February 13, 2010
Windows Live Movie Maker (WLMM) is a great product. But with the latest version, Microsoft removed many profiles that were included with the “old” Windows Movie Maker product. In this article I will show you how to modify the existing output “profiles,” turning WLMM into an even more flexible and powerful video production tool. Using this knowledge, you will be able to create your own profiles for uses not included in the core WLMM product.
idea, light buld, tip iconTIP: If you would like to use a CableCard with Windows Media Center, you either need Windows 7 or a special version of Windows Vista. You will also need a CableCard tuner, such as the ATI Digital Wonder CableCard tuner.
Getting Started
Before you begin, there are some requirements:
In order to create your profiles, you will need the Profile Editor, available in the free Windows Media Encoder utility. You can download the installers by following the appropriate link below:
Windows Media Encoder or
Windows Media Encoder x64 Edition – Get x64 vs if you are running a 64-bit vs of Windows.
Step 2: Install Windows Media Encoder 9
After you have downloaded the appropriate installer, simply double-click it and follow the instructions to install. It shouldn’t take very long.
Figure: The Windows Media Encoder 9 setup wizard. Yours may look slightly different if you downloaded the 32-bit version.
Figure: After a few minutes, the software should be successfully installed.
Figure: FYI, you can find the Windows Media Encoder tools under Windows Media in the Start menu.
CAUTION: should not install both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the tools on the same machine.
Step 3: Back Up the Existing 1080p Profile
In this example, we will make a backup of the built-in 1080p output profile, and then modify its video quality setting to 100% instead of 95%.
1. Navigate to the WLMM video profiles folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\Video Profiles
2. Back up PublishToFile1080p.
Step 4: Modify the New Profile
click the original PublishToFile1080p file and the Windows Media Encoder Profile Editor will load, as shown in the figure below:
There are a lot of settings here, and I will leave it up to you to experiment and learn more.
The Windows Media Encoder Profile Editor comes with a help system so you can learn more about how it works.
Now, we want to change the audio and video quality. Next to Audio, change the Audio Mode dropdown to Quality VBR and the Codec to Windows Media Audio 10 Professional. Then, next to Video, change the Video Mode dropdown to Quality VBR. This video setting automatically determines the best bit rate to use based on a percentage scale.
Figure: Changing the Audio and Video modes.
Now, change to the Quality-based tab on the top and change the video quality from 95 to 100% and the audio format to VBR Quality, 98, 96 KHz, 5.1 channel 24bit VBR, as shown below.
Figure: Changing the quality settings.
Save and close the profile.
Step 5: Test
Launch WLMM and you should not receive any errors. Find a video to encode, and save it using the High Definition 1080p profile.
TIP: You can also use Windows Media Encoder to test your profiles before you use them in WLMM.
Windows Live Movie Maker (WLMM) is a great product. But with the latest version, Microsoft removed many profiles that were included with the “old” Windows Movie Maker product. In this article I will show you how to modify the existing output “profiles,” turning WLMM into an even more flexible and powerful video production tool. Using this knowledge, you will be able to create your own profiles for uses not included in the core WLMM product.
idea, light buld, tip iconTIP: If you would like to use a CableCard with Windows Media Center, you either need Windows 7 or a special version of Windows Vista. You will also need a CableCard tuner, such as the ATI Digital Wonder CableCard tuner.
Getting Started
Before you begin, there are some requirements:
- Windows Vista, Windows 7, or higher
- Windows Live Movie Maker
In order to create your profiles, you will need the Profile Editor, available in the free Windows Media Encoder utility. You can download the installers by following the appropriate link below:
Windows Media Encoder or
Windows Media Encoder x64 Edition – Get x64 vs if you are running a 64-bit vs of Windows.
Step 2: Install Windows Media Encoder 9
After you have downloaded the appropriate installer, simply double-click it and follow the instructions to install. It shouldn’t take very long.
Figure: The Windows Media Encoder 9 setup wizard. Yours may look slightly different if you downloaded the 32-bit version.
Figure: After a few minutes, the software should be successfully installed.
Figure: FYI, you can find the Windows Media Encoder tools under Windows Media in the Start menu.
CAUTION: should not install both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the tools on the same machine.
Step 3: Back Up the Existing 1080p Profile
In this example, we will make a backup of the built-in 1080p output profile, and then modify its video quality setting to 100% instead of 95%.
1. Navigate to the WLMM video profiles folder:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\Video Profiles
2. Back up PublishToFile1080p.
Step 4: Modify the New Profile
click the original PublishToFile1080p file and the Windows Media Encoder Profile Editor will load, as shown in the figure below:
There are a lot of settings here, and I will leave it up to you to experiment and learn more.
The Windows Media Encoder Profile Editor comes with a help system so you can learn more about how it works.
Now, we want to change the audio and video quality. Next to Audio, change the Audio Mode dropdown to Quality VBR and the Codec to Windows Media Audio 10 Professional. Then, next to Video, change the Video Mode dropdown to Quality VBR. This video setting automatically determines the best bit rate to use based on a percentage scale.
Figure: Changing the Audio and Video modes.
Now, change to the Quality-based tab on the top and change the video quality from 95 to 100% and the audio format to VBR Quality, 98, 96 KHz, 5.1 channel 24bit VBR, as shown below.
Figure: Changing the quality settings.
Save and close the profile.
Step 5: Test
Launch WLMM and you should not receive any errors. Find a video to encode, and save it using the High Definition 1080p profile.
TIP: You can also use Windows Media Encoder to test your profiles before you use them in WLMM.