Using Windows Batch Media Encoder

This document provides an overview of encoding digital videos using Microsoft Software Development Kit (SDK) for batch encoding. It is meant for Webmasters and media producers who need to encode a few dozen videos per month. It is not intended for software engineers or mass producers of video; it does not explain how to write custom code; it merely explains how to make the SDK batch kit work as-is.   

Disclaimer: This document is provided as a courtesy. It is not meant to be nor should it be interpreted as official documentation for any product. No responsibility, liability or otherwise culpability is assumed for the production and/or maintenance of this document or for the support of products or services described herein. This document may contain typos or technical inaccuracies. Use it at your own risk. Refer to Windows Media Encoder Help and Microsoft online help and technical support for official documentation.   

Batch Encoding Overview

Encoding videos individually is a time-consuming process because each time a video finishes you have to be there to start the next one. A natural solution is to buy a customized batch media encoder. The only problem with that is they can cost up to $40,000.00, not an ideal solution for a small business owner. There is, however, a less-expensive solution. Microsoft provides a software development kit for batch encoding videos.

Start with Installing Windows Media Encoder

The batch encoder as-is relies on Windows Media Encoder for profiles. Visit www.microsoft.com to download Windows Media Encoder.  

For instructions on using Windows Media Encoder, click the following link: Using Windows Media Encoder.

Microsoft Windows Batch Encoder

To get a free batch encoder, visit www.microsoft.com and search for download WMEncoderSDK.exe. The current URL for this software is:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/ details.aspx ?FamilyID=000a16f5-d62b-4303-bb22-f0c0861be25b&displaylang=en

Several caveats exist for using Windows Batch Encoder:

• You must install Windows .NET framework.

• The Windows Media Batch Encoder is a software development kit, meaning it is designed for customization. It is not a retail package. It does not have bells and whistles. You probably should not use it for encoding hundreds of videos per month, but it does seem to work okay for a couple dozen.

• You need to have a mid-level understanding of computers, software, and Windows Media Encoder to make the batch encoder work for you; that is, you do not need to be a software engineer, but you do need to be comfortable using computers every day and learning new things.  

• You need to understand how to use Windows Media Encoder. For more information, click the following link: Using Windows Media Encoder.  

• You may want to create an encoding profile in Windows Media Encoder, export it, and then import it into the batch encoder, as explained below.

• If you use a DRM profile to protect your content, you need to have applied that DRM profile in Windows Media Encoder. After you apply it in Windows Media Encoder, it will be available to the Windows Media Batch Encoder. DRM is a method for licensing (protecting from theft or unauthorized use) digital media. For detailed information about DRM, click the following link: Visit DRM networks.    

If you have several videos over 10 minutes that you want to encode, they will take a long time. Let the encoder run overnight, and, generally speaking, your computer's performance will be heavily impacted as the encoder is running. Attempting to perform other processor-intensive tasks at the same time, such as rendering videos, is not recommended.  

An overview of procedures:

1. Download Windows Media Encoder from Microsoft and install it.  

2. Download Windows batch encoder software development kit and install it.  

3. If it is not already installed on your computer, download Windows .NET framework and install it (visit http:// www.windowsupdate.com and under Select Optional Software Updates, search for .NET). How Do You Know If You Have .NET Installed? If you try to run the batch encoder and .NET is not installed, the encoder will not run.  

4. Locate the Window Media Encoder profiles ( C :\Program Files\Windows Media Components\Encoder\Profiles ) and/or create a custom profile in Windows Media Encoder and export it, as explained below.

5. If you use DRM, verify that you have used the DRM profile in Windows Media Encoder. Using it in the standard Encoder makes it available to the batch encoder.   

Below are detailed procedures necessary for using the Windows Media Batch Encoder.

Creating a custom profile is not a requirement; however, it is often useful when you employ the Web server progressive download type of encoding and you notice the available preset profiles do not quite match your standards for quality. If you do not need to create a custom profile, skip to the Using Windows Media Batch Encoder procedure below.

To create a custom profile in Windows Media Encoder:

• The procedure below assumes you are encoding for a progressive download and that you want to create a profile for encoding a high-quality video suitable for downloading with a cable or DSL modem.

• You are not going to actually encode a video here, you are simply going to export a custom profile that you can use in the batch encoder.  

1. Open Windows Media Encoder and start a new session for converting a file. Follow the instructions on all the prompts. Note: Be sure to de-select (make sure there is no checkmark in it) Begin converting when I finish. For a detailed procedure, click the following link: Using Windows Media Encoder.

