I routinely have to edit a wmv video simply to trim stuff off the front and back (video conference recordings).

Typically, I'll have a ~30 Meg wmv file which, after some trimming, comes out to 200 to 300 Meg (which is too large for my repository).

I've tried over and over to tweak the wmv settings to match what I had coming in, but it still balloons up in size.

One problem is that if I try to match the audio settings (i.e., by selecting Mono), it says "incompatible parameters" and refuses to create the file.

Is there any way to carry over the settings in the source file and get rid of the bloat? If I trim stuff out of a video, it should end up being SMALLER, shouldn't it?

According to Win 7 File Explorer properties, my source file is:

Video
Length: 01:05:48
Width: 1280
Height: 800
Data rate: 2048 kbps
Total bitrate: 3459 kbps
Frame rate: 15 fps

Audio
Bit rate: 1411 kbps
Channels: 1 (mono)
Audio sample rate: 16 kHz

The last set of settings I tried were:
WMV, 720x576, 10 fps, 1200, WMA: Stereo, 16 bit, 44100 Hz, 256 kbps
which still bloated the file by 5 times, which made it too big to upload.

To: jfkelley


I'm guessing it's the audio that's killing me. Given any reasonable compression, a recorded web conference slide show shouldn't take up that much space, yes?

Why am I unable to specify Mono with reduced audio quality without hitting that "Incompatible parameters" error? My SOURCE file is WMV with Mono!!

I hope someone has some advice. It takes me over an hour for each test (which completely consumes my CPU) and I've probably tried 10 different variations. This is killing me.

To: jfkelley


I did try Video Remaker (just for trimming off beginning and end), but the first thing it wanted to do was convert my WMVA (Windows Media 10) source file to some more bloated thing. I ran into all the same problems with the "Incompatible parameters" when I tried to convert.

To: jfkelley

Hello,

Unfortunately, some audio parameters cannot be handled by WMA codec, that is why you get this error. To reduce file size I would recommend you to reduce video bitrate to 720. And yes, if your source file has mono audio, it's better to convert it to mono. I've played with the settings and mono is available if you select 16 bit, 44100 Hz, 48 kbps. You can also select 16 bit, 32000 Hz, 32 kbps and get mono.

I hope it will help.

Best regards.

To: Vlad

Vlad, Thank you for your responses to my posts.

I tried getting Mono with your settings, both at 44100 and 32000 (and both with WMA and WMA Pro) but still got the Incompatible error (see attached). What am I missing?

To: Vlad

Vlad,

Ultimately, I'm desperately hoping you can explain how I can avoid the 4x file size bloat in the following:

Source:
40 Meg
Length: 1:05:48
WMVA (so I'm told)
1280x800
2048 kbps Data rate
3459 kbps Total bitrate
15 fps
audio: mono, 1411 kbps @ 16 kHz

Output from Video Editor, the last time I tried:
168 Meg !!!
Length: 0:57:41
WMV Advanced
1280x720 (closest match in select)
720 kbps data rate
752 kbps total bitrate
audio: WMA Pro, Stereo (mono not available), 32k kbps @ 32 kHz

To: jfkelley

Update for anyone else confronted with this challenge...

I was able to get my 40 meg source file to bloat only 2x to 85 meg with the following settings (with adequate quality for a web conference and powerpoints):

Windows Media 9 HQ -> Advanced...
Windows Media Video 9 Screen
1280x800 (a manually entered exact match to source)
10 fps
720 Bitrate
50 Quality

WMA Pro
Stereo (so far, mono is apparently not an option)
16 bit
32000 Sample rate
32 kbps Bitrate

Wishlist:
1. A way to make MONO work to save file size. It's apparently "legal" in windows 10 WMVA format, since my source file is mono in that format.
2. A button or something to carry over all the exact Advanced Configuration settings from my source file so I don't have to second guess everything (and I don't have to worry about reducing quality or bloating file after a few simple trim/cut edits).
3. A prediction of final file size based on varying settings in the Advanced Configuration screen. This would help a LOT since each iteration costs me an hour of having my CPU 99% consumed.

To: jfkelley


Hello,

The reason of the increasing output file size is stereo channels which you choose.We advise you to select PCM audio codec as this codec allows to save video with mono channel.

As for your suggestions, they will be put forward to our developers.

Best regards.

