions out there...

[Pav]

Thanks to Magpie for having a go at converting the file for me. Had the same problems as me converting the file using RAD tools.

I'll give the above program a go and feedback. Thanks for the continued help. I have a lot of these quicktimes of my daughters 1st year so really keen to crack the problem.

Pav.

[Pav]

my head has stopped hurting!

I found the above link difficult to download (at least from work). I tried Boilsoft again and found that most files will convert, it was just my test one that caused a problem. (Boilsoft converted the one I sent to Magpie also), which Rad wouldn't. However as a demo it watermarks over the middle of the picture. I had decided to buy the £15 proper version but then tried ADOBE PREMIERE which is on my works network.

WOH! Touch wood it dealt with the files that I tested on it. Converted to AVI no problems. However the software looks very similar to Windows MovieMaker but accepts the Quicktime files without the messing around.

Havn't looked into the cost yet but reckon if I can afford it I'll go with this software for video editing at home.

Thanks for all the help! Just the comments were enough for me not to give up. Not sure why I have had this problem but at least I have a solution to using the files.

Is anyone else using ADOBE PREMIERE for video clips?

Pav.