Why would i want to create mpeg files ?

[ole]

Sorry bout the dumb question, but i am new to this. I guess one of my needs are being able to create video`s that can be played back on any PC. Should i use mpeg`s for that ? - or would i be better of just burning the avi`s to a cd ?
Ps. I use a Dc10+ card.

[DrMordrid]

Hi Ole,

As my favorite physics teacher once told us as freashmen:

"The only dumb question is the one that goes un-asked" ;-)

MPEG's are useful because they;

1. are MUCH smaller for any given image quality and resolution.

2. give more minutes of play when put on a CD

3. are the most portable between systems.

Another problem with saving your .avi's to CD is that most of these files require the card, or a software codec that matches it, to be installed in the playback machine. Your DC-10's hardware MJPeg codec wouldn't likely be on Grandma's machine, so the playback would fail.

Also MJPeg .avi's are huge compared to MPEG's so you could fit more video on that CD.

This is not to say that MPEG is perfect. It's difficult to edit because of its internal structure. MJPeg is better for that unless you have one of the new (and so far rather expensive) MPEG-2 capable cards and an updated editor to match.

Dr. Mordrid





[This message has been edited by DrMordrid (edited 08 January 2000).]

[ole]

Thanks for the answer.
Should the windows media player be able to play the mpegs ?
I have created some mpeg`s using "bbmpeg" from http://members.home.net/beyeler/bbmpeg.html
but the media player cant play them back.
I dont know what could be wrong.
Should i use another pogram ?

[Brian Ellis]

Which MPEG?

There is a certain chaos here, especially with MPEG4. There are many non-standard variations of the codecs and there is no guarantee that a file generated with one system will play back on another system.

I have distributed avi files on CD-ROMs (not VCDs) and I have had least difficulty using the Indeo5.x codecs which work well cross-platform. They compress well (typically up to 40 - 60 mins on a CD, almost as good as MPEGs, better than MPEG2) and the video quality is excellent with very few artifacts, even on rapid sporting subjects. It plays back in WMP (at least vv.5 onwards) without difficulty and without having to install the codec.

------------------
Brian (the terrible)

[fluggo99]

Ahh, bbMPEG. The MPEG-1 coder I don't think ever worked right for me. The MPEG-2 coder was great. I don't know, I may be thinking about a different program...

Anyhow, ole, yes, the Windows Media Player should be able to play MPEG-1 files (and I'll bet MPEG-2 files) without problems. Yes, you should try another program to see if it works better.

Brian Ellis: MPEG usually implies MPEG-1 (files with the .MPG extension). MPEG-1 fits everything the Doc said.