Need Help on Web Animation

[Bishop]

I got a client that wants to put an animation that we made online. It is about 2.40mins long.

 

What would be the best format to use? What Codec? What would be a realistic size for the file?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chan

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

I got a client that wants to put an animation that we made online. It is about 2.40mins long.

 

What would be the best format to use? What Codec? What would be a realistic size for the file?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chan

 

best quality :

 

1. divx

2. quicktime sorenson

3. windows media

 

universal format :

 

1. windows media

2. quicktime sorenson

8. divx (do not count on user to have this codec, or jnow how to go get it, and install it)

 

easiest (i.m.o.)

 

1. windows media

2. divx

5. quicktime sorenson

 

most secure (a user can not steal your video to use as there own)

 

1. windows media

6. divx/quicktime

 

 

.....don't even think about real media. it is a non-option. i prefer windows media because of its security, and it is crazy easy to use. you will find people will be sharply divided between quicktime sorenson / and windows media. i would reccomend trying both to see what you like. divx is awesome, but not universal enough, and it is annoying having to downlaod files in order to watch the clip. most people will not do this.

[mbr]

I prefer using Flash and Sorensen Squeeze. It's cheap, almost everyone has the plugin (no Quicktime plugin or Divx required, or even Windows Media Player, which I've run into numerous problems with). The compression is great, file size is the smallest I've been able to get.

 

Only catch is you need to know Flash. It is almost drag and drop for the comrpession, though. I never read any instructions.

 

http://www.sorenson.com/solutions/prod/mx_win.php

 

I can post some animations tonight, I think, but I have to find them on my server (they were never completely finished - it was for an interactive website/animation/walkthrough of 3 condos - about 30 short animations).

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

I prefer using Flash and Sorensen Squeeze. It's cheap, almost everyone has the plugin (no Quicktime plugin or Divx required, or even Windows Media Player, which I've run into numerous problems with). The compression is great, file size is the smallest I've been able to get.

 

Only catch is you need to know Flash. It is almost drag and drop for the comrpession, though. I never read any instructions.

 

http://www.sorenson.com/solutions/prod/mx_win.php

 

I can post some animations tonight, I think, but I have to find them on my server (they were never completely finished - it was for an interactive website/animation/walkthrough of 3 condos - about 30 short animations).

 

...and with this method, i am assuming that you could create seperate stand alones for mac and windows that do not need a player at all. they are self executing.

[Jim Mann]

Chan,

 

You can often export a flash/shockwave animation from the likes of After Effects or combustion. That would be an easy enough item to insert into a web page using Dreamweaver.

 

Out of Media player and Quicktime, I would choose Quicktime with Sorensen. The one downside with Quicktime is that many don't ever bother installing the plug-in - I have experienced this many times with inquiries from non-design based clients.

 

Jim

[Bishop]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up with WMV 9. THe file came up to 2.6Mb. The quality is acceptable but not as good as QT Sorenson(about 7Mb).

 

The client was willing to sacrifice quality for DL time so we went for Windows Media.

 

Anyone made a similar video/animation about 2.5mins long? I would like to know the file size of the finished animation. The final animation I exported was 320x240@12.5fps. Was this a good setting to use?

 

 

I will look into the flash/shockware format. Sounds interesting.

 

Thanks again.

 

Chan