Thinking About Buying Easy Media Creator 10...

[Brushguy]

Hi, I'm a video maker who's been using Pinnacle Studio for a very long time. Unfortunately, the version I'm using is so old that not only is it incompatible with Windows Vista, but Pinnacle no longer offers any support for it. As a result, I'm thinking about switching to Roxio's Easy Media Creator 10. However, since there doesn't appear to be a demo that I can try before I buy (if there is, ignore the rest of this message and please direct me to it), I have a few questions about Easy Media Creator before I spend the $100 on it...

 

1: Are there any major movie formats EMC will not accept (in other words, I assume it will accept things like MPEGs and AVIs, but is there any other format that it won't accept that's worth knowing about before I buy EMC)?

2: Is there a fixed aspect ratio for movies created in EMC, or can that be custom set?

3: Will the sound tracks only accept sound files (.wav, .mp3, etc.), or can you also drag movie files onto these tracks, making the editor use only the sound from these movies? This isn't a major issue, but I was just wondering if it could be done.

4: The website mentioned overlay tracks - that means you can paste pictures, text, and so forth on top of the movie clips, right? If so, will EMC accept things like .tga files that have transparent layers?

 

Thanks for any help you can give, and I'm sorry if any of these are dumb questions - I just want to be absolutely sure before I buy! Thanks!

[Syrallas]

My video camcorder does 3.3 megapixels on pictures, but like you, I have no desire to use it to take photos.

The only time I have found it useful for taking pictures w/ my camcorder is at school events when I'm too far away from the stage to take decent pictures w/ my Olympus digital camera. But the resulting images are not much better than the images that can be extracted from movies using EMC 10.

[Brendon]

Here are the filetypes that Videowave says it accepts, from the horse's mouth, as it were.

 

[Wayne01]

No support for OGG or OGM audio in a AVI file, from my findings anyway.

[grandpabruce]

No support for OGG or OGM audio in a AVI file, from my findings anyway.

 

What video camera do you have that records the audio in that format???????

[John at Roxio]

I still have trouble trying to change my display name to Wayne.

Changed it for you.

 

Wayne was already taken so I used my excessive creativity to come up with something unique.

[Wayne01]

1: Are there any major movie formats EMC will not accept (in other words, I assume it will accept things like MPEGs and AVIs, but is there any other format that it won't accept that's worth knowing about before I buy EMC)?

 

OGG may not be considered worth knowing about.

[sknis]

OGG may not be considered worth knowing about.

 

Weiner, please answer the question about which camera records in those formats as asked above. Further, what DVD player will handle those audio formats as part of an AVI file?

 

Since OGG is an audio format, it is supported by the audio portions of this program. I'm not sure what you mean OGG is probably not worth knowing about.

 

What is OCM audio format in video? Did you mean LPCM?

 

[

 

This is from Music Disc Creator:

[sknis]

It will not accept mjpeg.

 

Nothing with a AVCHD codec since those are still in the state of flux.

[Brushguy]

Thanks for all the info, guys!!

[Brittonsneck]

1: Are there any major movie formats EMC will not accept (in other words, I assume it will accept things like MPEGs and AVIs, but is there any other format that it won't accept that's worth knowing about before I buy EMC)?

 

 

I can't get Media 10 to accept AVI files from my camera. I take the card out of the camera and plug it into the 5 and one slot and transfer the files over. I hope I made that clear for you to understand, because the tech support person sent me to a page that had nothing in the world to do with what I told them. HP did manage to get Media player to play the files with sound. But so far I can only watch the files in media 10, with no sound. I transfered codes and I downloaded DIVX thingys as the people on this board said do..Nothing has worked yet.

[sknis]

1: Are there any major movie formats EMC will not accept (in other words, I assume it will accept things like MPEGs and AVIs, but is there any other format that it won't accept that's worth knowing about before I buy EMC)?

 

 

I can't get Media 10 to accept AVI files from my camera. I take the card out of the camera and plug it into the 5 and one slot and transfer the files over. I hope I made that clear for you to understand, because the tech support person sent me to a page that had nothing in the world to do with what I told them. HP did manage to get Media player to play the files with sound. But so far I can only watch the files in media 10, with no sound. I transfered codes and I downloaded DIVX thingys as the people on this board said do..Nothing has worked yet.

 

There are probably some special format AVIs that the program won't accept but it should take mpg2 format files. since that is the standard format for DVD discs.

 

Download and run gspot on the avi file to see what it really is and if you have the right codec for it. There are a lot of different avi file types.

 

What camera? We may be able to find out what format. I have a hunch that it is going to be something like the mjpeg format that the program won't handle.

[Brittonsneck]

There are probably some special format AVIs that the program won't accept but it should take mpg2 format files. since that is the standard format for DVD discs.

 

Download and run gspot on the avi file to see what it really is and if you have the right codec for it. There are a lot of different avi file types.

 

What camera? We may be able to find out what format. I have a hunch that it is going to be something like the mjpeg format that the program won't handle.

 

 

Samsung Digimax D53

 

and I'm using a HP Model #: m8200n Vista

 

Samsung Digimax D53

 

and I'm using a HP Model #: m8200n Vista

 

 

I downloaded and ran Gspot...The files play with sound...

 

Samsung Digimax D53

 

and I'm using a HP Model #: m8200n Vista

 

 

 

 

I downloaded and ran Gspot...The files play with sound...

