Converting a Windows Media Center (WMC) Recording (.wtv, .dvr-ms) For My iPhone (.mp4, .m4v)

I recorded my first TV show on my computer with Windows Media Center (WMC) on Windows 7. I have to say it’s pretty cool having DVR functionality back again after dropping DISH and going with ‘Over the Air’ HD TV. But then I wanted to put it on my iPhone, but how…

The easiest (free) way I’ve found so far is to navigate to the folder where WMC stores the file (C:\Users\Public\Public Recorded TV). Right-click on the file and on the chose the option to ‘convert to DVRMS’ (found this by accident). It’s a really fast conversion. Then I used HandBrake (currently version 9.5) with the iPhone preset to get it into my desired format. Then import that file into iTunes. Easy-peasy. The biggest plus is the file size went from 5.86GB (1hr HD) an episode to 1.03GB (iPh 3GS 480x272). I’ll be looking for an easy way to edit out the commercials. I’ll be testing out Live Movie Maker, but I bet someone has already found an easier more automated way.

Update: So, Microsoft's free Live Movie maker had no trouble importing the 5.86GB DVRMS file. You'll want to have knitting or some other form of mind numbing activity to do while you wait for the long preparing video phase. However when it was ready you can easily use the split video as you scroll through the video in the right pane by dragging the time bar around. I like getting the commercial segment to take up about two or three rows using the zoom in zoom out buttons. Then, after it is all split at the start and finish of each commercial segment, its a simple matter to delete them out. This cut out approximately 15 minutes. I saved the video with the 'Save Video - For Computer' setting (640x480) and it spit out a .wmv (1.44GB). I need to mess around and figure out the output dimensions which were obviously looking a bit more square. This time however I used a lower data rate (about 700kbps from the last time encode of 2150kbps) on handbrake to get the file size down to 232MB. The resulting video was visibly different from the first larger output and the colors look a bit more washed out, all the extra converting probably didn't help, but it was still plenty good enough to watch on my iPhone on the go. I think next time I'll go with the target output size in the video quality setting in Handbrake instead and shoot for around 350MB.