# Sony dcr sr68 - MP2 issues when using Movie Maker



## YNPGal (Sep 3, 2010)

I imported about four hours of video off my new Sony DCR sr68 camcorder into the software that comes with it. Picture Motion Browser (PMB) must have defaulted to MPEG-2 files when they came off the camera.

I tried to move the files into Premier, and get video with no audio. I'm pretty sure I understand that one, since I don't have the .AVI files which seperate audio and video, and which I'm accustomed to using in Premier.

I thought I could at least use the editor of last resort, Windows Movie Maker. I converted some files to .WMV and imported them in to MM. Lo and behold, I get audio and no video. 

Can anyone help me figure out why Movie Maker is giving me black space with audio only when I emport those converted .WMVs?

UGH. Thanks!


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## zuluclayman (Dec 16, 2005)

your camera exports files as MPEG-2 according to its specs 
VIDEO
Video Actual 16:9 410K pixels
Video Actual 4:3 340K pixels
Video Resolution (Movie Quality) SD: 720 x 480
Video Signal System NTSC color
Video Format(s) Supported MPEG-2

Premiere normally accepts MPEG files but Sony, unfortunately, uses a proprietary codec to compress the files which means that Windows MovieMaker and Premiere won't read the files correctly. Sony would like all its users to be using one of the Sony Vegas family of video editors - gotta love big business :sigh:

A workaround would be to use Prism or Format Factory (link in my sig) or a similar file converter to convert the files to .avi files using as little compression as possible - meaning using either a lossless codec or as close to as possible, then bring them into whichever video editing software you want to use.

Solution 2 of this article may help you.


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## YNPGal (Sep 3, 2010)

Thanks for the information, Zuluclayman.

I'm going to pass out now from the dismay I'm feeling about not being able to export in anything other than MPEG2.

I'm feeling completely ripped off now.

I work in Yellowstone, on a very tight budget, and we just blew the farm on this video camera because our old Canon died on us.

Thanks for the conversion tips. I'm going to go check Prism and Format Factory. 

I think I might hate Sony now. That's no way to win customer loyalty.:upset:


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## af3 (Jun 18, 2008)

Samsung is guilty of such tactics as well... At one time, I had a Sony Handycam which recorded to DV tapes. With DV, one is able to pull DV-AVI video streams right off the tape and use the footage in many video software applications. Movie Maker, Primer and Vegas all support DV-AVI. Perhaps you could trade or sell your camera and get one that records DV tapes?

It takes time to pull recorded footage off tapes, but the compatibility and quality of DV-AVI is well worth the wait.


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## YNPGal (Sep 3, 2010)

Thanks, Af3. 

So, is DV tape the ONLY way to have editing capabilities? I was hoping to move away from the bits and pieces of dealing with tape cassettes. 

Can it be found if I go to a higher quality camera?

:4-dontkno


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## af3 (Jun 18, 2008)

It isn't the only way, but my Samsung camera recorded SDEG .AVI video files. SDEG was an alteration of MPEG-4 designed by Samsung. My guess is they did this to reduce the cost of the camera by bypassing the need to license the MPEG-4 technology.

This means, I had to find an SDEG aware program to convert the mutated MPEG-4 streams because the standard MPEG-4 decorder would display the frames incorrectly. The files it recorded resembled a broken VCR look when played through a standard MPEG-4 decorder. I did discover the "Super" video decoder, which is powered by FFMPEG, which seems to be aware of SDEG and corrects the issue, but keep in mind that converting to another lossy format decreases the video quality. It will end up with increased blur and blocking which is not desirable.

What you could do to save yourself some headache is try out Super:
http://erightsoft.podzone.net/GetFile.php?SUPERsetup.exe
and convert your videos to DV-AVI to retain a high level of quality.

I apologize for not mentioning this solution earlier, I'm not sure where my mind was at... :4-dontkno

Super's user interface can be intimidating, but I believe they have a detailed help system built in. Good luck!


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## YNPGal (Sep 3, 2010)

Yeah! 

Thanks, af3! 

I have learned some amazing things in this job and am a one-woman media circus these days. I'm getting pretty hard to intimidate!

I'm going to load it up and dig in.

BTW, the movie I'm shooting with the new Sony is for General Orientation for new employees to Yellowstone National Park. The production team is me, me...and, uhm... me.

Our last camera, a Canon DV, was awesome. (someone "borrowed it" and broke it.) I don't know why I thought newer technology would be a better choice. Now I know.

If I find out that Best Buy has a camera that will do .AVI captures, then I'm taking this thing back and complaining till they let me swap it out. Stupid Sony.

Thanks again!!! You're awesome! ray:


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## af3 (Jun 18, 2008)

Even still, the Samsung was creating .AVI files that gave me grief due to their proprietary "SDEG" format. DV-AVI's are alot more universal and flexible, and the quality is astonishing in comparison to anything MPEG1/2/4 based.

DV, WMV and ISO-Standard MPEG4 are quite easy to work with in many editors, but DV (aside from WMV Lossless) seems to look and sound the best, to me that is.


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