[Ed Dooley]

Various numbers get bandied about as to how many computers have Windows Media, QT, Flash, Real, etc.
But it’s a fact that far more people have WM than QT, and Flash is embedded in browsers. Another issue is
what versions of those players do users have (the new H264 codec requires QT7, for example, and WM9 requires
WMPlayer 9, or the user can download small updates to play WM9 on older WM players. We’re getting closer to
doing everything in Flash8 (but it’s not as ubiquitous as we’d like yet), but in the meantime we mostly do a WM9
*and* MPEG4 .mov version. We’re using Compression Master. Those 2 cover virtually everybody, and sometimes
we add a Flash version. If you need everyone to view your video, some PC users won’t be able to play it if it’s an
MPEG4 because WMP doesn’t support them. Flip4Mac is a plugin that enables any QT encoder, including QT Pro to
export WMV files. Generally, encoders like Compression Master (or ProCoder on PC) enable a lot more tweaking than
QTPro.
Ed

[Richard17] “I have a series of 2 minute Final Cut Pro (3.0) projects that I want to put on the www. I have QTPro (6.5.2). Assuming the viewers will have a resonable fast connection to the internet (eg. Comcast Cable)what are your suggestions for export/compression.

I’m inclined to go with MPEG-4.

-How will this affect viewer base (potential numbers of PC/Mac user that will be able to view the files)?

-Can better quality/lower data rates be achieved using non-Apple proprietary softeware?”

[Ed Dooley]

While H264 looks amazing, a viewer needs QT7 to play them. We’re still waiting a while until
enough people have QT7 player installed. Until then we’re still doing QTs with Sorenson 3 Pro.
The WMV/QT combination is a good one though. One step further would be to add Flash video
to the other 2 (only if it’s the latest ON2 codec though).
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

OK, one more thing. I haven’t persoanlly run across this as a big issue on my projects
originating from Beta-SP or DVCPro50, but there are plenty of suggestions about banding
with 8bit projects that would suggest the possibility that if you redig the footage as 10bit,
you may reduce or eliminate the banding part. It probably won’t help the blockiness though.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

Sorry, I guess all I can add is that, although the most recent source is DV, the original source includes
already compressed MPEG2 files from DVD, VHS (terrible quality to begin with), and possibly even the miniDV
you’re using was compressed again going from the original to a compilation tape. Compression on top of
compression doesn’t work too well. It doesn’t sound like higher compression bitrates have helped, but in theory,
the least amount of recompression will give you the best image.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

5MBit should look OK, but why are you doing anything at 2? Is your project so long that you need to
go that low? I don’t know how you wouldn’t get artifacts at that low bit-rate. Without knowing what
the video looks like (how much detail, like trees, or how much movement) it’s hard to say why it looks blocky,
but if you have the room on your DVD, you can raise the bit-rate to 6 without any problem. That may help.
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

Haven’t used CinemaCraft, but for PCs Canopus Procoder has been called the best by
people I respect. I think it’s much better than the Mac solutions I use (BitVice and Compressor- although
BitVice over Compressor).
Ed

[Ed Dooley]

If only things like Photoshop and AE were going Universal Binary anytime in the next year or so. 🙂
I’ve read tests of PS using Rosetta, not very pretty.
I guess I could use a new MacBook for FCP, and use my G5 for Photoshop and AE.
Ed

[Peter Wiggins] “The best email of the day:-

“Your order has been dispatched and will be delivered to your shipping address.”

FCP on my MacbookPro by the weekend!!

Fantastic ;)”

[Ed Dooley]

One of the best monitors for video is the Dell 2405FPW, and it has a 12ms response time. I’d say 8ms is pretty good, unless
you’re a gamer too.
Ed

[chris] “Maybe look into something with a faster refresh rate than “8 ms refresh rate” I think there are 6.4ms?? could be wrong here.. But your doing video, so you want something as fast as you can get.”

[Ed Dooley]

It’s built into FCP. Nest your sequence (maybe make a duplicate first?) then apply the filter Effects/Video Filters/Video/TimeCode
Ed

[Fine Productions] “I need to make dubs with burn in or readable TC for my translator/transcriptionist for my current project. The normal route would be to make VHS DUBS w/ burn in from my source tape (DVCPRO-HD). However I have already captured all of my interviews and other material in FCP5. Is there a way I can export my captured clips in QuickTime and se a burn in of the original TC. Is there a third party application that will allow this? This would save me a lot of time and allow me to send the files over the Internet to my translator. Any advice would be appreciated.”

[Ed Dooley]

Nothing yet. Announcements of future products, but no existing PCMCIA Cardbus card adapter option
for the MacBook.
Ed