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Chris DeHut
01-18-2005, 12:05 PM
Greetings everyone. I am hoping this request is within the rules of the forum, if not, feel free to delete it.

We are experimenting with adding online video to our website. While we are spoiled in that our quality of video has been very high as we usually deliver our content on DVD, but, there is a need for some short online videos that we feel will benefit the woodworking community.

This morning, we added two different video clips to our website, each, in two different formats: Mpeg, and Windows Media File format. The Mpeg video is smaller in size (pixels left to right and top to bottom) than the WMV files.

I am hoping some of you have a few moments to "test drive" the videos and provide some feedback on them. I am mostly concerned with download speed, video quality, etc.

So, if you have a moment, please check these videos out at

http://www.woodworkingathome.com/WaHM-OnLine/Xtras.htm

Thanks in advance.

Chris DeHut
Woodworking at Home Magazine.

And again, if this type of message is in violation of the rules, please feel free to delete it. I just know that we have a large number of subscribers that post on this forum and thought this would be a good group to help with the testing.

Mike Johnson
01-18-2005, 12:14 PM
I like the format, the length and the message. Two clever tips in about 2 minutes. That's great.

Brian Buckley
01-18-2005, 12:23 PM
Good quality vidio and fast download speed. It worked very well.

Brian

Dave Moran
01-18-2005, 12:28 PM
Hi Chris I have HS access at work, I would never attempt at home with dial up, download of both methods was quick. Windows media was clear and smooth on playback. MPEG was either too small or too large and fuzzy when set to full screen. Playback of the MPEG was irregular, jerky, and of poorer quality, which is to be expected of MPEG. I look at the video with a critical eye as video transport is a part of my job. RS250C Short haul and medium haul

Jim Barrett
01-18-2005, 12:29 PM
No problem....very fast and good quality. Nice job!

Jim

Frank Pellow
01-18-2005, 12:44 PM
First of all Chris, thanks for the tips.

I downloaded all 4 clips, then played them both with Real Player and with the Windows Media player. They all worked fine. With both programs, the .wmv format provides vastly superior quality to the .mpeg format.

Roger Fitzsimonds
01-18-2005, 12:46 PM
Hi Chris,
Along with Dave I have high speed access at work. the Window media files work just fine but the mpeg was just like Dave said, jerky, fuzzy and seemed to have a real handshaking problem. Have you considered Quicktime as an alternate. The content was good and useful.

Roger

Ted Shrader
01-18-2005, 12:51 PM
Chris -

Both are good tips and very much appreciated.

The delivery technique works well for me. Quick, easy to digest, better than a series of pictures or a written tip. But I am a tactile-kinesthetic learner, others may be different.

Will the tips be archived for later retrieval? Perhaps consolidated on the end of the year issue?

Regards,
Ted

Glenn Clabo
01-18-2005, 12:57 PM
Great idea and it works fine. WMP better than mpeg.

fred woltersdorf
01-18-2005, 1:03 PM
great tips,i like the length,just right to get the message across.i used the media player version,very clear.

Matthew Poeller
01-18-2005, 1:10 PM
I am on a T1 line at work but it looked good to me. I will try it on the cable line when I get home.

Jerry Olexa
01-18-2005, 1:19 PM
Windows Media was better. Clearer and larger image. MPEG smaller, erratic and stopped occassionally. Good clip w good info.

Frank Pellow
01-18-2005, 1:21 PM
I would like to know the reason that this thread got transfered to Off Topic. It is very much ON the topic of Woodworking with Power Tools.

Chris DeHut
01-18-2005, 1:51 PM
Hi Frank,

Perhaps it was because the purpose of this message was to solicit opinions on something that is not actually woodworking. I am not offended in the least, and and I stated in the original post, I was even afraid it would violate some of the rules here, of which I hope not to.

I don't know if this part of SMC gets many visitors, but if not, I sure would appreciate it if you folks could pass that link along to some others for further testing.

Once I get a better handle on what is working and what isn't (like the Mpeg), I will try to generate some other video formats for further testing too. I am hoping to get it right before I put more video up there. My 'spare" time is so limitted these days, I can't afford to be putting up a bunch of clips only to find they don't work for most people :-(

Chris DeHut








I would like to know the reason that this thread got transfered to Off Topic. It is very much ON the topic of Woodworking with Power Tools.

