video newbie questions

[nightster]

Hello all,

I'm new to embedding video on webpages, so hoping you good guys can help me out with some questions....thanks in advance!

1) What format is best to use? .wmv?

2) What size video is best? I want people to view the videos as large as possible, but obviously have bandwidth to think about

3) How does the embedding work?


Many thanks for your help!!

Cheers,
Rob.

[_Aerospace_Eng_]

1) .flv is probably best to use because it uses Flash to play it and since flash is a little more cross browser and cross os its better.
2) 320x240 seems okay for most videos, maybe 640 x 480.
3) You can use the object tag, Dreamweaver 8 and Flash 8 both contain methods of creating Flash Video Players (.flv player). Flash uses progressive streaming meaning it will play the file as soon as it downloads enough of it. It will continue playing even if the video is still downloading.

Also don't thank people in advance. It just shows that you take our help for granted. You ask vague questions you get vague answers.

[nightster]

Thanks so much for your reply - very helpful!

So, if I go the flash route, are there any decent tools around to convert .wmv to .flv?

Thanks,
Rob.

[_Aerospace_Eng_]

Riva FLV Encoder should do the job. Its free too. www.gotoandlearn.com has some good tutorials on flash video.

[nightster]

Brilliant, thanks!

[frank69m]

1) Flash uses progressive streaming meaning it will play the file as soon as it downloads enough of it. It will continue playing even if the video is still downloading.
.

I guess, in a way, this is a method of streaming. Is it doing it over the http protocol? Is it better to stream this way or via a dediated streaming server because I now you can stream flash with a flash media server?

[_Aerospace_Eng_]

If you have access to a flash media server then by all means use it. Progressive streaming was designed to work on non-streaming servers.