Making a MPG File
How to Make a YouTube Video

We've all heard of MP3 files. These are audio files that let us easily play songs on our PCs and music players. A MPG file is the same kind of file, but for video and audio. MPG files are computer files like any other file - they can be copied onto a CD, emailed to friends, and of course posted on You Tube. Most PCs come with one if not several different free MPG players. These include Real, QuickTime, iTunes, Windows Media Player, and so on. Usually if you double click on a MPG file you have it playing instantly without any work.

Turnin an Adobe Elements project into a MPG is really easy. Simply save your project first, and then click on File - Export. Use the basic settings for a MPG - they are pretty standard and will help ensure your MPG plays on pretty much any system out there. Then let it rip! When it's done, you will have a MPG file on your hard drive. Try double clicking on it to see how it runs on your system. You can now drag this onto a CD or DVD, if you have a recorder built into your computer, and share this with family and friends.

Make sure you save backups of your important MPGs somewhere safe! I like to make a set of important files on a set of backup DVDs and asking a family member to hold onto them. That way if our home catches fire or floods, I know that the files are safe. It's the modern equivalent of the photo album. People always say that if their house catches fire, they'd grab the photo album since those memories are irreplaceable. In modern times, if you have all your video and photos on DVD - and a backup is somewhere else, safe - then you know that all of that won't be lost forever if one particular house is damaged.

How to Make a YouTube Video
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