Demo DVD to website, how?

[sdsumike619]

I've created a demo DVD for a musician that he would like to have as an "online version" such that the person goes to the website and the website itself IS the DVD menu and they can click on the menu options to play each video segment.

What would be the best way to accomplish this? I use Vegas 5.0 and have the original project file so I can work from that. Is flash video a good way to go so the user doesn't have to download a large program such as real player or quicktime to view it?

Thanks for any suggestions!
Mike

[edDV]

WMV is the most standard way. Use the Vegas encoding options or convert with the MS Media 9 encoder for more options. The free Media 9 encoder supports multiple stream rates.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/encoder/default.aspx

[sdsumike619]

After doing a bunch of research, I discovered that Flash Video is a better way to go:

http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?item=FLV+Video+Compression

[edDV]

After doing a bunch of research, I discovered that Flash Video is a better way to go:

http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?item=FLV+Video+Compression

Only so long as the viewer is motivated to download the flash viewer. Flash is marginal for dialup viewers. Wmv will play directly for all windows users since ME and most MAC users have installed wmv viewers by now. Best to offer both options.

That link is highly biased to say the least.

[sdsumike619]

part of the point of that guy's article was that the flash player is small in relation to windows media, real or quicktime (assuming they need to download it)

[edDV]

part of the point of that guy's article was that the flash player is small in relation to windows media, real or quicktime (assuming they need to download it)

It can be but the key issue is the viewer perspecitve. WMV will play with no further effort by the viewer. Flash needs installation and often needs reinstallation for newer versions. Flash is poor for backward support.

Many, including me, are distrustfull when a site demands that the flash player needs to be updated through their link. Going to Macromedia is too much bother.

[sdsumike619]

well I don't know about you but there have been MANY a time when I was on a site and it had windows media video on it, and the player came up and said it was attempting to download a codec and then just said error, could not find one or something stupid like that. windows media player is terribly unreliable compared to flash, and now i'm learning how easy it is to make an FLV file from source footage so it's the way to go for sure.

[edDV]

well I don't know about you but there have been MANY a time when I was on a site and it had windows media video on it, and the player came up and said it was attempting to download a codec and then just said error, could not find one or something stupid like that. windows media player is terribly unreliable compared to flash, and now i'm learning how easy it is to make an FLV file from source footage so it's the way to go for sure.

If the media player does that it is searching for a codec that is something other than wmv. WMP is backward compatible for wmv streams.

Do as you please but the musician may loose 50% or more of non-motivated viewers.

[sdsumike619]

another reason i'm going with the FLV is because of that guy's video player that you can use a playlist with,, it'd be perfect for an embedded video screen right on the site and the links, i.e. menu options on the DVD

Is there a way to have an embedded wmv player window linked to a playlist?

[edDV]

another reason i'm going with the FLV is because of that guy's video player that you can use a playlist with,, it'd be perfect for an embedded video screen right on the site and the links, i.e. menu options on the DVD

Is there a way to have an embedded wmv player window linked to a playlist?

I'm not a web designer anymore. I'm offering user perspective.

[canadateck]

Is there a way to have an embedded wmv player window linked to a playlist?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/howto/articles/introwmmeta.aspx

[sdsumike619]

like anything microsoft, it has to be complicated.....

[canadateck]

Take alook at this software that does it all for you. Most all i think...??

http://www.leadtools.com/Default.htm

[canadateck]

(SDK) would be your best "Key Word".

[sdsumike619]

what is this lead tools? what does it have to do with what I'm trying to do? which prodcut on their site? they have tons..

[canadateck]

http://www.leadtools.com/sdk/multimedia/video-ondemand-sdk.htm

[sdsumike619]

It's $800 and I still don't have a clue what it does after reading that page. I think the free FLV player with the playlist php script is a lot more attractive, atleast I know what it does haha... I don't see anywhere on that lead tools thing about a playlist..

[sacajaweeda]

Be sure to come back and tell us how faubulous everything turned out for you.

[sdsumike619]

well I was reading that video to be looked at on the computer should be set to progressive so I set that option in Vegas b4 I rendered to avi, and when I play it back it looks flickery... should I not have set it to progressive? Can I fix this somehow in Sorenson Squeeze when I go to encode to FLV?