Vidding 101: Getting started, Common terms, FAQs

[randhrshipper1]

Oh, okay, NOW I think I got it!

[bosa15]

Thank you so much for the mac tutorial! So far it has been working great. Just one question. If I am using handbrake to rip my dvds, once I have them as MP4 files how to I get them as DV MOV files for final cut express, without paying for the MPEG-2 Playback Component. I've been looking through the tutorial, but can't seem to figure this out. If it's something obvious that I'm completely missing, please point me in the right direction. Thank you!

[Elvira]

Welcome, bosa15! Ah, a Final Cut user!

If you convert your files to MP4 with Handbrake, you can use MPEG Streamclip without the MPEG-2 Playback Component. You only need the MPEG-2 Playback Component if you're trying to open MPEG-2 files. MPEG-2 files include VOB files (from your DVD rip) and also some (but not all) files with the .mpg or .mpeg extension. MP4 files are going to either have the H.264 codec or be MPEG-4, so MPEG Streamclip can open them without needing any extra plug-ins.

I do recommend trying to get the MPEG2 Playback Component when you can. It saves a lot of time and trouble. But it's great to know that you can rip clips from your DVD without having it have it!

[bosa15]

Thank you so much! I went through the rest of the tutorial easily, and even uploaded a quick test video onto youtube to see how the quality turned out. I was shocked by how much easier and better looking my projects could have been if I had known about your tutorial sooner. Thank you! You've been a really big help!

[DonnaNoble]

Hi. I was wondering, and I didn't see this statement up there, and I didn't see any totorial for me (I have windows, but I've had verious windows systems for years, even though I just got windows 7) How do you rip clips from DVDs and edit the sound off of them? Also, another comment, 7 doesn't have Movie Maker. i've looked and I asked the help guide, and it said it didn't come with Movie Maker. (Though, yes, I will admit to Movie Maker slowing my machine and causing "Save as Movie' to be stuck on my screen, but it was the only vid editor I had.)

Please help with this question, it's one i've had ever since I started vidding!

[Elvira]

If you rip clips using this tutorial you can just choose "no sound" for the audio settings, and the clips will have no audio. (MPEG Streamclip has bug right now in Windows 7—which I also have—where you can't see the scrollbar at the bottom but it will work and I have converted clips to DV AVI for use in Windows Movie Maker, Vegas, whatever.) And as the tutorial explains (as well as this tutorial) DV AVI is a very good codec for editing and while I can't guarantee it, editing in DV AVI might solve some of the problems you've been having with Windows Maker and any instability it might have.

And you can get Windows Movie Maker in Windows 7! www.downloadsquad.com/2009/02/11/windows-movie-maker-2-6-available-for-vista-windows-7/