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Amazon Instant Video file format?

Mark Moore

Mark Moore

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I haven't been able to find an answer to this. When you buy a movie or episode from Amazon Instant Video, which format is it in?

Also, if it's not in MPG, AVI, etc., then is it possible to convert it, so it's editable?
 
[h=2]Digital Video Formats[/h]The videos are available in two formats: H.264/AAC within a .mp4 container and VC-1/WMV9 within a .wmv container. H.264/AAC is compatible Macintosh computers. VC-1/WMA is compatible on Windows computers. If iTunes is your primary media player, use H.264. If Windows Media Player is your primary media player, use VC-1.
Here's more information about digital video files:
[h=3].mp4 files[/h]
  • Codecs:
    • Video: H.264
    • Audio: AAC
  • Bit Rate:
    • Video: 1.5Mbps
    • Audio: 256Kbps
  • File Size: A typical 3-minute video in either takes up approximately 40MB of storage space.
  • Download Times: A single video file 40MB in size will download in approximately 5 minutes or less on a typical broad-band Internet connection.
[h=3].wmv files[/h]
  • Codecs:
    • Video: VC-1
    • Audio: WMV9
  • Bit Rate:
    • Video: 1.5Mbps
    • Audio: 256Kbps"
Click to expand...

Edit that? My stomach just vomited into my mouth.
 
geminigod said:
Edit that? My stomach just vomited into my mouth.
Click to expand...

I LOL'd at WMV. Why does that format still exist? uggg. The MP4's though may be acceptable though if that is the only format that the movie/show has been released in. Otherwise, I would try to find the blu-ray or dvd.
 
I've bought and downloaded something from Amazon Instant Video. It's in WMV format, but Womble won't recognize it (even though it recognizes other WMV files). I need a way to convert this to something that I can edit in Womble.
 
Mark Moore said:
I've bought and downloaded something from Amazon Instant Video. It's in WMV format, but Womble won't recognize it (even though it recognizes other WMV files). I need a way to convert this to something that I can edit in Womble.
Click to expand...

Buy the DVD. Whatever extra it costs you to re-buy it, I have to believe your time is worth more.
 
Mark Moore said:
I've bought and downloaded something from Amazon Instant Video. It's in WMV format, but Womble won't recognize it (even though it recognizes other WMV files). I need a way to convert this to something that I can edit in Womble.
Click to expand...

You're probably bumping into the DRM. Unless you can strip that out somehow you're going to have problems.
 
geminigod said:
Buy the DVD. Whatever extra it costs you to re-buy it, I have to believe your time is worth more.
Click to expand...

Highlander: The Series

needed episodes: 10 ($1.99 each); total cost through Amazon Instant Video: $19.90

The Immortal Collection series box set: $129.99

I think you can see why I'd prefer to purchase only the episodes that I need to use.
 
understandable Mark, however you are going to have a LOT of issues if you try to proceed. What episodes do you need? Are they spread across all seasons? I ask because often it is much cheaper to buy individual seasons than the box sets. I see season 1 DVD set on ebay for as low as $4.99. just something to look into.

First of all, the codec and container for the episodes you have are quite low quality. If you look past that, as Q2 mentioned, you may have a DRM issue. You can check by trying to convert to DVD with something like SUPER or TMPGEnc or whatever you have. If you have a problem with simple conversion, than DRM is going to be a big roadblock.

If it isn't DRM, and Womble just doesn't work with WMV files (I can't recall if it can or not), just convert to another format first. Keep in mind though, that 2 conversions (one to work with in Womble, and the final render) along with the poor quality input file will result in a very poor final fanedit.

just things to consider as you proceed.
 
Stay away from the WMV and just grab the eps in mp4 and convert/frameserve them to mpeg2 for editing in Womble.

You may need to to install a codec pack first.
 
ThrowgnCpr said:
understandable Mark, however you are going to have a LOT of issues if you try to proceed. What episodes do you need? Are they spread across all seasons?
Click to expand...

