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ouch, that hurts

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14 replies

by jaqui

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a 910 KB ogg video, converted to divx encoded avi with the sound issue fixed so it has sound..
6.5 MB

this creates a real quandry, make it as easy as possible for someone to view a video tutorial by using a format they don't need to do anything other than open the video, or save tons of data transfer and use the smaller file size, where the audio support is spotty in the plugins to support it for them.

edit to add:

http://www.jaqui-greenlees.net/files.html

the test video links are the same video file, a round of KNetwalk. the only sound is the clicking of the mouse and from the game itself.. one word.
but both have the sounds.

14 replies

by jaqui

they just changed the extention, but it is an mpeg based format.

I tried converting ogg to mpeg and it refused to include the audio.

without the audio track, that video is 2.4 MB with it it's the 6.5 Mb
in any format other than ogg.

by tig2

Or simple for the end consumer to download a tool to their own machine that will convert the ogg file? Or even a couple of tools?

Where my thinking is would be to post the ogg file with canned instructions on how to view. Link whatever files are required and then in subsequent posts link back to the instructions page.

Is this workable?

by jaqui

more likely to recommend they use audacity media player, which works on all operating systems and supports ogg format.

depends on exactly how large the video is in ogg and when re-encoded if it's worth doing that.
I don't want to force any software installation on people, but I also don't want to have several hundred megs for a video.

I posted this publicly so that people can have an opportunity to voice their opinion on the issues.
[ it also helps TR decide which way they would rather go, since the peer input could sway them on a new content format. ]

by tig2

And on his Windows XP MCE box. I'll ask him to test drive the ogg link and let you know what we get.

Audacity is a great tool for those looking for a media tool that will also permit editing an audio stream. It is well worth recommending as a tool of choice for any content.

by jaqui

another cross platform media tool, that will "grab" audio / video content from a website to play all of it at your convenience.
[ yes, Miro would grab every mp3 or video file on TR if you told it to. ]

I keep forgetting about how many Linux apps actually run on all operating systems.

by jaqui

2 new versions. 3.5 minute videos.
with audio and video quality reduced to 33%

3.5 mb ogg
and 11.5 mb avi
the 12.5 mb mpeg didn't get the audio track.

just so there is more audio than the original clip, to test it with plugins etc.

it's a Mandriva 2008 desktop, with KDE 3.5.7
A quick look at the Mandriva DrakXtools, which are the system config tools in a gui.
comparable to windows control panel.
and the same gui tools that PCLinuxOS uses.

by charliespencer

If a media presentation requires me to download yet another media player or codec, I'm inclined to ignore it. It could be "How to Have Centerfolds Pay You for Sex, Guaranteed!" and I wouldn't bother with it if I had to download another app.

I've received so many different files and formats that each recommend a specific player that I've given up on anything that doesn't run in either Firefox or Windows Media Player. I know these probably aren't the best tools, but I'm caught in a Catch-22. I don't view or listen to media files because I don't have the viewers or players, and I don't have the viewers / players because I don't do much with media files. I'm positive there's nothing going on that's beyond my understanding, but I'm not interested in audio or video enough to learn more about them. Maybe one day, but not likely.

I don't mind loading an FF plug-in, but I'm tired of installing a media player then removing it six months later after using it only once.

by jaqui

that's why I'm trying to find a way to keep a common format video as small as possible.

People shouldn't have to go looking for anything to be able to access web content, it should work with a default install of their os.
[ hmm, is that a website accessibility based thing? ;) ]

by jaqui

the 100 MB ogg that becomes a 700 MB avi

then you have huge data transfer usage for nothing.

and yup, I'm pretty sure a 30 minute video would be 100 MB in ogg format, even with the settings reduced to 33% quality for both audio and video in the recording application.

by apotheon

Offer it as both. Someone who can play Ogg files can download the Ogg files. Someone who can't play Ogg files can download the AVI files. I'm not sure what problem you're having with this.

by jaqui

massive size of the avi files is the problem.
does TR want to have 300 MB video clips?

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