Most compatible audio/video format?

[rack04]

I just purchased a new camera and I'm looking for the most compatible audio/video format to re-encode to for email purposes. I really don't know what codec come with standard operating system but my goal is for anyone that I email these files to will be able to play it without installing additional codecs. For example, xvid/mp3 in avi. Thanks.

[Guest]

MPEG audio and MPEG1 video in program stream (MPEG).

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Xvid/MP3 in AVI was very popular for a long time, but I think it will be replaced with H.264/AAC in MKV or in MP4 pretty soon (if it hasn't been replaced already).

If you ask for what plays on a "fresh" Windows system without any additional software, then you can choose between Cinepak, Indeo, MPEG-1 and WMV :p

[rack04]

If you ask for what plays on a "fresh" Windows system without any additional software, then you can choose between Cinepak, Indeo, MPEG-1 and WMV :p

That is exactly what I'm asking. Most of the people that I'm going to be sending these videos too will not have additional codecs installed. Now I just need to figure out how to encode to these formats. Thanks for all the help.

[Kado]

mpeg1/mp2 in mpeg container or windows media video/audio in asf/wmv.

Didn't notice the previous posts

[Guest]

I don't think Windows comes with MPEG2. That's why I said MPEG1.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

mpeg1/mp2 in mpeg container or windows media video/audio in asf/wmv.I don't think Windows comes with MPEG2. That's why I said MPEG1.

I think he suggested "MPEG-1 Video" + "MPEG-1 Audio Layer-2" (MP2) in MPEG container, not MPEG-2 ;)

That is exactly what I'm asking. Most of the people that I'm going to be sending these videos too will not have additional codecs installed. Now I just need to figure out how to encode to these formats. Thanks for all the help.

For Indeo and Cinepak you can use VirtualDub. The required Codecs ship with Windows, you already have them installed.

For WMV you should look for WMCmd.vbs (http://www.citizeninsomniac.com/WMV/#WMCmd) or use Windows Movie Maker :p

[zambelli]

Xvid/MP3 in AVI was very popular for a long time, but I think it will be replaced with H.264/AAC in MKV or in MP4 pretty soon (if it hasn't been replaced already).
MKV and "most compatible" don't really belong in the same sentence. :)

I agree with Neuron2 that MPEG-1 video and MPEG audio is probably the currently most widely compatible format that'll play on any computer made after 1995.

H.264/AAC/MP4 is headed in that direction, but it'll be a few years before it's ubiquitous across all operating systems, and even then there might be exceptions due to its high licensing costs. There's no guarantee everyone will agree to pay their dues to MPEG-LA.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

MKV and "most compatible" don't really belong in the same sentence. :)

Read carefully! I said "most popular", I did not say "most compatible" :devil:

[zambelli]

Read carefully! I said "most popular", I did not say "most compatible" :devil:
But that's not what the OP asked for, so perhaps you're the one who didn't read carefully. :)

[LoRd_MuldeR]

But that's not what the OP asked for, so perhaps you're the one who didn't read carefully. :)

The OP wants to distribute videos via eMail. So most likely he should use a video format that is commonly used by people.

Although MPEG-1 might be the most compatible format, I doubt many people use it nowadays. At the same time most people do have an MKV-capable player installed today.
And in the very same post you are referring to I already made clear which formats will play on a "fresh" windows system. So the question was answered properly...

[Atak_Snajpera]

codec come with standard operating system but my goal is for anyone that I email these files to will be able to play it without installing additional codecs. For example, xvid/mp3 in avi. Thanks.
I would use h.264+aac -> MP4. Is that hard to attach MPC-HC (single .exe)?????

[mitsubishi]

....At the same time most people do have an MKV-capable player installed today.

I'm not sure that is true, depending on your definition of 'most'. Outside the computer literate world in the general population, I think 'most' people don't install anything much on their machines apart from viruses.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

I think 'most' people don't install anything much on their machines apart from viruses.

