ATTN amirm: WMV9 codec, ongoing tuning?

[Tom Servo]

Since you're from MS and actually posting here, are you allowed to tell something about WMV9s future? Especially regarding ongoing optimization of the codec? Well as has been said, the bitstream is fixed, but is there further quality tuning going on? If there is quality tuning, is MS releasing the updated codecs on a regular manner?

Thanks for any info!

-ts

(Here's the reason why I ask: WMV9 doesn't like red on lower bitrates :) I've transcoded some Beastie Boys video where there's a red background for most of the time, and everywhere where the red background borders other colors, it generates lots of blocks. Setting: 1280k/2440k WMV9 peak bitrate VBR + 128kbit WMA9 CBR, interlacing on with deinterlace setting)

[Neo Neko]

Yes I would also be interested to know this as well. As has been shown in the past Microsoft generally does not update untill the next version is out when it comes to codecs. And while WM9 runs rings around Quicktime 6 MPEG4 it is a much different story when compared to better MPEG4 codecs such as Divx, Xvid, and ffmpeg's MPEG4 module. From my by now rather extensive testing on broadcast material WM9 is gonna need more tuning to keep up.

What's the word my man?