quality on net

[Terry Esslinger]

First I would think that if the host is rerendering your files to flash that you should send them to them in flash and maybe they would not rerender them. Then you would control the quality.

Second depending on how long each tour is, a 640×480 would be a large file and would take longer to download and depending on how it was being played some computers would have a hard time keeping up.

Do you have a sample that you can post for us to look at?

[Gord Wright]

Hi Terry…..here is just a few pics for sample of the way it plays. I hope this works. LOL

Give it a try.

[Gord Wright]

By the way….my tours are never any longer than 5 minutes in length.

[Dennis Lowe]

I’ve been experimenting with various settings for web streaming and found the sweet spot to be with using flash VP6 encoder and uploading the file to a specialized streaming server, in my case they are a company called Video Streaming Provider.
Check out the test I did ( they give you 50 viewing points to play about with and cap your testing period to 3 days) after which you have to purchase viewing points etc.

https://lowedennis.googlepages.com/homemovies-straight

I think I have about 30 VP’s left so restarting the film will use up waste points.

[Gord Wright]

Hi Leonette..that looks great. How did you get that size screen?
I to use Streaming Video Provider. That screen would be perfect for us, but have no idea how to get it.
Also can you supply me with more info and how to get that flash encoder.

Thanks
G

[Dennis Lowe]

Hi Gord

I contacted their support and asked what their preferred settings were (they are very helpful by the way) and here are the ones they sent:

We recommend using Flix Pro8.5 with VP6 Codec
Recommended settings:
– Key Frame Settings: Max 60 Key frames
– Encoding Mode: 2 pass
– Rate control VBR
– Max bitrate ~400-500

and the size they recommend is:

640×360 or 720 x 405 if 16:9

The bitrate of course depends on how much action is in the sequence (talking heads means lower bitrates) I think mine were around the 550 mark.
With these settings you will bypass their automatic encoding procedure after uploading and gives you more control over quality.

Hope this helps

[Terry Esslinger]

Gord,
I use the On2FlixProVP6 encoder. I don’t usualloy make them as big as you want. Here is an example: The player was made with the program also. http://www.ovpvideo.com/montage_player.htm

[Rick Wise]

The On2Flix settings take some figuring out. For instance, you can make a SWF file, or a FLV file with a SWF player. The latter seems to work the best, at least for me.

There is a distinct conflict between quality, size, and speed of playing. To get the fastest play for the potential client, you need to compromise size and quality.

I’ve found that what works pretty well for my Video Tour clients is:

File menu:
–512K Broadband Flash 8 FLV
–export: Flash 8 FLV
–export audio

Vid/Audio menu:
–maintain aspect ratio
–width 320 (height adjusts automatically
–video framerate 30
–2 pass encoding
–rate control: VBR
–max bitrate: 440
–Audio settings: all default

VP6 menu:
–enable advanced features
–quality: good
–all the rest: defaults

Then click on monitor icon to pick the SWF player. I prefer”Minimal 2A”

I encode to my FrontPage2000 “tour” folder. Opening FrontPage, I drag and drop the SWF file to where I want it, and enlarge the size (properties) to around 515 pixels width — makes the image larger without enlarging the file size

For a sample tour: https://wisevideotours.com/sample_tour.htm

Note that this solution does not give you the large screen you are looking for. I have not found any way to do that and get a quick play for the potential clients. Speed is of the essence. If potential buyers can’t see the video quickly, they will go on. If you surround your window with something — frame it — it appears to the mind larger than it is.

Rick

Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Rick Wise]

Update / errors:

The settings I gave above were for version 8.5 of FlixPro. I just updated to version 8.53, and there are new options on the first, File page menu. Flash 8FLV is gone as an option. I presume — but don’t have time right now to find out — that the new default of VP6-E FLV, 512K, is the way to go. Other settings on other pages seem to stay the same.

Rick Wise
director of photography
Oakland, CA
http://www.RickWiseDP.com
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com

[Gord Wright]

Thank you all for your much appreciated input. I will give this information a go and see how I make out. If by some small miracle of God I figure it all out. I will post a sample.

Thanks to everyone.
Gord