[Craig Seeman]

I can’t see a good business reason in 2006 to encode to WMV7 and ACELP audio.

Windows Media Player 7.1 on the PC can play WMV9 files. There’s a free component update that doesn’t require an update to the player version itself. I have an old Windows Media 98 box (PRE 98SE) that I’ve used for backwards compatibility testing. Mind you, we’re talking about an EIGHT YEAR OLD OS! That said, Cleaner 6 (and earlier) and 6.5 can create WMV7.

IMHO using WMV7 instead of WMV9 at the lower data rates requested by your client compounds the problem. It will look much worse as WMV7 then WMV9.

ACELP has been replaced by Windows Media Voice. I don’t know of a way to create WMA Voice on the Mac but certainly you can do a low data rate audio encode using Windows Media Audio Standard but, yes, it’s not quite as efficient as WMA Voice.

Although I do most of my compression on the Mac, I just took a look at my Windows XP box with Microsoft Windows Media Encoder. While it can do WMV7, even it does not have ACELP. It does have WMA Voice though.

As a professional compressionist I’d consider having a meeting with your client to discuss their target viewer and how best to hit that target. Do they have to target people with Windows 95 and WMP 6.4? I’d suspect that market can’t be much more that 1% at this point. I supect targeting a market that hasn’t updated their computers in 8-11 years and is still using dial-up, isn’t signs of a good business plan. Even older computers internal to a business should have moved beyond that. Worse still is they’re basing all three of their data rates on WMV7. Even if your client is serving and economically restricted community, those people will likely find better internet service at a public library.

Your client may have no idea what current compression standards are so I’d suggest a meeting is in order.

[Craig Seeman]

Flip4Mac does an EXCELLENT job converting to WMV. I’d recommend using version 1.0.6 at the moment (you can download that after purchase). I’m a beta tester. Expect more improvements from them. If you want most control get Flip4Mac Studio Pro HD. It does 2 pass encoding and can do WMV HD too. It’ll also work in several “front ends” such as Cleaner and Compressor 2 as well as QuicktimePro, FCP and iMovie too.

[Craig Seeman]

Have you tried applying a Reel Name to the clip (and changing it’s status to captured if need be)?

[Craig Seeman]

Set Shutter Speed to 1/100 since it’s a mutiple of 50 or the fluorescents might present problems depending on type. Just as a mater of caution I’d do a test. Shoot a couple of minutes with the lights on and playback.

[Craig Seeman]

I’ll second Matte. My DSR-11 is a workhorse. True the “feed” mechanism can be a bit “sensitive” when using mini tapes but if you make sure you’ve put the time in properly and don’t the thing you shouldn’t have a problem. I never have.

I pulled the firewire cable too without issue. I have heard stories of firewire ports getting “fried” while doing this so there may be some risk in this. I haven’t had a problem there too but I’m only pulling the cable once in a great while.

[Craig Seeman]

Use your background as your strength. Have you thought about doing VNRs (Video News Releases)?

[Craig Seeman]

Don’t think it includes WMA as Input though. Covers most other formats though.

[Craig Seeman]

Flip4Mac

https://www.flip4mac.com/

[Craig Seeman]

No Problem. Is the person (people) downloading the file likely to Quicktime 7?
If so I’d use Compressor 2 to create an H.264 file.
Import the file into Compressor 2
Use the Apple/ Web Download (Quicktime 7 Compatible)/ H.264 800kbps preset
For video that’ll give you a nice big 480×360 Screen Size.
For audio it’ll give AAC at 128kbps, 48khz.
If you want, duplicate the preset and change the audio bit rate to 192kbps.
You can leave the other audio settings as but if your music is real “demanding” you can change AAC Encoder Quality from Better to Best. You can change the audio to VBR encoding too. It may depend on whether people will be listening on $70 computer speakers or have $1500 speakers hooked up to their computer.

A cable modem connection may be able to play the above as a progressive download (plays while downloads into cache) and maybe a very fast DSL connection but slower DSL connections might have to settle for a fast download.

You can drop the frame size to 320×240 which will save you on file size, you can then lower the data rate to 300 to 500kbps depending on content.

If you need compatibility with Quicktime 6 you’ll have to use MPEG4 encoding. I haven’t been happy with Compressor’s MPEG4 encoding compared to either Squeeze or Compression Master though. If you have to do MPEG4 encoding in Compressor you’ll need to push the data rate up if you want something that looks good.

Hope this gets you closer. Post back if you must do MPEG4 or Sorenson.

[Craig Seeman]

Easiest – QuicktimePro (I don’t like it’s mov or mp4 quality compared to choices below but good H.264)
Best – Squeeze, Compression Master, Compressor, Cleaner – all have strengths and weaknesses.
Compressor (Apple Mac only) does great H.264
Squeeze – Sorenson Pro (mov) and I like its MPEG4 too (mp4)
Cleaner – works well if you purchase Sorenson Pro codec to do mov
Compression Master – great processing filters (not easy to use for many though)

You don’t mention whether you’re on Mac or Windows.
On Windows – many like Procoder

You might consider doing versions compatible with both Quicktime and Windows Media Player
For WMV on the Mac there’s Flip4Mac (works in nearly all the above programes) or Compression Master.
For WMV on Windows the free WME 9 series is both free and easy and good quality creator of WMV/A (not Quicktime compatible of course)

Sorenson (variants), MPEG4 (variants), H.264 (variants and only plays in Quicktime 7) will play in Quicktime.

Audio – AAC, 48khz 128kbits/sec or maybe push to 192kbits/sec (as an example)

Sorry when people ask for “best” it’s hard to answer as in what’s the “best” food.

There’s best quality which is often vs best market penetration (installed base).