I need:

Season 1: The Gathering, Family Tree

Season 2: The Watchers, The Darkness

Season 3: Methos, Finale 1 & 2 (well, maybe not Part 2)

Season 4: Homecoming

Season 5: Prophecy, Archangel

ThrowgnCpr said:
I ask because often it is much cheaper to buy individual seasons than the box sets. I see season 1 DVD set on ebay for as low as $4.99. just something to look into.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I hadn't considering going that route, because I figured, if I'm needing so many seasons (I hate having an incomplete collection of pretty much anything; that's why I'm choosy about starting in on buying anything lengthy), I might as well buy The Immortal Collection, which includes the exclusive Reunion minisode (which sells for an insanely high amount on its own, used). Not sure what to do here.

ThrowgnCpr said:
First of all, the codec and container for the episodes you have are quite low quality. If you look past that, as Q2 mentioned, you may have a DRM issue. You can check by trying to convert to DVD with something like SUPER or TMPGEnc or whatever you have. If you have a problem with simple conversion, than DRM is going to be a big roadblock.
Click to expand...

I'll install SUPER and give conversion a try.

ThrowgnCpr said:
If it isn't DRM, and Womble just doesn't work with WMV files (I can't recall if it can or not), just convert to another format first.
Click to expand...

Womble can handle WMV file, just not the copy of "The Gathering" that I downloaded, so it's likely a DRM issue.

ThrowgnCpr said:
Keep in mind though, that 2 conversions (one to work with in Womble, and the final render) along with the poor quality input file will result in a very poor final fanedit.

just things to consider as you proceed.
Click to expand...

Understood. Thanks for your help.
 
nOmArch said:
Stay away from the WMV and just grab the eps in mp4 and convert/frameserve them to mpeg2 for editing in Womble.
Click to expand...

Is this permissible? I mean I know the entire series is available for free (legally) on YouTube through NewVideoDigital, and the episodes are downloaded into Internet Explorer's Temporary Internet Files folder when we view them on YouTube (Womble accepts MP4 files), but does this qualify as owning a legitimate copy? (Probably a moot point, anyway, since the resolution is less than SD, and some episodes are 23 FPS.)
 
Pretty sure he meant to buy them in mp4 format instead of wmv. Using youtube captures is no more permissible than using tv rips.
 
TV's Frink said:
Pretty sure he meant to buy them in mp4 format instead of wmv.
Click to expand...

I think MP4s are downloadable only through mobile devices, and I don't have any.

Being made for mobile devices, the resolution would probably be very low as well, and I might run into the same DRM issue as with the WMV.

Off to install SUPER and give that a try.
 
TV's Frink said:
Pretty sure he meant to buy them in mp4 format instead of wmv. Using youtube captures is no more permissible than using tv rips.
Click to expand...

Yep, as for the mp4 format

.mp4 files


  • Codecs:
    • Video: H.264
    • Audio: AAC
  • Bit Rate:
    • Video: 1.5Mbps
    • Audio: 256Kbps
Click to expand...

1.5Mb's should be pretty good quality.
 
For arguments sake vc-1 in a wmv container could be a real pain in the ass to work with. The only program I know of that actually handled that codec within a container properly (which at that time was in an MKV) was the less than savy convertXtodvd. Download the trial version and just see if it works. If it does then you know it is not a drm issue but a nasty yucky codec
 
SUPER was a bust. Not only was it slow and couldn't handle the WMV, but it installed an unwanted IE toolbar, and it infected my comp with trojans. I seem to have taken care of it, but I uninstalled SUPER.

tranzor said:
For arguments sake vc-1 in a wmv container could be a real pain in the ass to work with. The only program I know of that actually handled that codec within a container properly (which at that time was in an MKV) was the less than savy convertXtodvd. Download the trial version and just see if it works. If it does then you know it is not a drm issue but a nasty yucky codec
Click to expand...

Cool. I'll try that. Thanks.
 
Where did you download Super? I've installed it multiple times and never had those issues. Sounds like a third-party infection.
 
reave said:
Where did you download Super? I've installed it multiple times and never had those issues. Sounds like a third-party infection.
Click to expand...

^ THIS. you'll also want to make sure you have the k-lite codec pack installed
 
... or you could just buy the DVD's.

I don't agree that 1.5MB is good enough for editing. It is barely passable for viewing, depending on the resolution.

There is definitely DRM that will need to be hacked. http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_rel_topic?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200238960

Now I am just going to shut-up until this thread gets to 40 pages long, and then I will piss everybody off by linking back to this post and saying, "I told you so."
 
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