I am in the process of putting up a website with pov anims on it, and
I'm totally confused with all those encoders and codecs and formats.

My goal is to provide both HQ video and maximum compatibility. I guess
it would be the best to encode two versions for every anim, one with
maximum compatibility (mpeg1?) and one with maximum quality with
acceptable file sizes (mpeg2 or divx or something else?)

I'd also appreciate suggestions for the encoders and players.

Thank you

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moonshadow <kar### [at] dpghu> wrote:
: My goal is to provide both HQ video and maximum compatibility. I guess
: it would be the best to encode two versions for every anim, one with
: maximum compatibility (mpeg1?) and one with maximum quality with
: acceptable file sizes (mpeg2 or divx or something else?)

  You are in the right path.

  The quality of mpeg1 leaves a lot to be desired, but it gives a rather
acceptable quality/file size ratio and it's probably the most widespread
animation format. There aren't many platforms out there that don't support
mpeg1 (while supporting other animation formats).

  DivX gives a lot higher image quality with much smaller file sizes than
mpeg1 (besides being much better in other aspects as well; for example
it supports layer 3 audio, any fps value, etc). It really beats mpeg1
in quality/file size ratio.
  However, it's not very widespread (at least not yet), although most people
who use a computer are using it in a platform which have already DivX codecs.

: I'd also appreciate suggestions for the encoders and players.

  If you are using windows and you have the right codecs, the windows media
player suffices. The same codecs help you in the encoding part if you have
the right program. This is a quite good one:

http://www186.pair.com/vdub/index.html

-- 
char*i="b[7FK@`3NB6>B:b3O6>:B:b3O6><`3:;8:6f733:>::b?7B>:>^B>C73;S1";
main(_,c,m){for(m=32;c=*i++-49;c&m?puts(""):m)for(_=(
c/4)&7;putchar(m),_--?m:(_=(1<<(c&3))-1,(m^=3)&3););}    /*- Warp -*/

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In article <3a76efd1@news.povray.org>, war### [at] tagpovrayorg says...
<snip>
>   If you are using windows and you have the right codecs, the windows media
> player suffices. The same codecs help you in the encoding part if you have
> the right program. This is a quite good one:
> 
> http://www186.pair.com/vdub/index.html
> 

But  we need also an explanation of the difference between Media Player 
6.4 (windows 98) and 7 (windows 2000): they are very different in what 
they accept and what not. I personally don't like 6.4 in w2k very 
much... :-(
It would be a very good idea indeed to have a detailed analysis of all 
this; somebody interested??

-- 
Regards,  Sander

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