Next Generation Windows Media Codec?
by Richard Milner
on
Feb 18, 2008 at 8:54:34 pm
It is very clear that the most current Flash encoded files have better quality at lower datarates (250kb per second)then WMV.
With the release of Silverlight, you'd think that MS would want to have a competitive solution here.
This brings up the question, when or will there be a next generation WMV codec that will match or exceed Flash at lower datarate? Or is MS satified that they've got SMPTE to standardizd VC-1 that they are going on to something else?
Re: Next Generation Windows Media Codec? by Ron Shook on Feb 20, 2008 at 12:06:27 am
Richard,
I don't have the faintest idea what MS will or won't do, but I suspect that we have pretty much plateaued on compression codecs, i.e., that what's been delivered won't get much better no matter how they tweak 'em, nor will new schemes be much better unless they involve lots more computer power.
Any compression codec is a series of complex compromises that makes it comparatively better or worse at any specific data rate in an equally complex dance with computer horsepower and software. For example, from all I've read, the very lowest data rate champ is Flash, for low and modest high bandwidth WEB delivery. For Higher bandwidth (say above 1 mbps) WEB, MPEG4/H264 seems to get the nod. For even higher bandwidth like with High Def DVD, WMV/VC1 does as well or better than anything else, and for production compression MPEG2 can still hold it's own at higher data rates, as witnessed by Sony's continued excellent use of it.
My point is that the magic data rate range for competing codecs can be significantly different and chosing Flash, for instance, as a production codec would be a disaster. Or for another example, H264 in the 20-25 mbps range can beat the pants off of MPEG2, but in the 200-300 mbps range there's not a very significant performance difference and H264 is more difficult to encode and decode than MPEG2. No codec is an all encompassing panacea at all data rates.
I wouldn't be surprised to see MS opt out of any continued particiapation in the "new" codec game.
If that was of any value, give me a capsule summary of Silverlight and its significance.
Ron Shook
Shoulder-High Eye Productions
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