Comments on: Request for opinions - screencast formats http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/ I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly - Michel de Montaigne Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:48:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: manicwave.com » Blog Archive » links for 2007-05-10 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-37941 manicwave.com » Blog Archive » links for 2007-05-10 Thu, 10 May 2007 12:27:26 +0000 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-37941 <p>[...] StigmergicWeb » Blog Archive » Request for opinions - screencast formats http://perian.org/) (tags: screencasting conversion) [...]</p> […] StigmergicWeb » Blog Archive » Request for opinions - screencast formats http://perian.org/) (tags: screencasting conversion) […]

]]> By: Rob Wall http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-17573 Rob Wall Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:19:41 +0000 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-17573 <p>Thanks, Alan. I've been giving ffmpegX a try and I'm impressed by the variety of video file formats that it can convert. At this point, I think I'm just going to leave the screencasts in quicktime format for two reasons - the screencast software that is available on the Mac is pretty immature so far (I hate to compliment Windows, but the built in media encoder software does make screencasts pretty easily), and my project is due in about 7 weeks so I can't take to much time twiddling with formats, although the chance to geek out is appealing. Gotta love deadlines - without them I'd never get anything done.</p> Thanks, Alan. I’ve been giving ffmpegX a try and I’m impressed by the variety of video file formats that it can convert. At this point, I think I’m just going to leave the screencasts in quicktime format for two reasons - the screencast software that is available on the Mac is pretty immature so far (I hate to compliment Windows, but the built in media encoder software does make screencasts pretty easily), and my project is due in about 7 weeks so I can’t take to much time twiddling with formats, although the chance to geek out is appealing. Gotta love deadlines - without them I’d never get anything done.

]]> By: Alan http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-17520 Alan Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:38:34 +0000 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-17520 <p>ffmpegX is the cats pajamas - http://ffmpegx.com/ and more more than just doing QT to FLV (which it does in about 10 times the rate than the Flash Media Encoder).</p> <p>Here is a secret trick that took a while to uncover- I've had a number of files I tried to convert that bork to a ok file. If this happens, hit the Audio tab and click the "invert mapping" checkbox -- has something to do with the ordering or tracks.</p> <p>While you are at it, make sure you get a copy of Perian (http://perian.org/) that allows you to play FLVs (and AVIs) in Quicktime.</p> <p>Keep in mind that FLV is not swf that is typically generated by apps like Camtasia. There are FLV players (and a good batch of flv pliugins for WordPress) -- I'd be wary about the ability to play an FLV directly from a CD.</p> ffmpegX is the cats pajamas - http://ffmpegx.com/ and more more than just doing QT to FLV (which it does in about 10 times the rate than the Flash Media Encoder).

Here is a secret trick that took a while to uncover- I’ve had a number of files I tried to convert that bork to a ok file. If this happens, hit the Audio tab and click the “invert mapping” checkbox — has something to do with the ordering or tracks.

While you are at it, make sure you get a copy of Perian (http://perian.org/) that allows you to play FLVs (and AVIs) in Quicktime.

Keep in mind that FLV is not swf that is typically generated by apps like Camtasia. There are FLV players (and a good batch of flv pliugins for WordPress) — I’d be wary about the ability to play an FLV directly from a CD.

]]> By: Rob Wall http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-16388 Rob Wall Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:05:44 +0000 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-16388 <p>Alec - thanks for the tip on ffmpegx. I think I've seen this one mentioned somewhere before. The new version does indeed convert to flv. There is a link to a free swf video player that can be embedded in a web page. The same author also has a free swf mp3 player - this could come in handy during project as well. Sorensen Squeeze looks good, but I'm looking for something a little more economical (read that as I'm on a tight budget). As for the recording, unless Ambrosia releases a Universal Binary in the next week, I'll go with iShowU. I tried the demo of Snapz Pro and it was soooooo slow running under Rosetta on my MacBook. If you've had some success with it on an Intel Mac, I may just give it a chance.</p> <p>Tom - I hadn't seen media-convert before. That's a neat idea to have a web-based media converter. Free options are definitely my preference!</p> Alec - thanks for the tip on ffmpegx. I think I’ve seen this one mentioned somewhere before. The new version does indeed convert to flv. There is a link to a free swf video player that can be embedded in a web page. The same author also has a free swf mp3 player - this could come in handy during project as well. Sorensen Squeeze looks good, but I’m looking for something a little more economical (read that as I’m on a tight budget). As for the recording, unless Ambrosia releases a Universal Binary in the next week, I’ll go with iShowU. I tried the demo of Snapz Pro and it was soooooo slow running under Rosetta on my MacBook. If you’ve had some success with it on an Intel Mac, I may just give it a chance.

