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Windows media export weirdness
I have a 30-second spot on my FCP timeline and I went to export a Windows Media file. I marked the in and out of the clip on my timeline, went to export file>using quicktime conversion, selected WMV from the offerings there, in the detail settings, picked Windows Media 9 professional, and ok’d the export. And I got a fine looking wmv file out of that, only it always comes out half the length it was marked as. I marked 30 seconds on my timeline and the Windows media file ends at the 15 second point. Did this several times.
I went to the timeline and moved the out point to the one minute mark, and re-exported using all the same settings, and all is well. But that’s weird, since there seems to be no reason for that, and moreover, there’s nothing more on the timeline but dead empty space, not even a slug or anything, leading for 30 seconds from where the spot ends, to the marked out point.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m happy with the output I’m getting. I’m just curious why it seems I have to exactly double the marked duration of the source on the timeline to get an encoded file that’s the proper running length. Any insights?
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4 Replies
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you need to upgrade your Flip4Mac. The free version will only give you 15 seconds. You’ll need at least the Studio version.
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I’m not sure that’s correct, or if it is, maybe 30 seconds is the limit.
I marked a 30-second item on the timeline, set up the conversion/export, got a 15-second version cut right at the midpoint. So I extended my out point an additional 30 seconds to make a marked duration of a minute, and got back a perfect 30-second render of the spot in full.
Now maybe you’re right that the software has a built-in limit, but it obviously isn’t 15 seconds… though it may be thirty. My next clip is five minutes long and so far, no matter how long an end point I’m setting, 30 seconds is all I’m getting back. Curiouser and curiouser…
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I’m positive it’s a limitation of the software…so I was off by a few seconds. Seems that it is 30 seconds or half your export time….which ever is less.
Seriously though, if you need to encode in wmv, you have 2 options. Upgrade your flip4mac to at least studio level ($49, but only lets you use preset paramaters. More control equals more money. It’s the one I use on my Mac), or export a quicktime, take it to a PC, and encode there with a program that can do it…there’s plenty of free ones out there, though I personally use After Effects….already had the program, takes just a couple seconds to setup, and it does a REALLY good job. Very good quality :30 vids at about 2MB.
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Thanks, good to know. I already have the 50-dollar upgrade to Flip for mac on a wish list, but money’s really tight now. I’ll find some other way to manage it for now.
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