Overview
Adding Files
Converting Files
Custom Conversion Options
Merging Files
Splitting Files
Processing Files
Using Converted Files as Input Files
Selecting the Output Folder
Selecting Video/Audio Quality
Playing Converted Files
Setting up WM Converter Priority
About Video / Audio Formats
Tips and Tricks
Ripping CD and DVD files
Windows Vista Notes

Overview

WM Converter makes WM Recorder even more powerful by giving you an easy-to-use way to convert, split, merge and clean up your recorded files. All the popular formats are supported.

WM Converter is free with the WM Recorder 12 Bonus Bundle. If you've purchased just WM Recorder 12, you can use WM Converter for 15 days free before you'll need to upgrade.

Here's how WM Converter appears:

Adding Files

Before converting, splitting or merging files, you need to create a list of files to process. You can do this in two ways:

• Click the Input Files button to open the File Dialog, navigate to the desired folder, and select one or more files.
  
  OR
  
  
• Open the desired folder using Windows Explorer, select the files to convert and drag them onto the WM Converter window.
  

Converting files

Once you've added a list of files, you can convert them as follows:

1. Pick a format from the Convert To area.
2. Pick the Quality. When Default is selected, WM Converter automatically selects the optimum video/audio parameters in order to produce the best possible quality converted file. The default settings can be changed using the Custom option.
3. Click Convert. The conversion process starts.

The Use 2 Pass Conversion option forces a 2 pass conversion, which produces more reliable conversions, but works more slowly. If this is unselected, WM Converter automatically determines if one or two passes are necessary.

Hint: The files to convert are listed in the files to convert list. If you want to convert specific files, just select them from the list of files. If no files are selected, all files are converted.

Custom Conversion Options

You can get more control over how files are converted by clicking the Custom button. Here's how the custom conversion options appear:

You can choose your own bit rates, frame rate and video size, or leave them set to original.

Other custom conversion options are:

Video Speed: This option can be used to produce slow motion (or fast motion) effects by selecting a video frame rate lower or higher than the original. It can also be used to synchronize video and audio. Note that this setting does not change the speed of the audio track.

Audio in Video Files: Check this option to remove audio from your converted file.

Sound Volume: This option can be used to increase or decrease the sound volume of the converted file in relation to the original. 0 or 100% settings do not change volume. Other values multiply the original volume by the logarithm of the new volume setting divided by 10. For example, a setting of 1000 makes the sound level 2 x original, a setting of 50 - 0.7 x original.

Merging files

WM Converter can merge (join) multiple files regardless their format, bit rate, video size, etc. Merged files are always turned into an ASF (Windows Media) file with a .mrg.asf extension.  The name of the first file in the list is use to name the merged file.

To merge files:

1. Add the files to merge into your list of files.
2. Click Merge.

Please note:

• All files listed in the conversion list are merged. Before merging remove the files that are not to be merged.
• Files that are not the same size, format or bit rate are first re-encoded - this may take a while for large files.
• Video files cannot be merged with audio only files. The merging operation stops if this situation occurs.
  
  

Splitting files

WM Converter can split (trim) any audio or video file.

Here's how to split a file:

1. Right click the file name in the conversion list.
2. Choose Set Split Times from the pop-up menu. The Split dialog appears:
   
   
   
   
3. Set the start and end time, and click OK.

Processing Files

The Process option can be used to re-process Windows Media (ASF, WMV, WMA) files. This may be necessary in some cases to make files seekable (enabling rewind and fast-forward) or fix some file format problems.

Using Converted Files as Input files

This feature can be used to re-convert, split or reprocess the output file of a previous operation. For example, if you just merged a few FLV files into an ASF file, you could now convert this file to a different format. Right click the File Name, select Use converted file as input from the pop-up menu, and choose the new conversion format.

Selecting the Output Folder

Your converted, split, merged or reprocessed files are placed in an Output Folder you specify.

Here's how to set the output folder:

1. Click Output Files. The Browse Folder dialog appears:
   
   
   
   
2. Pick a folder, and click OK.
   
   Note: Removable drives may not be used as Output Folders.

Selecting Video/Audio Quality

WM Converter provides 3 preset video/audio quality settings (Good, Better, Low). Selecting a lower quality results in a smaller file size. To customize the quality settings click the Custom button.

Playing Converted Files

When the conversion is finished you can playback converted files in two ways.

• Right click the file name and select Play Converted File from the pop-up menu.
  
