windows issue
by jclive
on
Aug 10, 2007 at 3:27:42 am
thanks again for answering my questions about resolution/encoding. I like the results of the h.264 option you suggested on this forum (http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_thread.cgi?forumid=209&postid=270&univpostid=270), but I now have a new problem. About half of my windows users cannot see the videos or have to go to through various steps to see the video postings. I hope I don't wont to have to say, "if you're a windows user go to www..... ..."
I'm more tempted to just go back to the mp4 file I was using before. At least it works on mac, ipod, and windows.
Re: windows issue by Eric Susch on Aug 13, 2007 at 4:19:15 am
There shouldn't be any problem watching H264 on a windows machine. All you need is minimum Quicktime 7. (It's the same on a mac.) The people having trouble are probably still on Quicktime 6. Upgrading should resolve it.
Re: windows issue by Tim Wilson on Aug 13, 2007 at 11:55:34 am
H.264 is gorgeous. Full stop. It's easy to see why you'd like to use it.
But if you're committed to an easy experience for Windows folks, MP4 is the way. Full stop. Even with iPod adding 50% to Apple's QT numbers, it's still not anything close to universally installed, and even less universally updated -- folks tend to keep it at whatever version that works with their iPods. There's just no reason for most people to upgrade their QT past that.
Especially if they downloaded it recently. :-) It's a pig of a download, takes 2 steps, makes you go through the whole MIME type thing, etc.
As someone who's committed to distributing the best-looking video possible, this is all understandably frustrating. But you can't assume that everyone has QT, or is willing to upgrade. If a good, immediate, cross-platform experience is the goal, MP4 is it.
Re: windows issue by Jonathan Miller on Aug 13, 2007 at 3:22:17 pm
J-
There are several issues here.
1. From your previous thread, I figured you were going to target itunes users. if that's the case, then for the most part all users will have quicktime. I do not believe that Windows users can install itunes without installing quicktime as well. My company is 100% Mac, but I use Windows virtualized on my Mac Pro, so I should fire up a PC copy of itunes sometime.
Granted, they may be using an older version of itunes with QT 6, but that would be very old. Chances are, the majority of your audience is using a more current version with QT 7.
2. If they are not using itunes, then you do have a larger problem since they do not necessarily have QT installed at all. Therefore, you would need a more universal format as you mentioned before.
3. Almost 95% of my audience (PC+Mac) get my episodes through iTunes. I have no idea what you're finding, but I would imagine the statistics are very similar.
4. I also find that a great deal of my audience prefers to view the episodes directly on their iPods. Personally, I almost never view any video podcasts on my iPod, but then again, I don't have to commute to work on a train. I'm also in front of my computer ALL DAY, so I watch the videos directly inside of iTunes while on a render break, etc. iTunes is very forgiving in terms what it can play back. The iPod is very specific.
5. In order to play back 640w content on an iPod, the iPod must have it's firmware updated to the latest version. Older video iPods may not have the latest firmware and therefore will not be able to play back 640w h.264 content and can only play h.264 content at a maximum of 320 pixels wide. If you're audience is using iPods, ask them to update the firmare by clicking the update button in itunes on the page that shows up when they plug their iPod into their computer. It's very easy, even my mom was able to do it....seriously.
6. There's a bug affecting some viewer's iTunes-iPod syncing on the PC. In my experience, it's fairly random, but some viewers have trouble syncing 640w h.264 content to their iPod. It is random in that it doesn't affect all PC installations of iTunes, and it's also random in that it doesn't affect all of the videos. Some people have problems only with episode x, some only with episode y and some with BOTH x AND y. That being said, it seems to be a small percentage of my audience. Certainly not the numbers you are experiencing.
7. The "solution" to the syncing issue seems to be having the viewer try syncing several times consecutively. After several tries in a row, the episodes in question make it to the iPod and play back without issue,
I don't know if any of this addresses the problems your audience is having, but I thought I'd jot them down anyway.
If you find a solution that works best for your audience, let us know.
Re: windows issue by jclive on Aug 17, 2007 at 2:56:04 pm
This is really good information. One more question...
I heard that rendering in h.264 and then changing the extension from .m4v to to .mp4 will also work and should not be a problem for windows users. Do you concur?
Re: windows issue by Jonathan Miller on Aug 17, 2007 at 3:24:05 pm
The .m4v extension is an Apple iTunes extension. The file it's attached to is actually an .mp4 but Apple came up with the .m4v to get people to use iTunes to watch it. So, unless you tell your computer differently, when clicking on an .m4v file itunes will be the software designated to play it back.
From the start I've been using .mp4 as the extension for ALL of my episodes. I understand that not all people watch the podcast on an iPod or in itunes. What I haven't tried is using the .m4v extension to see if that actually HELPS the situation (my problem is getting all of the window's users to be able to sync the episodes to their iPods without errors.)
Hard to tell, and I'm always very apprehensive to mess with things.
