Converting WMV9 to WMV8 with WME

I originally wrote this for Konjou_Akira, but I think others might also find it useful, so I'm posting it here.

This is a short guide to using Windows Media Encoder to convert WMV9 to WMV8. Basically it's a two step process:

1. Save the wmv9 file as uncompressed
2. Encode the uncompressed file to wmv8

Here are the steps in more detail, using an example am.sega movie.

1. Save wmv9 file as uncompressed
<ul type="square">[*]Run Windows Media Encoder
[*]If you're presented with New Session dialog box, just click on Custom session then OK.
[*]You'll then see the Session Properties window with the Sources tab highlighted. Make the following selections:
- Source from: File
- File name: <browse to your wmv9 file> (e.g. ote3f01s.asf)
- Video: In File
- Audio: In File
[*]On the Output tab make the following selections:
- Leave the "Pull from encoder" checked with default setting
- Check "Archive to file"
- Enter (or browse) a filename for the uncompressed file (e.g. raw01.wmv)
[*]On the Compression tab, make the following selections.
- Click on the Edit button to bring up the Custom Encoding Settings window.
- On the General tab, in the "Media types" section, make the following selections:
-- (Check) Audio: Mode = CBR, Codec = None (PCM)
-- (Check) Video: Mode = CBR, Codec = Full frames (uncompressed)
-- Video format: (Check) Custom
- On the Target Bitrate (e.g. Uncompressed) tab, ensure:
-- Video size: (Check) Same as video input
- Now click OK, and this completes the Compression tab. It should now look something like this:

Audio encoding mode: CBR
Video encoding mode: CBR

Audience: Uncompressed
Audio codec: None (PCM)
Audio format: 1411 Kbps, 44 kHz, Stereo
Video codec: Full frames (uncompressed)
Video bit rate: Uncompressed
Video size: Same as video input
Frame rate: 29.97 fps

[*]Leave all other tabs as they are and click on Apply
[*]When you're ready, click on the Start Encoding button. Depending on your machine this may take a few minutes. On my p4, 1.9ghz, 256mb, saving a 9.85mb wmv9 to uncompressed took 2m 37s. Resulting uncompressed file is 543mb in size.
[*]If everything's alright, it's a good idea to save this Encoder Session for future use. From the file menu just select Save As and choose a name for the session (e.g. uncompressed.wme).
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2. Encode the uncompressed file to wmv8
<ul type="square">[*]Run Windows Media Encoder if it's not already running and create a new/custom session.
[*]You'll then see the Session Properties window with the Sources tab highlighted. Make the following selections:
- Source from: File
- File name: <browse to your uncompressed file> (e.g. raw01.wmv)
- Video: In File
- Audio: In File
[*]On the Output tab make the following selections:
- Uncheck "Pull from encoder"
- Check "Encode to file"
- Enter (or browse) a filename for the wmv8 file (e.g. ote3f01s.wmv)
[*]On the Compression tab, make the following selections.
- Click on the Edit button to bring up the Custom Encoding Settings window.
- On the General tab, in the "Media types" section, make the following selections:
-- (Check) Audio: Mode = Bit rate VBR, Codec = Windows Media Audio 9
-- (Check) Video: Mode = Bit rate VBR, Codec = Windows Media Video V8
-- Video format: (Check) Custom
- On the Target Bitrate tab, ensure:
-- Audio format: 48 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo VBR
Note: Choose a setting equal or less than the original source. For VF movies, you don't need fantastic quality sound, so a low setting here is good to reduce filesize, hence I chose the lowest setting available.
-- Video size: (Check) Same as video input
-- Video bit rate (average): 500K
Note: for the best quality, choose a setting closest to the original source. There's no point exceeding the original source because you can never add quality to the video, only minimise the losses. If you want you can experiment with lower settings to reduce the filesize but remember the quality will take a hit.
- Now click OK, and this completes the Compression tab. It should now look something like this:

Audio encoding mode: Bit rate VBR
Video encoding mode: Bit rate VBR

Audience: 557.02 Kbps
Audio codec: Windows Media Audio 9
Audio format: 48 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo VBR
Video codec: Windows Media Video V8
Video bit rate: 500 Kbps
Video size: Same as video input
Frame rate: 29.97 fps
Key frame: 2 s

[*]Leave all other tabs as they are and click on Apply
[*]When you're ready, click on the Start Encoding button. Depending on your machine this may take a few minutes. On my p4, 1.9ghz, 256mb, encoding a 543mb uncompressed file to wmv8 took 2m 16s. Resulting wmv8 file is 10.5mb in size.
[*]If everything's alright, it's a good idea to save this Encoder Session for future use. From the file menu just select Save As and choose a name for the session (e.g. wmv8.wme).
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Now you can just load up the session files any time and use them on other files, making any changes as necessary (input/output file, etc).

As you can see, the end file is roughly the same size as the original, and a very small loss in quality, almost unnoticable. Actually, I think you can use this method to convert between most formats provided you have the codecs. But right now, the biggest need is to convert WMV9 to a more platform-friendly format.

 

Just to be clear, the WME I'm referring to is Windows Media Encoder, not Windows ME.

I don't know if Windows Media Encoder is available for Windows ME , but everything you need to install (WME, codecs) is available for free from the microsoft.com website. So, check the website and see if it's available for your operating system. My guide was done using XP and WME 9 Series.

Furhermore, this guide is only for those who already have both wmv8 and wmv9 codecs. In other words, if you can't view wmv9 (because you don't have the 9 codecs), then you can't use this guide.