If you really only wanted to offer one type of file format for video streaming and downloads in a paysite that could be done for lowband and hiband, what would you use? Quicktime, Realplayer, Windowsmedia, ??
If you really only wanted to offer one type of file format for video streaming and downloads in a paysite that could be done for lowband and hiband, what would you use? Quicktime, Realplayer, Windowsmedia, ??
mpeg is the most liked by our surfers, followed by wmv. I know a lot of people absolutely hate rm files, personally I hate quicktime because Apple forces you to install so much crap before you can finally get the quicktime player.
But does mpeg really stream all that well? seems like when I review sites and it's an mpeg, I still sit through a temporary download before it'll even try to stream.
Wmv is the best about the only one that will buffer with windows player
So that's probably the ones I see that load up and start playing before it's grab all of it right? Now I'm never able to like fast forward when streaming online, but can if I download or it's a dvd, is that because I have the file on my drive?
Myself, I seldom stream anything. But when I'm on a site, I like to see either MPEG's or Windows Media as options. Real Player is ok. Can't stand Quicktime files. But if given the option, I'll download the MPEG before anything.
Wmv are the files that buffer, and really they are smaller in size as well, you should be able to FF it maybe you need to wait for it to completely load first I am not 100% sure. By far wmv is the best for members sites sometimes I do use mpeg for videos in free/Avs sites to prevent to many people from easily looking at all of them, but that maybe just me.
BTW Real Player is so 1999
WMV.
most of our members even a year ago were choosing wmv over mpg. it is a naturally streaming format so that most people will be able to start watching the video as soon as it's buffered rather than having to wait for the entire video to load like mpg. with a big movie, that means your members could be watching 5 - 10 minutes sooner.
in order to stream real, you need to deal with software and licenses. not sure about quicktime, which is my favorite format to watch, but upgrading quicktime player puts itunes bs into people's computers and is so annoying so wmv has become my favorite.
Originally Posted by Bec
So it's sounding like wmv if we want them to be able to stream or download.
Those that offer both clips and a full movie file option, are you seeing that many members taking advantage of the full file or opting to download only the portions/clips they really want?
Real player has the best codecs right now... small file size and excellent quality. There's nothing 1999 about Real.
Also Flash vids look great too. But .wmv is probably the safest bet although I think they look terrible.
a lot of members download the full videos. i have noticed that sites with short clips - say 1 minute each - seem to have more full movie downloads than sites with longer clips.
I give our members their choice - mpg, wmv or real media. And considering adding streaming if I ever get the time. I dont really track much to see who uses what and how much. It is a bit of a chore to get them all made and up but our members seem to appreciate the choice. And nice that this is a task easily delegated.
I agree Real Media is not dead, at least from what I have heard. One feed provider we used discontinued RM and I got a bunch of complaints.
i agree with you that giving members a choice is the best way to go. but if one doesn't have the chance right off or really wants to go with one format, i like wmv the best.
Exactly. Before we switched the site over to the CMS, we had sort of a hodge podge, started with wmv, then went to mpg because some folks just dont want to use a microsoft product. And I seem to remember mac users having a lot of problems with it.
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