Case for H264

Hey everyone,
Just wondering if I could have some help with this:
Im in a new company and the workflow needs maximum compatibility for external reviewers who dont care about downloading new software and just want to click a button and watch. Because most people still have PCs, our current workflow seems to be using QT7 and flip4mac pro to export to WMV for initial review, then export to FLV for final uploading the site and for better quality. I would like to make a case for using the H264 codec within a wrapper which maximizes quality but more importantly compatibility on PCs for viewing and streaming, as well as exporting from FCP.

With this in mind, can anyone tell me issues or implications with using H264 for internet streaming and for PC viewing?
What's the best (most compatible) wrapper to use? (eg should I work under the assumption most people have quicktime and therefore .mov files are fine?)

:D
Tom Morter-Laing
Freelance Editor
Certified Apple Product Proffessional, 2010
http://www.depictproductions.co.uk

Sony Z5, with Rode NTG2.
iMac 27" intel i7 2.93GHz, 12GB RAM, ATI HD5750 [1GB GDDR5], 2TB Int. SATA with 2TB External HDD; (FW800), with Elgato Turbo H264HD.

Setup a private channel on YouTube. Everyone can watch YouTube.

Hi Tom

H264 in a QuickTime or MP4 wrapper, played on a flash player is what I would recommend. That's what we used when we developed our video review and approval application called ScreenLight. In fact, sounds like ScreenLight is something that may be ideal for your work-flow. Unlike YouTube, its brand-able (you can style screening rooms with your company logo and colors) and it's dead simple to accommodate end clients who don't want to spend time on anything with a steep learning curve. Like you said, they just want to click a button and watch. Anyway, it's free to try, and completely web based - so nothing to download. Check it out at http://www.screenlight.tv

Richard Keating
Editor, Co-Creator of ScreenLight
"Centralized Video Project Collaboration"
http://www.screenlight.tv
Blog: blog.screenlight.tv

I've had major problems delivering h264 to some people. If you are talking about delivering to places where computers are handed to people and the have no control over what software goes on them, h264 .movs aren't a good idea, in my experience for whatever it's worth. wmv has been the only way for some.

Jeremy

We have had good luck using h.264 for similar work, but instead of streaming, we use FTP with a service that's very much like yousendit. To make the vids fit our FTP service's limits I usually shrink 'em to 350 CIF size, which is good enough for approvals, especially for short things like spots. For the PC folks, we give them a link to VLC player or bundle it on a disk for them to install. I *think* the latest version of iTunes will also play it.

Does anyone know why/if Windows media player can or will play h264? Seems like a pretty standard file type...and Windows media player is a "media player" right?

Hi there,

I have had massive success by creating a h264 at 500k with fast start and acc 80khz audio then all I do is change from a .mov the .flv - create a web page with flow player as a container and everyone can view it ... No need for dup formats and looks awesome ( sorry starting to sound like mr jobs )

There was a discussion going on over in the Adobe After Effects forum regarding this exact conversation (h264 in a Flash playback container). Todd Kopriva had some good links...having trouble finding it this morning... :)

-Jason

Sounded very interesting, Craig. Although, it sounds like you are making your own YouTube.

You had my at: "everyone one can view it".

Just went to flow players website on an iPhone and I need flash 9 to view their page. :\

Bummer.