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Batch encoding

Batch encoding enables you to encode numerous files in quick succession without having to issue a separate encoding command for each one. Instead, you can create a batch file, or text file with a .bat extension, that includes all of the encoding commands that you want to use. These commands might include the names of your input and output files, profiles to be used, and other optional parameters to be applied. There is no limit on the number of commands that you can include in a batch file, and because it is a basic text file, editing is easy.

When you are ready to run the batch file, navigate to the directory where the Windows Media 8 Encoding Utility is installed and type the name of the batch file. For example:

mybatch.bat

The following is an example of some commands that you might find in a batch file. The commands in this example take a 640 x 480, 24-fps film source that has been telecined to 30 fps, and convert it to 24 fps using an inverse telecine filter before encoding it. The first two commands use quality-based variable bit rate (-v_mode 2) to encode the source at quality settings of 95 and 97, respectively. The final two commands use two-pass constant bit rate (-v_mode 1) to encode the source at 1 megabit per second (Mbps) and 500 Kbps, respectively.

wm8eutil -input mymovie.avi -output mymovie-640x480-vbr095.wmv -v_mode 2 -v_quality 95 -v_keydist 30 -v_preproc 5
wm8eutil -input mymovie.avi -output mymovie-320x240-vbr097.wmv -v_mode 2 -v_quality 97 -v_keydist 30 -v_preproc 5 -v_width 320 -v_height 240
wm8eutil -input mymovie.avi -output mymovie-640x480-cbr2.wmv -v_mode 1 -v_bitrate 1000000 -v_keydist 30 -v_buffer 10000 -v_quality 100 -v_preproc 5
wm8eutil -input mymovie.avi -output mymovie-320x240-cbr2.wmv -v_mode 1 -v_bitrate  500000 -v_keydist 30 -v_buffer 10000 -v_quality 100 -v_preproc 5 -v_width 320 -v_height 240

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