Movie Making - How to work with .mpg files?

[Greyy]

I'm trying to join three video files, but it seems windows live movie maker doesn't allow to import .mpg files, although it says in their website it does.

I've tried to convert it to .avi and .wmv but it loses a huge amount of quality, both in sound and image.

I don't understand much of this so here's what I can gather:

A 3:38 minute file is .mpg and has 107 megabytes. When I convert it it has 300-450 kbs (depending on what format I convert to).

Is there any way I can work on those files without the huge loss of quality? Anything will do, if I have to download another movie making program or another converting program or whatever I will do it. Thanks in advance.

[Shishkbob]

I'm trying to join three video files, but it seems windows live movie maker doesn't allow to import .mpg files, although it says in their website it does.

I've tried to convert it to .avi and .wmv but it loses a huge amount of quality, both in sound and image.

I don't understand much of this so here's what I can gather:

A 3:38 minute file is .mpg and has 107 megabytes. When I convert it it has 300-450 kbs (depending on what format I convert to).

Is there any way I can work on those files without the huge loss of quality? Anything will do, if I have to download another movie making program or another converting program or whatever I will do it. Thanks in advance.

I quit using Windows Movie Maker years ago as it's extremely limited. It only likes .wmv/wma and .avi's, might have more diversity these days (mp4?). You can try avidemux, it's a free program that allows you to import and convert just about any format to another. It's got a good quality loss-less codec built in for the conversion, so give it a try by converting your mpg's to avi's or wmv's and see how that does for you.

*I can't post links yet, so just google 'avidemux' and it's the first link from sourgeforge dot net*

[haxartus]

Join them before you convert them.
Working without a quality loss usually requires working with a lossless codec (like the fraps one) and after you're done converting them to what you want.

[DeltrusDisc]

I quit using Windows Movie Maker years ago as it's extremely limited. It only likes .wmv/wma and .avi's, might have more diversity these days (mp4?). You can try avidemux, it's a free program that allows you to import and convert just about any format to another. It's got a good quality loss-less codec built in for the conversion, so give it a try by converting your mpg's to avi's or wmv's and see how that does for you.

*I can't post links yet, so just google 'avidemux' and it's the first link from sourgeforge dot net*

Thankfully WMM has improved, the newest versions with Win7 allow far more file-types to be used, but I still hate it. However being the type of person I am, I refuse to download a pirated copy of something like Vegas, I'd have to buy it to not feel guilty. =/

[vesseblah]

Thankfully WMM has improved, the newest versions with Win7 allow far more file-types to be used, but I still hate it. However being the type of person I am, I refuse to download a pirated copy of something like Vegas, I'd have to buy it to not feel guilty. =/

Legit Vegas 9 costs $45, so price is not an issue with it. 9 is missing BluRay burner and has more limited HD camera importing, but should be 99% identical with 10 or 10pro for cutting WoW videos.