happyg video -- FAQs -- ASF2AVI-graph

| | | | | | | | |

Capturing video to AVI using:
VirtualDub

Encoding AVI to MPEG using:
Panasonic Encoder
TMPGEnc

Encoding ASF to AVI using:
Graphedit

Encoding MPEG-2 to AVI using:
FlaskMPEG
GraphEdit

Muxing/Demuxing video using:
VirtualDub
DVMPEG

Editing video using:
MyFlix
M-2 Edit Professional
I-Film Edit

Editing audio using:
Cool Edit 2000

Miscellaneous:
Choosing the right AVI codec.
Should I use MPEG-1 or MPEG-2?
Should I use MPEG or DiVX ;-) ?

Introduction
This tutorial will show you how to quickly convert ASF --> AVI using Graphedit. I've seen some complaints about how Avery Lee removed ASF support from VirtualDub awhile back, so I've decided to show people how easy it is to convert ASF and how easy they could've done it a long time ago without the use of any other program other than Graphedit.

Maybe this will push some of you to read manuals instead of complaining. Many programs out there can do much more than intended, you just need to have patience and learn their capabilities.

Converting an ASF stream to AVI/WAV with Graphedit.

Start up Graphedit. Now, we need to get your ASF input stream into the graph. Choose File --> Render Media File. Next, choose your input ASF stream.

Now that our input stream is rendered in the graph, we need to delete a few filters. Scroll all the way to the right until you see the final 2 filters of the graph. They should be called Default DirectSound Device and Video Renderer. Click on each filter and delete them both.

Now, from the DirectShow Filters tree, select a Video Compression codec. You don't have to compress your video here, but it is a very good idea. Just use Ben Rudiak-Gould's awesome HuffYUV v2.1.1 CODEC. Don't worry about quality, it's lossless compression =).

Now we need to recombine the audio and video streams into an AVI. To do this add a muxing filter. Go back to the DirectShow Filters tree and choose the AVI Mux filter from the list.

Add the video stream and the audio stream to the mux input connections. When your finished doing that, go back again to the DirectShow Filters tree and choose the File Writer filter. Make sure to give the output file an .AVI extension.

Now just press play and wait for Graphedit to convert your ASF.

Now, there is one problem. I seem to keep getting my output AVI with the video upside down. I knew what the problem was once, but I don't remember what it was or how to fix it. If anyone knows the cause, please leave a message in the Forum. You can fix this, however. Simply start up VirtualDub and add a flip vertically filter to your AVI, then save it again.