  
• Click Output Folder, then OK, and double-click the file(s) from the Windows Explorer.
  

Setting up WM Converter Priority

The conversion process loads your PC's CPU up to its maximum capacity. This makes it difficult for other programs to run while a conversion takes place. Many programs that display multiple images (like Web Browsers) have a hard time running on a single CPU computer. The Normal Priority / Low Priority button on the main screen can be used to set WM Converter's processing priority in relation to other running programs. Low Priority sets the converter 2 points below normal priority level. The conversion runs slower but other programs will perform better.

About Video / Audio Formats

This section has more information about the different output formats that WM Converter supports:

WMV/Zune is utilized by Windows Media Player. The converted files have the extension wmv. Use this format to create smaller files that can be sent over the Internet. For example you can convert your camera MPEG-2 files to smaller WMV files that can be emailed or played in your Microsoft Zune.

MP4/iPod is utilized by QuickTime. The converted files have the extension mp4. Use this format to create high quality video/audio files or smaller files that can be sent over the Internet. For example you can convert your camera MPEG-2 files to smaller MP4 that can be emailed or played in your Apple iPod. Or, you can convert high quality MPEG-2 files to high quality MP4 files.

MPG DVD files can be played back with Windows Media Player or Real Player provided that your computer has installed a  MPG decoder (codec). The converted files have the extension mpg. Use this format to create high quality video/audio files that can be burned on DVD's. In this case you should select a high bit rate (3000 kbps) and a high frame rate (30 fps). Note that usually an MPG file burned on a DVD cannot not be played on a regular DVD player but only on computers DVD drives. You need to use a DVD creator program to create a DVD from the MPEG-2 file.

AVI files can be played with Windows Media Player or Real Player. The converted files have the extension avi. Use this format to create high quality video/audio files for video presentations using a PC or laptop.

FLV files can be played with the FLV Player included in WM Converter installation package. The converted files have the extension flv. Use this format to create small files that can be broadcast over the Internet.

3GP files can be played with Real Player or QuickTime.. The converted files have the extension 3gp Use this format to create small files that can be downloaded to your mobile phone.

MP3/WAV files are audio files that can be played with any media player. The converted files have the extension mp3/wav. The AAC files available under MP3 selection require QuickTime for playback in a PC. These files can be played in a iPod.

Other - DVD NTSC/PAL produces DVD compatible files in MPEG-2 format which can be played on DVD players that support File Mode or computers. You can burn video files as data and the player will play the files similar to a computer. Many DVD players however don't support the file mode. In this case you should use a DVD authoring program to generate the VOB/INF files necessary to play DVD's on all DVD players.

Note: This version of WM Converter cannot convert Real Player video files to other video formats. However, audio tracks can be extracted to MP3 or other audio formats. Real Player audio files can also be converted.

Tips and Tricks

Here's some handy tricks for getting the most out of WM Converter:

• To access the file Options right click the File Name in the conversion list.
  
• To change the input / output files name right click the File Name in the conversion list.
  
• All converted files are saved with the original file name (including extension) plus the extension that applies to the conversion format. The output file name is shown in the "Converted File Name" column of the conversion list.
  
• When converting video and audio files the computer's CPU is utilized at its maximum capacity (100% loading). Low speed processors (below 1.5 GHz) do not perform well. Dual core processors are the best choice with CPU loading below 50%.
• In general, the amount of time required to convert a video file is approximately 1/2  the play time (duration) of the video. Audio files are converted faster.
  

Ripping CD and DVD files

Ripping CD audio files

This feature is not included in WM Converter because it is now available in Windows Media Player 11.
To rip (copy) a CD using Windows Media do the following:

Set the ripping format and location

• open Windows Media Player / Tools / Rip Music
  
• select Format and Location
  

• open Windows Media Player / Rip
  
• insert the CD and click Start Rip
  

Ripping DVD (VOB) files

DVD (VOB) files can be ripped and converted to any of the formats above provided they are not copy protected. Sometimes the sound track from a protected DVD can be copied and/or converted.

Here's how to access a VOB file from a DVD:

1. Insert the DVD.
2. Open My Computer, right click the DVD drive and click Open in the pop-up menu.
   
3. Open the folder VIDEO_TS and select the file(s) with VOB extension.
   
4. Drag the file(s) into the WM Converter files list.

Windows Vista Notes

WM Converter is fully compatible with Windows Vista. However, if WM Converter is assigned administrative rights the drag and drop operations are disabled.