MPEG4 import costs extra?

schulze wrote on 8/17/2009, 6:30 PM

I had used a trial version of Magix and liked it enough I decided to purchase the Magix movie edit pro 15.

The main reason was to convert the file I had already created using the trial version. Apparently the MVD file that was created can not be converted with
any other software that I could find. So I figure $80 is a quick fix.

I buy the MMEP 15 software assuming I would be able to open the file I have
already created using their software.

Instead, I get three error messages saying it can not find/import my clips!!

No biggie, I will go and re-create my short movie.

Strike Two!

Now in order to access my clips, I need to purchase an additional plug-in
to read the MPEG4 format!

???

Comments

ralftaro wrote on 8/18/2009, 3:32 AM

Hi,

In the regular version of Movie Edit Pro 15, the MPEG-4 codec is an optional activation and subject to a small fee. It's only the "Plus" version where MPEG-4 is already covered and activated for free. (If you paid $80 for it, wouldn't that be the "Plus" version by any chance?)

What do you want to convert your movies for? Where do you want to play them? You should check whether possibly any of the other formats under "File" => "Export movie" will also do the trick. I suppose MPEG-4 would mostly be for different types of portable video players. However, even here an alternative format might work.

What seems to be more important to me than the question about the activation modalities of the MPEG-4 codec is probably the apparent misconception about the different file types used by the program. Please keep in mind that MVD files are really just meta files that contain references to the source material in your project and editing information, but not the actual audio and video data. Therefore, these files cannot be "converted" to an actual video file. If you need a video file of your arrangement, you need to render it via the "Export movie" functions in the "File" menu of Movie Edit Pro. This might also explain problems re-opening MVD files. This will only work as long as you keep all the source files in the same place and don't delete/move/rename them or their location. The program needs to be able to find them again when opening an MVD file.

If this is really about problems re-opening actual MPEG-4 files you previously created during the trial period, please refer to what I said above: The MPEG-4 activation needs to be carried out and is actually free in the "Plus" version.

I hope this helps.

Man o' Lakes wrote on 8/18/2009, 3:35 AM

Hi schulze,

couple of things you might need to bear in mind here. The first is that MVD files are container files, which contain info on where the original source material is located on your computer, the effects you have added etc, but not actual video files. Hence their rather small size. That's all part of non-destructive editing.

What this means though is that if you move the original source files on your computer, or change them in any slight way external of MEP, the program will not be able to recognise them, and therefore not find them.

If you exported the video as a MAgix Video for instance, then you will have created a 'real' video file. Same applies to MPEG etc.

The MPEG4 codec is included in the Plus version only, you will have to pay if you want it in yours.

By the way, get the patch just out for your program. It's fresh out and helps on quite a few things.

Hope that helps a litte. Have a good one.

m o' l

schulze wrote on 8/18/2009, 10:22 AM

Thank you for the information regarding file formats.

As you can tell, I am novice with the video formatting.

I will try to contact MAGIX to see about the codec upgrade.

In the file I created in the trial verion, nothing had changed, no files
were moved etc., when I opened that file with the purchased version
it would not read it. ??

I will look into the codec purchase.