How To: Encode Zune Videos for Free

ACE · 01-14-2008, 01:57 AM

I know some of you probably got a Zune for the holidays and there are a lot of great programs now that will encode your videos for a variety of portable media players. I've used many many of these applications in the last year or so, some of them free, some not so free. But when it comes down to it, for the Zune it is hard to beat the free Windows Media Encoder 9. What sets WME apart from many of the other applications I've tried can be seen in the photo [below]; WME will suck up all the cores you want to throw at it, meaning I can encode in a fraction of the time of some of the other products I've used.

Once you get WME installed, run it from Start > Windows Media > Windows Media.

Go ahead and click New Session, then select Custom Session and OK.
This will put you in the Session Properties box, in the "Source from" section, you want to choose File.
Now click that browse button right under it and select the file you want to encode.
Go back to the top and click the "Output" tab, uncheck "Pull from encoder' and select "Encode to file", picking the name and location to put it (probably your [username]\Videos directory).
Now click the Compression tab, change the "Destination" dropdown to "File download (computer playback)", change "Video" dropdown to "DVD quality video (1Mbps VBR)", and change the "Audio" dropdown to "CD quality audio CBR".
If you want to spend video quality on being able to put more videos on your Zune, you can click the edit button to the right of Destination and lower your bit rates, change size to 320x240, and audio to 128k.
Click Apply, click "Start Encoding", then sit back and watch it fly through your video.

[Source]

DS2D · 01-14-2008, 12:07 PM

Not to hijack the thread but.. another good free converter that you can get at Afterdawn is SUPER. It supports nearly all if not all the video codecs out there. It's simple and there's already a preset for the Microsoft Zune so there's no sweat. Not to mention it is FREE. My preference, but as like you said, you can use WME9.

I highly recommend SUPER if you haven't tried it yet.

detroit_zune313 · 01-14-2008, 12:53 PM

media encoder 9 doest support MP4

Mine is saying 4 hours ? Not really fast

stoked · 01-16-2008, 07:32 PM

i tried to use this method to convert a tv show and I get an immediate error when i try to start encoding. Could the video not be supported or am I doing something wrong?

cohoman · 01-16-2008, 08:13 PM

What's the format of the video file you are trying to convert? Is it AVI, WMV, MP4, etc.?

detroit_zune313 · 01-17-2008, 02:50 AM

I was trying wmv and avi..avi didnt work and wmv takes foreverrrr

Dizzy · 01-17-2008, 07:12 AM

Sorry to hijack, but for those of you not linking WME 9:

Other freeware converters can be found here: http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/gen...softwares.html

stoked · 01-17-2008, 07:53 AM

I am trying to convert an AVI File. I also tried using SUPER but it gets half way through and then fails on me.

tpsobeck · 02-10-2008, 09:57 AM

If you have it, Windows Movie Maker works great. Found a knowledge base article that told me how. Pardon me if repeat post.

SuperDuperHobo · 02-17-2008, 04:50 PM

I've tried WME9 and I ended up with a 5kb file. Something went wrong after the 1st pass, do you have any idea why?

01-14-2008, 01:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
ACE I Scream, U Scream, We... zB Writer Section Staff Elite Zuner Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fresno, CA USA Posts: 2,151 Reputation: 218 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	How To: Encode Zune Videos for Free I know some of you probably got a Zune for the holidays and there are a lot of great programs now that will encode your videos for a variety of portable media players. I've used many many of these applications in the last year or so, some of them free, some not so free. But when it comes down to it, for the Zune it is hard to beat the free Windows Media Encoder 9. What sets WME apart from many of the other applications I've tried can be seen in the photo [below]; WME will suck up all the cores you want to throw at it, meaning I can encode in a fraction of the time of some of the other products I've used. Once you get WME installed, run it from Start > Windows Media > Windows Media. Go ahead and click New Session, then select Custom Session and OK. This will put you in the Session Properties box, in the "Source from" section, you want to choose File. Now click that browse button right under it and select the file you want to encode. Go back to the top and click the "Output" tab, uncheck "Pull from encoder' and select "Encode to file", picking the name and location to put it (probably your [username]\Videos directory). Now click the Compression tab, change the "Destination" dropdown to "File download (computer playback)", change "Video" dropdown to "DVD quality video (1Mbps VBR)", and change the "Audio" dropdown to "CD quality audio CBR". If you want to spend video quality on being able to put more videos on your Zune, you can click the edit button to the right of Destination and lower your bit rates, change size to 320x240, and audio to 128k. Click Apply, click "Start Encoding", then sit back and watch it fly through your video. [Source] __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I'm an To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ...Do you know what the original ZuneMarketplace looked like?

01-14-2008, 12:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
detroit_zune313 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Snellville GA Posts: 622 Reputation: 16	media encoder 9 doest support MP4 Mine is saying 4 hours ? Not really fast __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. thanks HaaGen To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Thanks stkr! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. White Zune Purchased: August 12th,2007 1961 Songs, 753 Pictures, 82 videos 19.38 GB used Last edited by Chiups : 02-11-2008 at 12:29 PM. Reason: double post

01-16-2008, 08:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
cohoman Zuner Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 87 Reputation: 10	What's the format of the video file you are trying to convert? Is it AVI, WMV, MP4, etc.? __________________ cohoman Tips for the Zune User: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - General Tips - Video Conversion - Video Tagging

01-17-2008, 02:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
detroit_zune313 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Snellville GA Posts: 622 Reputation: 16	I was trying wmv and avi..avi didnt work and wmv takes foreverrrr __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. thanks HaaGen To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Thanks stkr! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. White Zune Purchased: August 12th,2007 1961 Songs, 753 Pictures, 82 videos 19.38 GB used

01-17-2008, 07:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dizzy Joe the Plumber Moderator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6,732 Reputation: 357	Sorry to hijack, but for those of you not linking WME 9: Other freeware converters can be found here: http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/gen...softwares.html __________________ Stop activity immediately if you feel short of breath, faint or dizzy, experience chest pain, or profuse perspiration. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

01-14-2008, 12:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
DS2D Jr. Zuner Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 37 Reputation: 16	Not to hijack the thread but.. another good free converter that you can get at Afterdawn is SUPER. It supports nearly all if not all the video codecs out there. It's simple and there's already a preset for the Microsoft Zune so there's no sweat. Not to mention it is FREE. My preference, but as like you said, you can use WME9. I highly recommend SUPER if you haven't tried it yet.

01-16-2008, 07:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
stoked Zewbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4 Reputation: 10	i tried to use this method to convert a tv show and I get an immediate error when i try to start encoding. Could the video not be supported or am I doing something wrong?

01-17-2008, 07:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
stoked Zewbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 4 Reputation: 10	I am trying to convert an AVI File. I also tried using SUPER but it gets half way through and then fails on me.

02-10-2008, 09:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
tpsobeck Zewbie Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1 Reputation: 10	If you have it, Windows Movie Maker works great. Found a knowledge base article that told me how. Pardon me if repeat post.

02-17-2008, 04:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
SuperDuperHobo Zewbie Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 7 Reputation: 10	I've tried WME9 and I ended up with a 5kb file. Something went wrong after the 1st pass, do you have any idea why?

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