Haha, good point :D

However I think we can cut it down to two categories of users:
* People that don't install anything and blindly use WMP (limited to MPEG-1, Cinepak/Indeo AVI's and WMV)
* People that have at least VLC Player, MPlayer or MPC installed (supporting almost any format)

And the latter are used to H.264+AAC in MKV most likely. The first don't even know what these words mean ;)

[ChronoReverse]

If they're in the latter group, this discussion wouldn't be necessary since almost any format would work.

Therefore, it's only useful to discuss the former case wherein MPEG1 is the solution.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Is that hard to attach MPC-HC (single .exe)?????

...or to use MakeInstantPlayer (http://mulder.dummwiedeutsch.de/home/?page=projects#instplay) for distribution (single .exe and no video file) :cool:

[zachdms]

Indeo has limited compatibility, so I would steer away from that.

Probably the best "easy for the user" answer is MPEG1 or WMV, and maybe MP4 (and maybe maybe MKV) in the future.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Indeo has limited compatibility, so I would steer away from that.

Probably the best "easy for the user" answer is MPEG1 or WMV, and maybe MP4 (and maybe maybe MKV) in the future.

Also with WMV you have to be careful. Not all Windows versions support all versions of WMV without WMP update.

So WMV-1 (supported from WMP 7.0 on) should be the most safe option....

[zambelli]

So WMV-1 (supported from WMP 7.0 on) should be the most safe option....
Unless you're using one of those wonderful "N" editions of Windows. ;)

[Sharktooth]

yeah, but AFAIK you can get WMP thru windows update.
i would go for WMV or divX/xvid... or even quicktime.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

QuickTime on Windows is a nightmare. Please not...

[roozhou]

On older PCs (around 2002~2003), H264 mkv won't play smoothly with either mpc-hc or mplayer. I tested a 1500kbps SD H264 mkv on my old P4M 1.8G laptop and my friend's Celeron 4 1.7G, both 100% CPU + A/V async, but 2000kbps ASP just plays fine.

[rebkell]

xvid in an avi, and send them them the xvid decoder, if they only get sound tell them to run xvid.exe and they are set.

[smok3]

add portable vlc or portable mpui to the distro and you are all set for different formats. And don't send that over mail. google for netiquette if you wonder why.

[zachdms]

I thought the goal here was "without installing additional codecs". :)

I definitely agree about sending video files via email being mean, versus providing a link to the content that they can download at their leisure. Plus that way if you DO decide to go hog-wild with crazy codec or file format du jour (very meaningful to you, probably downright befuddling to my mom) you can include a ReadMeToPlayThis or that sort of thing.

If like Mulder said you really want to go EVERYWHERE under the sun including old untouched Win98 or earlier systems, your best bet is like neuron noted probably just MPEG1. It'll be piggy, but that'll best accomplish your stated goal. :)

[smok3]

yes well, the op doesn't really know what he/she want's i imagine,
on 2nd thought i would go with flash video (it is really easy to say: 'install flash' here is the url ...),
you could then use sorenson or vp6 which are both pretty fast on decoding side.

vp6 example
http://somestuff.org/flashAVC/flvplayer.php?moviename=movies/ED_huff-480kbps-stream-x640y352.flv

[rack04]

MPEG audio and MPEG1 video in program stream (MPEG).

What free programs can I use to do this encoding?

[cyberbeing]

Out of curiosity, what format does your camera record to?

[rack04]

Out of curiosity, what format does your camera record to?

From what I can remember they are 30 fps Xvid MPEG-4 encoded AVI. I can't remember the audio format off the top of my head. These videos are from a Pure Digital Flip Video Mino.

Edit: Audio format is ADPCM.

[zachdms]

Ooooh: I'd love to see a sample video from that camera. A bunch of camera vendors that spit out ADPCM-in-AVI were using PCMWAVEFORMAT as opposed to WAVEFORMATEX, which causes hiccups in Strict parsers. Heck, you could pretty easily check this yourself in your favorite RIFF viewer.
Probably a totally uninteresting tangent to all involved, but -- potentially adds another wrinkle to content distribution if you were going to stick with *that* AVI. (Running it through most any AVI editor should spit out a more "correct" file afterwards.)