Wes Bischel
01-18-2005, 2:40 PM
Chris,

I just moved up to DSL and the WMV files worked well. I suspect for dial-up the Mpeg would be better. Then again, I don't think I would have attempted to download a 4 meg file on dial-up.

Wes

PS great tips

Jon Olson
01-18-2005, 2:59 PM
Chris,
Those were great tips and great video. I'll give it a try on a standard internet connect again tonight at home. With T1 line at work...Loaded quickly and was very clear!!1

Jon

Steve Ash
01-18-2005, 3:31 PM
Windows Media gets the nod here. Very useful info too, Thanks.

Chris DeHut
01-18-2005, 3:40 PM
Wes,

I nearly wet myself laughing at your tag line about the cow. Why is it the dumbest one always gets the blame :p

Chris

Peter Stahl
01-18-2005, 3:40 PM
Chris,

I like the Windows Media File version, clear and loaded quickly. The Mpeg one was very fuzzy and the window was small. I'm on a cable modem so it loaded quick.

Pete

Chris DeHut
01-18-2005, 3:44 PM
Thanks everyone.

I am attempting to upload some other file formats for further testing. I am trying Real Media (2 different methods) and Quicktime. If the server wasn't pitching a fit, I would have them up by now.

So, if you don't mind checking back on that page over the next day or so and provide me with any feedback I sure would appreciate it.

I believe I will be eventually putting up two version of each video so that viewers can choose which one based on their internet connection. You feedback is helping us decide which of the two formats looks (and sounds) best.

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.

Chris

Jim Becker
01-18-2005, 3:47 PM
I haven't had the opportunity to view the clips yet (will look at them tonight), but in additional to quality playback, cross-platform compatibility needs to be considered. That might mean supporting two formats on the site for each as some firms do already.

Ken Fitzgerald
01-18-2005, 3:56 PM
Chris....WMV gets my nod. I am on cable modem and both downloaded easily. The Windows Media format was clearer, larger and without jerkiness. Excellent tips by the way.

John Shuk
01-18-2005, 5:38 PM
Chris,
Nice work on the video. I used WMV and a cable modem. Quality was great and playback flawless. Fast download as well.
John

David LaRue
01-18-2005, 10:04 PM
Chris,


I'm confused. You produced the online Grrriper videos that are on their site. How are these different, and what do you hope to find out that you could not by simply tracking the useage on the site? :confused:

Chris DeHut
01-19-2005, 7:39 AM
Hi David,

We did produce the DVD for Micro Jig, however, we did not do the conversions for web use, their webmaster did that. What am I trying to find out?

I am trying to find out which compression and video format people find acceptable.

I am trying to find out which format works best off of the server that we use

I am trying to find out if the webserver can handle video feeds.

So, I don't know what you are fishing for, but I hope this answers your quesiton.


Chris






Chris,


I'm confused. You produced the online Grrriper videos that are on their site. How are these different, and what do you hope to find out that you could not by simply tracking the useage on the site? :confused:

Frank Pellow
01-19-2005, 7:52 AM
Chris, I tried all 5 formats and rate them (best to worst) in this order

1) Windows media
2) Real media -large
3) Real media -small
4) Qicktime
5) .mpeg

I would be happy to look at 1 and 2. It would be OK to look at 3 and 4. Unless the topic were really interesting, I would not look at 5.

Aaron Koehl
01-19-2005, 8:51 AM
I would like to know the reason that this thread got transfered to Off Topic. It is very much ON the topic of Woodworking with Power Tools.
No, it in fact, isn't.

Frank Pellow
01-19-2005, 9:14 AM
No, it in fact, isn't.
Aaron, I still disagree with you. The woodworking tips provided in these videos are two of the best simple tips that I have picked up on Saw Mill Creek.

Bob Hovde
01-19-2005, 10:25 AM
The Windows Media and large Real Media files worked fine. I couldn't get the MPEG to work. The Quicktime Movie was at too low a resolution and was fuzzy (on my PC - I'll try it on my Mac tonight).

Bob

Jerry Ingraham
01-19-2005, 12:07 PM
I used Windows Media Player and the play was perfect. I have high speed connections and the down load was almost instantaneous. Great addition to the an already great product Chris.

Chris DeHut
01-19-2005, 12:14 PM
Thanks for the feedback guys. So far it appears as though with our servers and the video compression software we have, the Windows media file and the Real media are the formats that work best.

If anyone has a moment to test them I sure would appreciate it!

Chris