Editing SnapStream Files

Anyone have any experience with editing Snapstream generated files. Will the Windows Media files load to a DVE program like Ulead or Premier?

I have tried to edit Snapstream files with Premiere, Virtual Dub and Vegas Video -- no luck. I also tried to find a way to convert the asf/wmv files to another format like avi. I had limited success with GraphEdt which is part of the Microsoft DirectX 8.1 SDK. I was able to create an avi file, but the audio and video were out of synch. To me, this is the biggest shortcoming of Snapstream, i.e. the inability to edit the files after they are created.

[derekshall]

You can edit snapstream files using MS Producer - this is a free add-on to MS Powerpoint. I'm not sure if it can be used freestanding.

You can also chop them using ASFChop, a command line program which is part of Windows Media Tools (free download from MS). You'll have to rename the .wmv file to .asf. There's a combine program available in this suite too.

Good luck!

I was able to successfully edit the files using Windows Movie Maker. I spent quite a bit of time looking for something to edit these files with until I found that on my system. It was part of the XP install, possibly comes with Windows Millenium as well.

[z0rak]

Those of you without XP or millenium or Producer are not out of luck, go to:
http://go.to/asftools

and download asftools 2.30. Follow the installation instructions, which may have you download additional bits from Microsoft as necessary. Once you have the program and all of it's required parts, open asftools, and click the add button. Add your .wmv file to the list, and once it is there, select it and click edit.

Here's where the fun begins. You can seek back and forth to your beginning/end points, or you can enter a frame number, and click on the jump to button. Press the play button, and when it is time to make your cut, hit the pause button, and then the set start/set end button as necessary, then click the cut button to write this piece of the file to the hard drive (give it a simple name, like 1.wmv, 2.wmv, etc.)

lather, rinse, repeat

once you have all of the pieces, close the asf cutter, and clear the file list. Add the clips that you made in the steps above in the order in which you want them assembed, and then click the join button. Give the file a name and let it rip.

This very laborious process is the only way I have found so far to edit wmv files (exactly the same format as asf, by the way) on win98/2000. If anyone has found a better way, please post if for the benefit of all.

TIP: Make sure that you set the Keyframe Interval value to something very low (like 1) in your advanced recording qualities section of SnapStream. Otherwise you will find that you can't cut the clip to the exact point you want.

Cool! I was looking for this. I can't wait to try it out.. (Those commercials realy suck up all my drive-space)

would it be possible to convert the file from wmv or asf to mpeg1? there are plenty of mpeg1 editing apps.

[z0rak]

Nope, thanks to our friends at Microsoft, The trip to WMV is one way only. I have had no luck in trying to convert the file using any software avaiable. TMPEg will get about 10 seconds into it and lockup, most other programs won't even open it.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it does not look hopeful.

Originally posted by z0rak:
Nope, thanks to our friends at Microsoft, The trip to WMV is one way only. I have had no luck in trying to convert the file using any software avaiable. TMPEg will get about 10 seconds into it and lockup, most other programs won't even open it.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it does not look hopeful.

I've successfully converted WMA to MPEG using Nero-Burning CD with the WMA plugin.

It would be great to have the ability to archive to VCD and DVD incorpated in this product.

Also the Windows Movie Maker handles WMA natively, so it can be used to edit the saved programs.

It would be cool to have an "edit stream" option to open recorded shows with the registered meida editor ("Windows Movie Maker") to facilitate fixing up the stream.

[z0rak]

WMA is Microsoft's acronym for Windows Media Audio... Not the same as WMV or Windows Media Video.

Are you sure you can convert WMV using Nero? I'm going to dl it now and check it out.

As for Windows Movie Maker, I'm sure it's nice and all, but it doesn't help us poor souls who are still stuck with Windows 98/2000.

[This message has been edited by z0rak (edited 01-21-2002).]