[thelist] formats for video

Javier Muniz jmuniz at granicus.com
Mon Oct 6 11:38:10 CDT 2003


For a simple video this is true.  However, Windows Media and Real (not
quicktime to my knowledge) support features that enable rich media
applications though embedding in-band metadata alongside video data.  As
with any company, Microsoft and Real's objectives are to make money.  They
try to do this by offering products that have features not available with
strict standard adherance.  Pure MPEG4 does not support this metadata
embedding (scripting) that allows for rich media presentations.

In any case, linux machines can play windows media and real formats as well,
though I doubt it can embed within a browser, and as a result I'm not sure
if you can take advantage of scripting.  I believe the link to mplayer was
posted here earlier, but I'll post it again:
http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design6/info.html

Microsoft is planning the release of the Windows Media 9 format for public
consumption (by standards bodies etc), so I would expect projects like
mplayer to gain a lot of momentum and/or funding in the near future.  Not
sure about Real as I don't really follow their developments much (the helix
server is a bit rich for my tastes).

-Javier

-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn K. Quinn [mailto:skquinn at frogger.kicks-ass.net] 
Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2003 8:58 AM
To: thelist at lists.evolt.org
Subject: Re: [thelist] formats for video


On Thursday 2003 October 02 20:25, Timothy Martens wrote:
> Hi Evolters,
>
> I have a client interested in offering a 90 second video preview of 
> their service. I'm little rusty on formats (real, mpeg, wmv, mov, 
> flash, etc.) and am looking for feedback about best delivery methods 
> for a predominantly version 5+ Browser / PC & Mac user base.

MPEG is the most standard (I assume some of those PCs and Macs will be 
running Linux, too). Forget the Windows Media formats; Microsoft 
introduces things like this to further their own objectives, often at 
the expense of the users. Same for RealVideo or whatever it's called 
now.

A 90 second video in MPEG1 should not run much over 2 megabytes. You 
might be able to get it down to 1.5 megabytes, but the quality might 
degrade a bit.

-- 
Shawn K. Quinn
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