Lossless ASF to WMV?

[DFKT]

Is it possible to convert ASF files to WMV without reencoding?

I have no idea how different the containers and codecs are, I usually do XviD movies. My new portable player plays WMV files, but not ASF, so it would be nice to use the streaming files on the player without loss of quality.

[Dr Pizza]

WMV is an ASF subset; WMV files are ASF files. A file using the WMV ASF subset could have either file extension. So you might have luck just renaming the thing.

[DFKT]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that before. Renaming *.asf to *.wmv doesn't work on my Cowon D2 player.

I thought both containers have to be extremely similar and use probably the same WMA and WMV codecs inside - but not similar enough, obviously.

[jeffy]

Are you really sure your Cowon D2 supports WMV?
http://www.cowonglobal.com/product/product_D2_spec.php
"Video File up to 320x240(QVGA), 30fps"

Does it support Xvid avi files?

[jeffy]

:stupid: Scratch the above post :p
http://www.cowonamerica.com/products/cowon/d2/tech_specs.html

Movie
AVI : MPEG4 ~ 2Mbps, 320x240, 30fps, MP3 audio
WMV : WMV9 ~ 768kbps, 320x240, 30fps, WMA audio
TV OUT support (TV OUT Cable Optional)

I guess your ASF file does not use WMV9 codec, so you would have to convert your video to meet the quoted specification.

[DFKT]

Yeah, there even was an uproar in the community when it was first announced that the D2 only plays WMV... a few weeks later XviD/DivX was confirmed, fortunately. :)

The ASF files contain WMV3 and WMA2... I'm not sure about the numbering of the WMV codecs and the output I got from MediaInfo... but seems there's no way around transcoding them. Thanks for your help, Jeffy.

[jeffy]

The ASF files contain WMV3 and WMA2... I'm not sure about the numbering of the WMV codecs and the output I got from MediaInfo... but seems there's no way around transcoding them. Thanks for your help, Jeffy.

WMV3 is WMV9... what about the frame size and fps of the files you can't play?
http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php

EDIT:

If you can, add also properties of those you can play.

As far as .asf vs. WMV they are the same, the
primary difference really is the 3 letters after the dot in the filename.
However both .WMV and .WMA are ASF (notice no DOT & capitol ASF as in
Advanced Systems Format) files as in they are both use the same ASF
container (container aka file format) confused yet :)

In general .asf as a file extension been replaced by .WMA for audio only
content and .WMV for Audio Video content. This was to provide a way for
Audio only or Audio / Video players to associate only with the content they
can support.

WMV vs. ASF, Scott Harrison, Microsoft
http://discussms.hosting.lsoft.com/SCRIPTS/WA-MSD.EXE?A2=ind0307c&L=wmtalk&T=0&P=7690
/EDIT

[DFKT]

I had a hitch it is the way I thought.. read some confusing information about WMV3 = 9 before...

Bitrate and size are well within the supported specs. ~450kbps, 25fps, 320x240.

So what you tell me is that there isn't even a single bit different between ASF and WMV (as a container), and that ASF is the actual container, never mind if it contains WMV, WMA or both? This is definitely weird, because the 450kbps 320x240 WMV9 files won't play on the D2...

[jeffy]

I will wait if Alex Zambelli sees this thread...

[zambelli]

Correct, there is no difference between .asf and .wmv. They are both ASF containers.
Which video and audio codecs are used in your WMV file? That's the crucial information here. Can you verify with GSpot or ASF Viewer 9?

[DFKT]

Well, GSpot doesn't analyze ASF/WMV (at least not the version I'm using). MediaInfo has the following to say (hope this helps):

General #0
Format : Windows Media
File size : 40.6 MiB
PlayTime : 11mn 9s
Bit rate : 509 Kbps
Comment :
Agility FPS : 4629129022734147256

Video #0
Codec : WMV3
Info : Windows Media Video 9
Bit rate : 496 Kbps
Width : 320
Height : 240
Aspect ratio : 4/3

Audio #0
Codec : WMA2
Info : Windows Media Audio 2
Bit rate : 20 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 22 KHz

[zambelli]

Well, GSpot doesn't analyze ASF/WMV (at least not the version I'm using). MediaInfo has the following to say (hope this helps):
That looks fine to me. You should probably just contact Cowon and ask them why that file, which appears conformant to their spec, is not playing.

[DFKT]

Thanks Alex, I might just do that... I'm writing a review about the Cowon D2 at the moment, and it doesn't look overly good, considering all the bugs in the firmware.