Windows Live Movie Maker and that Damn Black Boarders

I use Fraps to capture videos.  For a long time I just kept the videos in native format that Fraps captured them in.  These files are HUGE and I was quickly running out of disk space (blew through a 2TB HD in like, 1 week).  Reading up on Fraps help suggested that the files are huge because they are not compressed, which makes sense.  I mean, you can’t expect Fraps to be capturing the videos in real time and compress at the same time.  The suggestion was to convert them to compressed format using a video editing software.  It is suggested that the compressed file may actually play better since it’s not so large.  Also make sense.

The most obvious candidate is, naturally, Windows Live Movie Maker, since it’s free with Windows Live Essentials.  The software, in all fairness, is actually pretty nice.  It’s easy to use and has most of the key features.  I was able to import the original Fraps video and create the project in no time.  Microsoft did a pretty decent job here.

The problem?  That stupid black boarder.  I don’t understand why it’s there.  It’s so annoying.  See for yourself.

Original

Windows Live Movie Maker

Like, seriously?  What’s up with the black border?  This is sooooo annoying.

I researched and researched online, and found no real useful info.  Most of the info, especially the ones on Windows Live Help Forum, all suggests aspect ration being the issues.  However, I know this is not the problem I am having.  I captured the video in widescreen.  I imported it in widescreen, and I am writing it out in widescreen.  Heck, I would have been OK if it’s only horizontal boarder or vertical border.  However, the issue is that it’s border all around.

After a lot of playing around and comparing the two pictures I think I know what’s going on now.  Basically, Windows Live Movie Maker is not able to handle the resolution of my original video.  Windows Live Movie Maker is handling up to 1920×1440, but because I am using a 30” monitor the resolution captured was higher (Kudos to Fraps).  The conversion must have lost some resolution and to compensate the lower resolution without sacrificing the picture sharpness, Windows Live Movie Maker made the picture smaller and added borders to fill in the blanks.

So now I need to find a new video editor that supports higher resolution.  Another round of internet research seems to suggest that Cyber Link Power Director is the definitive leader.  Gonna download the trial edition and see what it’s like.