2. Before starting encoding, click the Properties button.

3. Click the Compression tab.

4. Click the Edit button. The Custom Encoding Settings dialog box opens.

5. Under and to the right of the Target bit rates heading click the Add button. The Add Bit Rate dialog box opens.  

6. Type 800k in the available field and then click OK. You are returned to the Custom Encoding Setting dialog box with your new settings displayed.

7. Click the General tab on the Custom Encoding Dialog box, verify which is your custom setting, and then delete the setting that is not your custom setting (click the original target bit rate and then click the Delete button), as shown below:

8. You now only have your custom bit rate in the dialog box. Click the Export button that is near the top right of the Custom Encoding Settings dialog box. The Export Profile dialog box opens.

9. You need to make a note of the location and then save the file. Click the Save in drop-down list and make a note of the location (path), for example, C :\Program Files\Windows Media Components\Encoder\Profiles. Next, type 800k in the File Name field and then click Save.

10. Click OK to close the Custom Encoding Settings dialog box. You are returned to the Session Properties dialog box.

11. Click the Security tab. This is where you apply the DRM setting to license your videos. If you have set up a DRM profile with a DRM provider, click the Import button to import it, enter any necessary passwords, and then click the Apply but ton.

12. At this point, if you actually want to encode the video (for example, if you have never used the DRM profile before and want to make it available to the Windows Media Batch Encoder), you would click the Start Encoding button. For the purpose of this example, it is not necessary to encode the video.

13. Close Windows Media Encoder and continue with the next procedure.

As explained and linked previously, before using this procedure you need to:

• Have downloaded and installed Windows Media Batch Encoder.

• Have downloaded and installed Windows Media Encoder.

• Have downloaded and installed the .NET framework.  

• Know the location of Windows Media Encoder Profiles.

• Have created a custom encoding profile if you intend to use one.  

• Have created and used a DRM profile if you intend to use one.  

To use the Windows Media Batch Encoder:

1. Open the Windows Media Batch Encoder. It is installed in the following directory:

C:\WMSDK\WMEncSDK9\samples\vb\batcher

2. To open it, double-click the BatchEncode.exe file. Wait a moment for it to open. On a slower computer, it make take up to 30 seconds to open. If it does not, double-click the Readme.txt file and notice it says you must have .NET installed. If you have not installed .NET, install it now.  

A cropped image of the Windows Media Batch Encoder (yours may be larger and with more fields)

3. Click Add, browse to your video directory, and open the videos you want to encode. To select multiple videos press the Ctrl key on your keyboard while clicking the video names. Click Open when done. Repeat the procedure as necessary for videos in other folders you need to encode. That is the purpose of this software, to queue and encode multiple videos. In unofficial tests, this encoder has worked well with up to 10 videos in the queue (it took all night, but it did the job).  

4. Click the Browse button to the right of the Output Folder and select a location to store your encoded videos.

5. Type something in the Output String fields, (for example, XYZ-). During unofficial tests, the Windows Media Batch Encoder would not run without some text in the Output String field.

6. Click the Select button to the right of Profile to select an encoding profile. Your profiles reside in the following directory: C:\Program Files\Windows Media Components\Encoder\Profiles   If you exported a custom one from Windows Media Encoder, that is where it will be.  

7. For Preprocessing, click Standard.

8. If you are using a DRM Profile, click the DRM Profile drop-down list and then click your DRM profile. If one does not exist, it means it has not been used in Windows Media Encoder. Contact DRM Networks for more information.

Now you need to complete the fields on the right side of the Windows Media Batch Encoder:

Fields on the right side of Windows Media Batch Encoder

9. Click Enable Two Pass Encoding.

10. Complete the following fields with legitimate information (you might be tempted to enter something irreverent in these fields; be aware your users will see whatever you enter each time they watch a video).   

Title: Enter a title for the video or enter your domain name.

Description: Enter a description.

Author: Enter the name of the person who created the video.

Copyright: Enter the copyright information for the video.

Now you need to use the bottom part of the Windows Media Batch Encoder.

Bottom part of the Windows Media Batch Encoder

11. Click the Add button that is on the bottom part of the Windows Media Batch Encoder. This action adds the videos to the bottom part of the screen.

12. Click the Start button on the bottom right of Windows Media Batch Encoder. The encoder begins processing the videos.