Most Compatible QuickTime
by Jim Sprague
on
Aug 20, 2009 at 1:11:27 am
I frequently find myself sending clients lo res quick times for approval or screening and just as frequently they call me to say they can't open the files (usually Windows users, obviously). Is there a quicktime codec that is guaranteed to work on every computer in the world? If you had to name a codec that you know anybody can play, windows or mac, what would it be? I want to export directly from FCP, I don't want to have to use another app like Episode or Sorenson, to make the files.
Re: Most Compatible QuickTime by walter biscardi on Aug 20, 2009 at 1:18:08 am
All windows folks have to do is download the FREE quicktime player. I upload h.264's all the time which requires Quicktime 7. Windows and Mac clients have no issues playing them. If they do I just send them the link to Apple's website to download the FREE quicktime player.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
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Re: Most Compatible QuickTime by Richard Keating on Aug 20, 2009 at 2:45:38 am
There was a time a couple years back when I was having the same problem. Trying to get clients to download the Quicktime player (especially in the corporate video world) is sometimes problematic: for some reason IT departments at large companies set up their systems to prohibit Quicktime installations. Flash was a better option, since the Adobe Flash player has reported 98% presinallation install base. The cynic in me says this number is somewhat skewed by Adobe's marketing department, but I suspect the numbers are still quit high. And the latest versions of the player plays h.264 encoded Quicktime files. That's right, you can export your Quicktime files right out of FCP and play them in a Flash player. You get the best of both worlds.
But there's a downside: Flash players have to be imbeded on html pages and unless you have html knowledge this actually complicates things rather than helps solve your problem. So why am I telling you this?
Because back when I first had the problem that you are having, I couldn't find an existing solution, so I decided to build one myself. The result is called ScreenLight (http://www.screenlight.tv), and it's a web-based application that uses a Flash player to play back Quicktime videos in a screening room, where clients can log into an add their feedback.
I am currently looking for beta testers to help put this thing through the wringer and help build a useful tool for the editing community. If you want to give it a whirl and see if it solves your problem, go to the ScreenLight site and contact me. It has not been launched commercially, so it is free to use for beta testers.
