Video tutorials - What video format preference?

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:50 pm

I am concerned that I provide tutorials in universal format so everyone can watch them without a lot of hassle.

I have narrowed it down to two options:

1. MPG4 (m4v/h.264/AVC)
2. FLV

Both have identical quality and offer full screen viewing. However the mpg4 version seems to be more "flexible" when downloaded and viewed offline. I am using Camtasia for tutorials which offers many options. At some point I may offer more than one format but for now I want to keep this as simple as possible.

I am leaning towards mpg4. I like this format. FLV did give me a teeny itsy bitsy slightly smaller size. Hardly worth mentioning. A few hundred key on a 20mb video.

-vern

madriver · Post by **madriver** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:28 pm

H264 is pretty much the standard for web video these days so I'd go with that.

Flash video seems to have been relegated to tube sites because of its ability to add skins.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:41 pm

I want to add one more thing.

Previously someone on linux tested this out and wanted to know if there was a format that didn't require QT. I have since changed the file extenstions to .m4v. The "QT" movies were the same codec and format but you can use a different extension.

So, would m4v or mpg4 work on linux? Or on a system that does not have QT?

-vern

sfb · Post by **sfb** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:13 pm

I'm glad you're thinking about download ability. I use Lynda.com for some work related training, and it's great, but having the ability to drop it into my Archos 5 is great when I'm stuck somewhere.

The Archos uses a proprietary Linux and it has a plug-in for h264, so I would hope it would be supported in full-blown Linux too.

Actually, I did a little search in google with "h.264 codec linux" and it looks like support is available.

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/9005

Scott

Genete · Post by **Genete** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:57 pm

Vern,
linux reads mostly all the existing codecs you can imagine. I mentioned you the quick time format due to the container, not the codec because I was in a non administrator windows XP in that moment and I couldn't see one of your movies. I never have had problems with your movies in linux.

Select carefully the codec H264 and use the container you want (.mov, .mp4, or other) meanwhile it supports that codec. I'm sure any linux user will complain.

The fault was form windows XP without right administrations and an old Quick Time installed

-G

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:58 am

The good thing is that Camtasia is very aware of reaching a wide audience. They know that you want a universal format. Plus these are screen captures which is very compact. 10 minutes is about 20mb. Not bad.

I do want to offer downloads. I just need to use some kind of watermark or overlay with my logo so they don't end up on youtube without my knowledge.

Luckily Camtasia has that built in and I can just rerender the vids.

-vern

sfb · Post by **sfb** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:32 am

Camtasia can do the watermark too. I use it for work and finally broke down and bought it for home a couple years ago. It is really nice software.

Hmm hmm hm hmmm ... how are the video's coming?

Have you figured out what we'll be paying?

I'll be a paying beta tester!!!

J. Baker · Post by **J. Baker** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:44 am

Just from experience, FLV. Everyone already has flash installed. MPEG4 requires a codec that some users may not already have installed.

FLV is already dominating the web. Just look at every video site you go to, it's FLV.

EDIT: And if you really want, use FLV for online viewing and then an MPEG4 for download.

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:53 am

J. Baker wrote:EDIT: And if you really want, use FLV for online viewing and then an MPEG4 for download.

Totally agreed, this is the best solution ever!

slice11217 · Post by **slice11217** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:01 am

I think flipbook pdfs would be good. That way, you can print them out and watch them on the subway and everyone would look at you curiously.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:12 am

It may be a bit extra work and even though it only has 15% of the vote I think the idea of BOTH formats might be the way to go. It might start out at first with just mpg4 (I have to redo a bunch of videos for FLV) but eventually I will get there.

Question though... isn't Youtube using the m4v format now? So they are compatible iwith iPhone? Isn't that format codec included with Flash? I did some tests with FLV and the SWF is just a "wrapper" that "holds" the mpg videio. So... maybe I don't have to do anything more than export the FLV "wrapper" for the mpg videos?

-vern

barryem · Post by **barryem** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:27 pm

I voted for flash because it works well on a PC. None of the h.264 types work as well with any PC player I've used. They work. I can watch them. But there are always a few features that don't work right.

I don't have Itunes or Quicktime installed because they interfere with another program I use a lot (Total Recorder) and even when I did have them installed I found them to be awkward and they didn't really work that well either.

For that reason I hope you'll stick with Flash. It works just fine.

By the way, I'm new with Anime Studio and I'm trying to figure it out and I went through your tutorials yesterday and they helped a lot. You have a good clear, direct way of presenting and explaining things.

Thank you. I'll watch for more in the future and I'm sure I'll be watching these again as well.

Barry

Video tutorials - What video format preference?

What video format would you prefer for tutorials?

Video tutorials - What video format preference?