This tutorial outlines the steps involved in capturing a video from a video capture device to the Windows Media format using the Microsoft Windows Media Encoder on a PC. It is intended to be used by end users who wish to provide digital videos on a web site or distribution or for archival purposes. After completing this tutorial, you will have a video file suitable for sharing on a web page, or burning onto a CD-ROM.

This tutorial will cover the following steps in video encoding:

1. Creating a New Session
2. Choosing a  Device Option
3. Determining the Output File Location
4. Choosing the Content Distribution Format
5. Choosing Encoding Options
6. Entering the Display Information
7. Verifying the Settings Review
8. Encoding the Video  

This tutorial assumes that you already have one or more video (and audio) capture devices available on your computer which are receiving video and ready to use. Depending on the type of capture device and video source, this may mean installing drivers, configuring the device, and connecting cables. These steps are beyond the scope of this tutorial and you should consult your computer's manual or the device's manual for more information.