Tom - I hadn’t seen media-convert before. That’s a neat idea to have a web-based media converter. Free options are definitely my preference!

]]> By: Tom http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-16373 Tom Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:13:05 +0000 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-16373 <p>Rob,</p> <p>I use snapz pro as well. I'm not too pleased with it at times as I won't realize it crashed until I go to stop it and nothing happens. I'm thinking of trying ishowu. Seems I saw a really nice way to do screencasts on pcs that exported as flash (by macromedia I think).</p> <p>I think this'll do your converting for you http://www.media-convert.com/ I've used it to change a few movs into swfs.</p> <p>If you want flv you can always upload it to youtube and pull it down with http://vixy.net/flv_converter</p> <p>Both options are free anyway and won't even really cost too much in terms of time.</p> <p>Tom</p> Rob,

I use snapz pro as well. I’m not too pleased with it at times as I won’t realize it crashed until I go to stop it and nothing happens. I’m thinking of trying ishowu. Seems I saw a really nice way to do screencasts on pcs that exported as flash (by macromedia I think).

I think this’ll do your converting for you http://www.media-convert.com/
I’ve used it to change a few movs into swfs.

If you want flv you can always upload it to youtube and pull it down with http://vixy.net/flv_converter

Both options are free anyway and won’t even really cost too much in terms of time.

Tom

]]> By: Alec Couros http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-16362 Alec Couros Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:20:10 +0000 http://stigmergicweb.org/2007/01/17/request-for-opinions-screencast-formats/#comment-16362 <p>Rob, I haven't done many, but I've been using Snapz (http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/). I like iShowU's interface more, however, the difference between the two (as I understand) is that iShowU renders video on the fly, while Snapz does it during the save. This can make a difference in the quality of your overall screencast.</p> <p>From that point, if you want to convert to Flash, I recommend Sorenson Squeeze (I think it's version 4). You can convert just about any format in Squeeze.</p> <p>The only good free Mac converter I know of is ffmpegx (http://homepage.mac.com/major4/), but I don;'t think it deals with .flv. Could be wrong.</p> <p>As for playing back later ... I discovered something the other day. One of our school board's laptop programs are locked down pretty hard ... they don;'t come with Flash players in IE or Firefox. However, I found a USB-drive version of Opera that had the Flash player built in. You can download the single file, and run it on Windows if necessary (if you really want to run Windows). This may not answer any question you are asking, but it was a neat hack around the problem of playing youtube videos, for instance.</p> <p>Good luck on the project.</p> Rob, I haven’t done many, but I’ve been using Snapz (http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/). I like iShowU’s interface more, however, the difference between the two (as I understand) is that iShowU renders video on the fly, while Snapz does it during the save. This can make a difference in the quality of your overall screencast.

From that point, if you want to convert to Flash, I recommend Sorenson Squeeze (I think it’s version 4). You can convert just about any format in Squeeze.

The only good free Mac converter I know of is ffmpegx (http://homepage.mac.com/major4/), but I don;’t think it deals with .flv. Could be wrong.

As for playing back later … I discovered something the other day. One of our school board’s laptop programs are locked down pretty hard … they don;’t come with Flash players in IE or Firefox. However, I found a USB-drive version of Opera that had the Flash player built in. You can download the single file, and run it on Windows if necessary (if you really want to run Windows). This may not answer any question you are asking, but it was a neat hack around the problem of playing youtube videos, for instance.

Good luck on the project.

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