Windows Media for Web
 

I feel that i need to have windows media options for video on my website.

Can i generate/encode a file using Compressor? I generated a MPEG4 file; however, WM could not play it. What am i missing here? Do i really need to invest in another program like Cleaner just to make alternate file formats available for my potential customers to view?

thanks,
Mark

Mark what are you using at the moment to create your Mpeg 4's?

You need to make sure that you have the mpeg 4 codec in your system in order to run the file.

Its probably worth doing it as an MPEG 2 file (which QT and MP will be able to read) with a low bit rate, or wmv file if its just for guys on a PC.

cheers,

Ed

I am using Final Cut Pro 4, export to QT or Compressor v1.01.

Using Compressor, i have generated a mpeg4 file but it doesn't play on PC or Mac. Media player says format not recognized. I have the basic player, which is what i assume the mass market has and which i am targeting. I can't expect my potential customers to mess with downloading a mpeg4 codec in order to see my sample work.

I don't know how to get a wmv file out of Compressor and i assume it is not possible through quicktime.

As for as mpeg2 files, my export options are through quicktime and i only see options related to dvds.

I am currently encoding a sample mpeg2 through Compressor, but it is the option listed as 60 minute high quality and will take another 14 minutes to render. My sample is 40 seconds, so i don't think this is what i need for a streaming video for modem.

<<<-- Using Compressor, i have generated a mpeg4 file but it doesn't play on PC or Mac. Media player says format not recognized. I have the basic player, which is what i assume the mass market has and which i am targeting.
-->>>

The Windows Media Player you have, is it the latest version? If it's not then you need to update to the latest version.
Media player says "format not recognized" is probably because you don't have the right decoder installed, so you need to install a Mpeg-4 decoder for Mac.

<<<--
I can't expect my potential customers to mess with downloading a mpeg4 codec in order to see my sample work.
-->>>

A lot of studios use Macs. But they failed to realize that the world is *Windows*. They failed to realize that most (90%) of consumers out there use Windows, running various versions of windows (from 98 to XP Pro), not Macs. Don't flame me on this, but besides Final Cut Pro, there is also A LOT of dedicated Adobe Premiere users out there, and Premiere can output Wondows media files very easily.

In terms of video-editing applications, right now it seems to me to be a three-way battle between Apple's Final Cut Pro, Avid's Avid Express, and Adobe's Premiere Pro, each trying to gain more users to use their applications.
And Pinnacle is right behind, with their Edition series.

<<<--
I don't know how to get a wmv file out of Compressor and i assume it is not possible through quicktime.

As for as mpeg2 files, my export options are through quicktime and i only see options related to dvds.

I am currently encoding a sample mpeg2 through Compressor, but it is the option listed as 60 minute high quality and will take another 14 minutes to render. My sample is 40 seconds, so i don't think this is what i need for a streaming video for modem. -->>>

The OLD belief was that you should go for the lowest denominator and output for moden users. But a lot of things have changed since then. People are downloading MP3s like crazy, everybody is doing it; a lot of people have DSL and cable modems in their houese; prices for big hard drives are so cheap that a lot of people ARE upgrading to much bigger hard drives. Not only are they downloading tonnes of mp3s into their big hard drives with faster speed, but they are downloading movies and games as well, and they want high-quality, high-resolution movies.

So with all those taken into consideration, if you don't have Adobe Premiere, get Premiere, keep your Final Cut Pro, and output for DSL/Cable modem users, in BOTH Quicktime and WMV formats.

Note that I personally prefer Quicktime format, but the truth is that, a lot of people out there are SO window-based, that they
just don't have quicktime installed on their machines. What do you expect them to do? Download quicktime just to view your file?
So I think output for Quicktime AND Windows Media is the best bet.