 

 

 

I tried my wifes other camera and the files from that camera will play...

now how do I get the other ones to play?

[Wayne01]

Weiner, please answer the question about which camera records in those formats as asked above. Further, what DVD player will handle those audio formats as part of an AVI file?

 

Sorry for the confusion, it was not from a camera, I stumbled across an AVI file (TV sitcom P2P) with OGG audio, but was unable to convert it to DVD using Videowave or MyDVD. It played fine in WMP. Finally I had to pull the audio out with VirtualDubMod, change to WAV with Roxio Sound Editor and replace the audio stream within the audio file. I use EMC9, so I should not comment on EMC10, Again, sorry for the confusion, love the forum, it has helped me out of alot of jams over the last couple years. I am still a 'Newbie', I still have trouble trying to change my display name to Wayne.

[sknis]

Samsung Digimax D53

 

and I'm using a HP Model #: m8200n Vista

 

 

 

 

I downloaded and ran Gspot...The files play with sound...

 

From the manual:

 

"How to use the MOVIE CLIP mode ( )

A movie clip can be recorded for as long as the available recording time of the

memory capacity allows.

1. Point the camera towards the subject and

compose the image by using the LCD monitor.

Press the shutter button and movie clips are

recorded for as long as the available recording

time. Movie clips will still be recorded if the shutter

button is released.

* If you wish to stop recording, press the shutter

button again.

* Image size and type are listed below.

- Image size : 640X480, COX, COX (Selectable)

- File type : *.avi (MJPEG)" Note bolding is mine.

 

It took me about 5 minutes to find this imformation and I have neither tha camera nor the manual. Perhaps you should do a little more reading about it and what has been posted above.

 

As stated at least 2 times above, this program will not work with mjpeg file types. There is nothing you can do to make it work. Use Windows Movie Maker (already on your computer) and export it as a mpeg file. You can then add it to Video Wave.

[grandpabruce]

Thank heavens they still make miniDV video cameras. No problems with vid cameras using that format. No junk .avi files when capturing.

[sknis]

Thank heavens they still make miniDV video cameras. No junk vid cameras with that format.

 

The camera the OP is using is a still image camera. Some do "mjpeg", others do "mov", and there are probably still others that do other formats. None of them worth a darn.

 

I agree if you want to do videos, use a camcorder; if still images, then a still image camera. My camcorder will do 3 mp images but I don' think I'll ever use that to take pictures. The quality would be almost as good as my cell phone !

[grandpabruce]

The camera the OP is using is a still image camera. Some do "mjpeg", others do "mov", and there are probably still others that do other formats. None of them worth a darn.

 

I agree if you want to do videos, use a camcorder; if still images, then a still image camera. My camcorder will do 3 mp images but I don' think I'll ever use that to take pictures. The quality would be almost as good as my cell phone !

 

My video camcorder does 3.3 megapixels on pictures, but like you, I have no desire to use it to take photos.

[grandpabruce]

Sorry for the confusion, it was not from a camera, I stumbled across an AVI file (TV sitcom P2P) with OGG audio, but was unable to convert it to DVD using Videowave or MyDVD. It played fine in WMP. Finally I had to pull the audio out with VirtualDubMod, change to WAV with Roxio Sound Editor and replace the audio stream within the audio file. I use EMC9, so I should not comment on EMC10, Again, sorry for the confusion, love the forum, it has helped me out of alot of jams over the last couple years. I am still a 'Newbie', I still have trouble trying to change my display name to Wayne.

 

Won't it let you change your Display name in My Controls, above right?

[malatekid]

There is no trial version for EMC 10 but there is one for EMC 9. Here is the link. It may not have the full functionality of the retail version.

 

 

[ggrussell]

1: Are there any major movie formats EMC will not accept (in other words, I assume it will accept things like MPEGs and AVIs, but is there any other format that it won't accept that's worth knowing about before I buy EMC)?

2: Is there a fixed aspect ratio for movies created in EMC, or can that be custom set?

3: Will the sound tracks only accept sound files (.wav, .mp3, etc.), or can you also drag movie files onto these tracks, making the editor use only the sound from these movies? This isn't a major issue, but I was just wondering if it could be done.

4: The website mentioned overlay tracks - that means you can paste pictures, text, and so forth on top of the movie clips, right? If so, will EMC accept things like .tga files that have transparent layers?

1: Videowave/MyDVD will accept most industry standard formats.

2: Aspect ratio? Or did you mean dimensions? EMC supports 4:3 and 16:9 only which is fixed. As for dimensions, Videowave can output several sizes depending on the format. Those are also fixed.

3: As far as I know, the sound track will only accept sound files. However, you can easily copy a sound track from a video file using Media manager.

4: I've only used PNG files with transparency which work fine. I don't see Targa listed as a supported format. Videowave also has Alpha channel support although that feature doesn't work with Quicktime video with alpha channel.

[John at Roxio]

Also, I thought I would throw in the idea that if you buy directly from us, there is a 30 day money back guarantee.

[Syrallas]

1: Are there any major movie formats EMC will not accept (in other words, I assume it will accept things like MPEGs and AVIs, but is there any other format that it won't accept that's worth knowing about before I buy EMC)?

 

FYI:

 

It does not import flash video / .flv files.

 

I'm not sure these are considered "major movies formats," though. But I just thought I'd mention it.

 

I think its a great program.