Best file format to use for amvs?

Willen · Post by **Willen** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:47 am

It is possible to have XviD/DivX (MPEG-4 ASP) in a .MP4 file. It's actually the standard container for that codec.

Wheee_It's_Me! · Post by **Wheee_It's_Me!** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:05 am

Every single last person in this thread is wrong.

The BEST codec currently in existence as far as compression capability is On2 VP6. The trick is, it's an uber high grade proprietary codec which is sold at quite a high price, luckily though it has been purchased by Macromedia/Adobe for use in their Flash software. Its primary use is to provide high quality video over the net with the smallest possible file sizes...or in the case of YouTube low quality video over the net with miniscule file sizes.

The On2 VP6 codec uses the FLV (Flash Live Video) container format, supports alpha transparent video streams (like Huffyuv) and unlike MPEG-4 based codecs it WILL NOT degrade the color quality of the video on compression.

Here's a quick sample:
http://www.backwater-productions.net/wwcc/yoga-online/

Most all of my sites that have video make use of On2 VP6. One of the biggest advantages of the FLV format is its use in SWF (Shockwave Flash) files where you can create your own custom video controls and essentially create your own custom video player.

The major DOWNSIDE however is cost. If you want to encode your video with On2 VP6 first yer gonna have to shell out a bunch of money to buy a program like Sorenson Squeeze...and then yer gonna have to shell out even more money to buy the On2 VP6 plugin upgrade for it. It's not cheap, however for the compression and being able to create cross operating system compatible video that can also be shared easily through the Inet and displayed directly in pretty much any all modern browsers...it's definitely worth it.

BauziOLD · Post by **BauziOLD** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:08 am

Of course the freeware x264 in mp4. That´s what I prefer all the time as viewer and editor.

I think that the prize plays a role for a lot of editors so I don´t think that On2 VP6 will come up in the future.

Orwell · Post by **Orwell** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:36 am

Wheee_It's_Me! wrote:The major DOWNSIDE however is cost. If you want to encode your video with On2 VP6 first yer gonna have to shell out a bunch of money to buy a program like Sorenson Squeeze...and then yer gonna have to shell out even more money to buy the On2 VP6 plugin upgrade for it. It's not cheap, however for the compression and being able to create cross operating system compatible video that can also be shared easily through the Inet and displayed directly in pretty much any all modern browsers...it's definitely worth it.

Looks free to me....

Wheee_It's_Me! · Post by **Wheee_It's_Me!** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:47 am

Orwell wrote: Looks free to me....

Which is fine for local playback, but you can't distribute via the web like that and anyone who wants to play yer AVI with On2 VP6 would also have to download the codec which basically means in that form it's unlikely to reach a very wide audience. Where as nearly every computer on the planet has Flash installed on it already with the ability to play back On2 VP6 video within a Flash file.

So basically it might be free if you're not really interested in anyone seeing it. ^_^

Wheee_It's_Me! · Post by **Wheee_It's_Me!** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:51 am

Bauzi wrote:Of course the freeware x264 in mp4. That´s what I prefer all the time as viewer and editor.

I think that the prize plays a role for a lot of editors so I don´t think that On2 VP6 will come up in the future.

Distribution does though and simply put x264 in MP4 is NOT going to reach a very wide audience. Most people will try playing it and when it doesn't they'll just assume they don't have the right player or something (most people don't even know what codecs are). By using On2 VP6 in a Flash file you ensure the maximum level of cross browser and cross operating system compatibility. Also price isn't that big a factor for some people if you catch my meaning (Adobe Premiere v5.5 anyone).

Wheee_It's_Me! · Post by **Wheee_It's_Me!** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:58 am

Oh, BTW, if you plan to use VP6 in an AVI file for local playback you might as well use VP7: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/VP7.htm

VP7 support will probably be included in the next version release of Flash, but as of version 9 they only support VP6 (their license with On2 gives them acces to ALL VP codec technologies though as they come out).

langrisser · Post by **langrisser** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:50 am

Orwell wrote: Looks free to me....

to bad that's only a decoder

Wheee_It's_Me!: what media players support flv? and how much overhead does that add?

XVID\DIVX is still the best overall choice for distro , h264 requires more cpu then a lot of people have and anything else is either to poor a compression or to obscure a codec

Kalium · Post by **Kalium** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:02 am

langrisser wrote:Wheee_It's_Me!: what media players support flv? and how much overhead does that add?

Very few, honestly. You have to use a variety of interesting hacks to get it working, generally.

Kevmaster · Post by **Kevmaster** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:07 am

h264/x264 (or however it is called) is the best Format I know for QUality..But there is a horrible Thing with it..its almost impossible to convert this files into to another format ( like an AAC mp4 to play it on my Ipod) :O Sometimes you have to find the most crazy ways to do it..some of them work in convertors like Total video convertor, some freeze your comp when you try to convert them..righ now I try to put them on DVD and I'm gonna rip them as VOB's when the dvd is finished to convert them to avi which I can convert to AAC-mp4 for my ipod then..@.q some of them got that main concept logo..sometimes I wish there would be only ONE format taht is perfect and can be used for everything..@.q