Basic Video Format

[ErollorD]

Hi

Is it possible to convert video to some basic format for which I or somebody else don't need codecs or anything similar.

[JohnnyMalaria]

On Windows, you can create the videos as uncompressed AVI files - each frame will be a bitmap. The file will be very, very big!

[Baldrick]

Most systems can play mpeg1.

[ErollorD]

any tutorials or software suggestions for this???

[ZippyP.]

any tutorials or software suggestions for this???

What exactly do you want to do?

[ErollorD]

I'm creating this presentation cd and I must include videos in it. I inserted normal avi and everything works on my home pc where I have codecs installed. But if I test it somewhere else, on some other pc which don't have codecs I get error. So I must include video for which we don't need codecs...

[JohnnyMalaria]

Will it always be on a Windows PC that the CD is used?

If so, there are some codecs that all Windows PCs will have.

If it will be used on other operating systems, then you need to find a common format. But, if you are using AVI, that will limit the options.

Also, you can always put the codec on the CD and, if it is missing on the user's PC, it can be installed.

[Baldrick]

MPEG1 works on most operating systems without installing anything. Convert for example with TMPGEnc, just be sure to choose mpeg1 and not mpeg2.

[JohnnyMalaria]

I'm creating this presentation cd and I must include videos in it. I inserted normal avi

Please confirm - are you inserting videos in Powerpoint?

[Nelson37]

all windows from win98 on and I believe win95 have mpg1 support built-in. I have no knowledge concerning Apple or Linux units. MPG1 will represent the best compression available without installing any additional software. Note that you are free to exceed DVD specs for bitrate and resolution.

[ErollorD]

I think this will mostly be used on windows, but I can't add an option for installation of codecs because some people find this too complicated.

No, it's not powerpoint, it's some other program, called autorun pro...

ps: How can I create uncompressed AVI?

[guns1inger]

virtualdub saves as uncompressed avi by default, however you won't get much video on a CD.

FWIW, going back quite some years, CD based video has traditionally been encoded as either mpeg1, or as some form of quicktime, with the quicktime installer (usually played back through a director based application). Mpeg1 is a much better option than uncompressed.

Also, uncompressed is likely not going to play back smoothly on older machines, especially from a CD.

[thecoalman]

Use MPEG1... you can use higher resolution with better quality with WMV but that will only have high compatibility with windows machines. WMV will play on just about any windows machine, the only thing they need is the 6.4 player or later. It's been a while but I believe it was installed even with Win98 out of the box. Possibly even Win95... Whatever the case you will be hard pressed to find aWindows machine that won't play it, if you really want to make sure about WMV comaptibilty encode it using an older version.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Yup, MPEG1 makes the most sense.

[ErollorD]

thanks guys, mpeg1 works!!

[ErollorD]

hi, one more thing. Is there any similar program to this? free or comercial..

[redwudz]

Do you mean a MPEG-1 encoder? TMPGEnc is freeware for MPEG-1 and it's one of the best encoders for that format.

[ErollorD]

ok, well I exported dvd with sony vegas 7.0 and exported files have mpg xtension, how can I check that these are mpeg-1 encoded files??

[Cornucopia]

If you exported "DVD" format, that's wrong. DVD's main format is MPEG2 (though it supports a certain limited set of MPEG1 streams).
I've got Vegas6 (assuming V7 is very similar in GUI). Choose [Render], Drop down allows MPEG1 and MPEG2 (as well as MANY others). Choose MPEG1 (VCD-NTSC) or something similar. It'll work fine for what you want (I've done that many times).

Scott