To: Lex

Ok. I found a WMA mono combination (in AVS Video Converter) that didn't trip the "Invalid" error. I'm still getting 5x bloat

Source:
Size: 44 Meg
Length: 01:03:47
Video Frame: 1280 x 800
Video DataRate: 2048 kbps
Total Bitrate: 3459 kbps
Video Frame Rate: 15 fps
Audio Bitrate: 1411 kbps
Audio Channels: 1-mono
Audio Sample rate: 16 kHz


Converted Result:
Size: 251 Meg (vs. 44 Meg)
Length: 01:03:48 (same as source)
Video Frame: 1280 x 800 (same as source)
Video DataRate: 720 kbps (vs 2048 kbps)
Total Bitrate: 736 kbps (vs (3459 kbps)
Video Frame Rate: 10 fps (vs 15 fps)
Audio Bitrate: 16 kbps (vs 1411 kbps)
Audio Channels: 1-mono (same)
Audio Sample rate: 22 kHz (vs. 16 kHz)

In each case where I had to select something that did not match the original, I chose what I thought would take up less space (except for the Audio Sample Rate, where 16 kHz was not an option).

I don't understand why it still bloats. Am I totally whack on my assumptions about what takes less space in the file?

(I am in the process of trying your PCM suggestion: at 11025 Hz, 16 bit, 176 kbps, 11025 Hz, Mono, but it will take an hour or so to finish.)

To: jfkelley

Ouch!

I tried the PCM option and it bloated even MORE! (from 44 Meg to 256 meg)

Codec: PCM
Sample Rate 11025 Hz, Size: 16 bit
Bitrate: 176 kbps
Channels: 1 - Mono

And.... it sounded really choppy and intelligible.

Color me depressed. ; - (

To: jfkelley

I've mentioned this before, but all I want to do, most of the time, is chop some stuff off the beginning and end of my video. I sure wish there was a way to do that, preserving the original format, so that my file would get SMALLER instead of 4 to 5 times BIGGER!

WishList:
I think this is a duplicate of what I implied above, but: Edit a Video, preserving the original format/properties on output.

To: Lex

Update...

Hoo boy. I give up. I have created a test case and need guidance. I tried the three tests mentioned above using Video Convertor. They still bloated significantly and, to make matters worse, after I converted them, my AVS Video ReMaker STILL would not recognize them (Video Editor seems to be able to consume them without indigestion).

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

I have constructed a test case and will attempt to attach the results.

There is a "properties..." gif file associated with each that shows the output parameters used.

756 KB - avsDemoSource.wmv (source file from LotusLive web conference recording)

Saved from Video Converter:

1,522 KB - avsDemo1.wmv (2x Bloat - NOT RECOGNIZABLE BY VIDEO REMAKER)

Saved from Video Editor:

1,912 KB - avsDemo_videoEditorOutput_WMA-mono.wmv (2.7x Bloat)

2,225 KB - avsDemo_videoEditorOutput_PCM.wmv (3x Bloat - AUDIO IS UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- I'll skip uploading this pair of files unless you need it; it seems there's a 5 files maximum per append.

To: jfkelley

Here is the PCM test, in case you're interested...

jfkelley:

To: Vlad Vlad, Thank you for your responses to my posts. I tried getting Mono with your settings, both at 44100 and 32000 (and both with WMA and WMA Pro) but still got the Incompatible error (see attached). What am I missing?

It is defiinitely avaliable if you set 44100 and 48kbps at WMA audio codec. Please try it again.

Regards.

To: jfkelley

Ok, here's my open challenge to the community.

Open the attached example Source wmv file in AVS Video Editor. Then save it back out, unedited, with some combination of formats so that is as close as possible to the original (same wmv format, comparable quality), but withOUT bloating it by a factor of 2.

Here are the latest settings I have discovered with much trial an error, but it still doubles the size of the file!

Video…
Codec: Windows Media Video 9 Screen
FrameSize: 1280x800 (match this exactly to source)
FrameRate: 5 fps (adequate for powerpoints)
BitRate: 1200
Quality: 40

Audio…
Codec: WMA
Channels: Mono
SampleSize: 16 bit
SampleRate: 8000 Hz
BitRate: 8 kbps

To: jfkelley

I've passed the problem to our developers. They will investigate the issue and I will get back to you. Please wait.

To: Vlad
Thank you, Vlad! I'll watch this forum with great interest.

To: Vlad

Still watching this forum with great interest for a response. Thanks again.

To: jfkelley

Sorry for the delay.

There is also Quality option in Conversion Options where you can set video codec quality. If you set it to zero you will get small file size on output.

To: Vlad

Well, I DID back it down from 100 to 40, never thought to try ZERO.

I'll try it and report back. I am hoping that the screenshots in my recorded web conference will still render with equivalent quality to the source -- they have to be readable.