I would appreciate someone clarifying the story for AVI. Background: I have a client who needs a PowerPoint presentation on Windows with linked movies on some slides. Said client insists I use AVI movies. My research leads me to believe: 1. Anyone who creates an AVI movie is not GUARANTEED that it will play back on another computer. 2. An AVI movie which plays fine under Windows Media PLayer on one machine will not be GUARANTEED to play back on another computer under Windows Media PLayer. 3. This situaiton occurs because Windows installations do not install a universal set of codecs. (I am thoroughly familiar with codecs, although only with ones that really work.) 4. QUESTION: How do I create an AVI file that will actually play GUARANTEED under a standard install of Windows? Any info clarifying this incredible situation gratefully received. You will easily detect the brand name of the computer I use, since I am oriented to solutions which actually work in a professional consulting environment.
This area isn't really my specialty but the term AVI can encompass several different formats such as MPEG and DiVX. In my estimation the closet thing to a universally playable format would be Windows Media Video (WMV) since any PC running Windows will be able to play it without additional codecs.
If they MUST be an avi, you can save them as avi in virtualdub, and use the wmv codec. These will play in any version of windows from 95 up. It's called "Microsoft Video 1". Download the WMV9 codec pack, the ENcoder portion is included. The DEcoder portion is built into windows. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/codecdownload.aspx
cinepak, indeo and MS video 1 (as already suggested) should work fine on all windows PC's. They are also pretty bad at compressing. MPEG1, would also be an option if you can talk them out of avi.
Gang, Thanks for th eprompt replies. I'll follow up on your suggesitons. Thanks for your time. regards David
Well the Microsoft Mpeg-4 codec is installed on most XP Machines so that would be an Option or you Could use the XviD codec and distribute the Codec allong with the Presentation so they would just have to install the Codec and then it would Play on there machine....
Thanks for your reply. However, my philosophy is that I should be able to play back on any machine without the user having to do anything. Users have better things to do than install software... they have jobs and fun do do. That's why I chose a Mac. With QuickTime, it's onstalled on ALL Macs, always works, no excuses, no incompatibilities, reduced work for all concerned, no incompatible versions of the operating system (Millenium, ME, XP, 2000, 98, etc). I had hoped, misguidedly, that Windows had at least one codec that works as well as QuickTime and without installation and incompatibility hassles. Alas, that's not the case. The generous replies I received earlier in this thread clarified the situation and pointed me in the direciton of least (but not no) hassle. Again, thanks for taking the time to reply.
Well if you Make it as Quicktime Format then Poeple with a PC would still have to have Quicktime Installed because Quicktime isn"t a Part of the Windows OS, and on a PC not all Versions Of Quicktime are Compatible with others, For Instance you Can not Play Quicktime 6 files with Quicktime 3 ,at least not on a PC.... The most Compatible Format on PC is Probably WMV or Mpeg-1 as Media Player Can Play these Formats By default, and Quicktime can Play Mpeg-1 so maybe that would be the Best Format??
