windows xp (home) error on quicktime movie

[Enzo Tedeschi]

Debbie,

I have found that Windows sometimes has issues with .mp4 extensions – try a rename or encoding a .mov with mpeg4 compression (if this is the case, of course).

e.

[Todd Gillespie]

Hello Debbie!
One of my favorite plug-in companies!! I think I have everything you make.
Is there any reason that you don’t make the movies window media? Since they core of your tutorials are windows? Although I’m using Mac and PC for my D.A. plug-ins!
I don’t hear a lot of feedback from our compressions, but some have complained about QT with their window’s machine. Usually it’s an upgrade issue with QT. I’ve watched your tutorials fine on my Windows machine. The Apples MPEG4 tends to be an issue for some machines. You might want to try Sorensen3 codec, it has better compression than Apple’s MPEG4 and might have better compatibility. If I understand the problem correctly, these users are having problems whether it’s on your site or on CD? If so, it shows that it’s localized to that OS config.
But if you really want to reduce your compatibility issues then running your movies through Cleaner to make them .wmv files would be best. Although I’ve heard some say that Canopus ProCoder is better than Cleaner. At least for PC files. In some situations we still create MPEG1 files. That has absolute compatibility with ANY machine. But terrible compression compared to Sorensen or wmv.
I

[Debbie Rich]

Hi Todd, Enzo –

Thanks for your input. Todd, of course I recognized your name immediately! I think you do have our kitchen sink. ;-0

Here’s some feedback for your feedback.
– I do save the movie files with a .mov extension rahter than .mp4. So that’s not the issue.
– The customers sometimes say that they can run other QT movies, just not ours (from both CD or web stream). So it seems to be a problem with just our movies, which I think rules out localization problems.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to reproduce the issue myself. And the customers who report the problems and then need assistance playing the movies tend to be not particularly computer savy (they are photographers going to digital workflow) so I can’t get much feedback. The range of QT versions is varied, though.

I’ve thought about putting up a Windows Media Player version but am concerned that the choice of what to click on will be confusing to this particular audience. Also, we give our demo QT movies out for marketing purposes, like to magazines for their covermount CD’s. So I really need just one kind of movie file to work and I _think_ QuickTime is still the best option.

So maybe trying a different compression method, like Sorensen3 codec, is the answer. Mpg1 would be way too big a file.

Do you know of a good resource for finding a list of the most cross-platform compatible compressors? Or do you think this ‘flattening’ issue that I’m trying to remember more about is an answer?

thanks! *debbie

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Debbie Rich
debbie@digitalanarchy.com
ph 415.462.5872
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[Todd Gillespie]

Hi Debbie,
I do remember a flattening option, but can’t remember why we used it and when? But it sounds like you should try it.

I’m still not sure it’s not a customer issue? (duh) But what I mean is even though a customer CAN play another QT movie doesn’t mean that their QT player is not configure correctly. They could be playing older QT files that wouldn’t have a problem with an older QT version.

A compatibility chart for QT and OS’s would be a great resource! Obviously the longer a codec has been around, the more compatible it is. (usually)

Although it might be a little late in the game to wait and gather this kind of info, BUT you might be able to zero in on the problem if you got OS model and QT version from every complaint. I bet a pattern would emerge.

You might want to try the dual option of .mov or .wmv
Or maybe include a hyperlink to get the latest QT player?

I have 4 PCs, what’s the web address with the tutorial giving you the most problems? If I can duplicate the problem, then we can find, at least, one solution.

Let me know,

Todd at UCSB
Television Production

[Debbie Rich]

> I’m still not sure it’s not a customer issue? (duh) But what I mean is even though a customer
> CAN play another QT movie doesn’t mean that their QT player is not configure correctly. They
> could be playing older QT files that wouldn’t have a problem with an older QT version.

oh, this is an interesting comment. I hadn’t thought of that angle. I’ve been trying to figure out what the most troublesome movies are… and I can’t. Think that my best option is to start logging specific comments from customers when they call and find the pattern that emerges.

I’m also going to bounce around a few other forums and see if there’s more specific info about how to flatten in FCP (preferably) or Cleaner.

thanks Todd! 😉 *debbie

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Debbie Rich
debbie@digitalanarchy.com
ph 415.462.5872
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