GoPro HD Video Conversion SOLVED (I hope!)

[skydivr]

There have been a lot of threads and posts (a lot from me) about trying to find the best way to convert a GoPro HD Video (.mp4) to another format that will edit in Windows XP or VISTA and using Windows Movie Maker, WITHOUT compromising quality. I have been trying off and on for months, to include purchasing additional software (Adobe Photoshop Elements), Codec Pacs, Free/paid for converters, etc,; all with only partial success. Either the quality would suffer, or the file would either not play or trash my machine/software.

I THINK (emphasize THINK) I have today found a solution for the problem. The default player that likes .mp4 files the most is Apple Quicktime, but it won't save as, convert, cut up, or edit. However, Quicktime Pro WILL. It cost me about $30 to purchase from Apple. I have played around with it today and am pretty sure I found a workaround.

I have a 2GB .mp4 that I shot with my GoPro HD to work with. I opened it with Quicktime PRO; you can either cut/paste into another movie, or just export the entire file and edit later with WMM. I exported the file with some custom settings to an .avi, changing the settings to .AVI, using DV/DVCPRO - NTSC for compression at 30 FPS with Progressive Scan mode and 16.9 aspect ration (my original was shot in 16:9 mode). It took about 3 hours to convert the full original 1.8GB .mp4 into a 3.6 GB .avi (double the file size),

BUT

- The .avi file played without skip or stutter in Windows Media player

- And it opened, played and edited WITHOUT SKIP OR STUTTER with Windows Movie Maker.

What I'll try to do in this post is show a portion of the .mov BEFORE editing, and the .avi AFTER converting and editing in WMM. And also try to show the settings I used in Quicktime Pro to do it.

I'm pretty estatic as I've been trying to figure this out for 2 months!

 

[Dr E]

Should have posted this earlier... Handbrake.com Have been using this to convert my HD format and if you take a look you have the choice between GUI and CLI options. Be anxious to see your end product.

 

[skydivr]

Dr. E, did your product compromise quality in conversion?

I'm going to only be able to show about 10 seconds of the original files because of the upload limits.

 

[skydivr]

Here is the .mov (saved from original .mp4 using Quicktime Pro)

No discernable quality loss from original .mp4

 

[Payne]

Holy crap that quality is absolutely STUNNING! Post up more, thats just amazing.

 

[skydivr]

Can't upload the exported .avi file as CAP has .avi's blocked!

When I get home I'll pick up the .mov and see what I can do with it in WMM.

 

[skydivr]

Holy crap that quality is absolutely STUNNING! Post up more, thats just amazing.

THAT is what unadulterated GoPro HD original video looks like coming out of the box!

 

[ogre]

keep it in mp4, superior file format anyway.

 

[skydivr]

keep it in mp4, superior file format anyway.

Can't edit .mp4 in WMM or even view it in Media Player in XP. mp4 was not native in windows until 7 that is entire problem.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Originally Posted by Payne
Holy crap that quality is absolutely STUNNING! Post up more, thats just amazing.

+100

A few things Skydvr..
Thank you for posting it because I had forgotten what TN looked like...
It is incredibly vivid....Would they let you run with one mounted like that at an LSR event ?
Anyone know ?
You can see the cracks in the street as they pass.
Since it is 17mb for like 10 seconds how long would a longer video be and how would you handle it then ? Say if you recorded a days ride like 1-2 hrs worth continuosly ?

Lastly how bout a simple pic of your mount..

Awesome pics of TN....I miss it..

 

[skydivr]

To answer your question, the full 20 minute original .mp4 file was 1.88GB. The .mov conversion was about same. Not sure what the HD .avi file size will be yet but i'll bet it's huge.

I am right now uploading that same .mov file raw to both Vimeo and Youtube to see how badly they downgrade it for comparison purposes. I'll have to get a pic of the mount tomorrow after the sun comes out (too dark in garage).

After that I'm going to try and edit it a little with WMM and see if I can get a decent finished product.

 

[skydivr]

Here is what youtube does to it. Go to the link and look at it in 720P mode to compare to original .mov

- GoPro Test mov .mov[/url]

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Great thanks.

What kind of exhaust do you have ?
Is this the way it sounds normally to you.
Just curious if the sound is as good as vid ?

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Dont think the youtube is too much of a downgrade.
Little fuzzier but just smaller and harder to see detail.

Still is great though.

For someone who is familiar enough to save Sony Handy cam movies to his computer and burn them to dvd how much more difficult is it dealing with one of these ?
Is this same cam I see in the 2-300 range in threads ?

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

If you answer 'yes' or 'easy' to any of the above questions your gonna have to split the cost with me cuz I already want one...

 

[Kento-Moto]

I could view the You tube version, couldnt see the Real time but I could hear audio.

 

[HillbillyTom]

Can't even view it in Media Player in XP. mp4 was not native in windows until 7 that is entire problem.

So, your saying that anything I upload onto my computer (that has XP) from my GoProHD, I can't even watch without Windows 7?

Wanting a new computer really bad anyway, but my job has gotten back into the Handbasket and is continuing on to it's original destination..
Can't risk spending the $$ for a new tower right now.

 

[Kento-Moto]

So if I upgrade to windows 7 it should be a plug & play for mp4's ?

 

[Dr E]

I am using it to convert M2TS HD files from Sony. Zero loss in quality.

 

[jpsmith1]

So if I upgrade to windows 7 it should be a plug & play for mp4's ?

Try this player. It is free and works well with most formats including MP4.
VLC media player - Open Source Multimedia Framework and Player