Small Videos? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Small Videos!

[Jason Dunn]

Is anyone else getting tired of tiny videos on Web sites? I visited the HBO site today and watched a preview for a new series called Rome. First off, it was only offered in RealVideo and Quicktime formats. Whoever their media person it needs to be hit with a cluestick a few times - they should have WMV or MPEG up there at a minimum. I clicked on the Quicktime version (thank heavens for Quicktime Alternative (http://www.free-codecs.com/download/QuickTime_Alternative.htm)!) and when the video loaded I was shocked at how incredibly small it was (http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/hbo-rome-small-image.jpg). I'm running 1600 x 1200 on a 20.1" LCD monitor, so I know that's higher resolution than average, but come on - 245 x 180 resolution video? I could barely make out the muddy little thing.

To me, 320 x 240 is the absolute bear minimum, because with WMV you can 200% scale it and it usually looks decent. If the video is playing in a hard-coded window or in a format that doesn't allow scaling, 640 x 480 resolution is the minimum size. Want to impress me? Give me an 800 x 600 resolution video, or hell, a high-definition video (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/hdgallery/thebrothersgrimm.html) at 1280 x 720! The days of postage-sized videos ended in the late '90s - someone pass the word to these "media experts" that put up such low-res junk. Vive la high-res video!

[Neil Enns]

Hear hear! I was trying to watch Melanie C's new video yesterday at her site, and not only was it small but they cut the darn thing to 30 seconds! What on EARTH is the point to not putting the whole video up? ARGH!

Neil

[Phronetix]

Completely agree. Generally I don't bother if I see that small a window pop up.

Jason: I don't really understand the point of the quicktime alternative. It's not a plug-in, is it? Is this an anti-Apple thing, then? I love the quicktime format, personally. Some of the web's best movies are found on the apple.com/quicktime site, including some very sweet hd video footage and movie trailers.

[ctmagnus]

iirc, the purpose of QuickTime Alternative is to alleviate some of the b-l-o-a-t that QuickTime suffers from.

[Jason Dunn]

Jason: I don't really understand the point of the quicktime alternative. It's not a plug-in, is it? Is this an anti-Apple thing, then?

I have no problem with Quicktime as a video format - what I have a problem with is Apple giving away a "free" player that every so often pops up a friggin' ad for the pro version. LAME. Either the player is free or it's not. Quicktime Alternative just yanks out the codec and allows you to watch Quicktime video files in Media Player Classic. No muss, no fuss.

[[email protected]]

iirc, the purpose of QuickTime Alternative is to alleviate some of the b-l-o-a-t that QuickTime suffers from.

Tell me about it. Now you can't even opt out of getting iTunes with QT player.

[randalllewis]

Here! Here! or maybe it should be See! See! Jason. Thanks for the rant on little video which came the day after I ranted about my company's website which is still designed for 15 inch monitors, as it was when it went live in 1996. The content has certainly improved, but the format sucks. When I finished ranting, I was told we need to be sensitive to all potential users and that poor people are unlikely to have larger monitors. I don't know it that is true or not, but I wonder what population we are not serving because the website is dated.

[sub_tex]

they probably went with real and QT for cross platform support. Since I run both Windows and Linux, I can't stand a site that only has WMV.

I would rather have QT or some nice flash video.

[oopl]

I can't get any of the HD videos at the Apple site to play with the latest Quicktime Alternative installed. Media Player Classic just freezes. Does anyone else have this problem?

[Mr. MacinTiger]

Even as an ardent supporter of Apple and Macs, I have to give Jason the benefit of the doubt here. The Windows port of Quicktime is pretty crappy and yah I do agree about the bloat and the nagging aspects of it. Apologizes on behalf of the Macintosh nation to all our Wintel breathern :oops:

And, despite the crappiness of MS Win Media Player for OS X as well, at least it doesn't have nagware with it. I give the MacBU props for that much anyway...

[bmhome1]

During the process of switching from OSX to XP (yes there ARE some of us) I was appalled at the degree of aggressive and installation of ridiculous backround processes Quicktime dumps into Windows startup and running processes along with automatic associating every possible file format to Quicktime. All without ANY user input or approval. Same with Real Player, it buries itself into the OS with the same additions and association changes (except RealPlayer makes it the default player for nearly every media format it can). Then it automatically defeats all the reclaimed file associations every 30 days and takes over once again. There's no option to decline that either.

These two players are nothing more than spyware and malware of the highest order. They also make uninstalling either as difficult as possible. Quicktime will reinstall itself everytime you visit the Quicktime trailers site, automatically, without asking.

Now I understand the hatred Windows users have towards Quicktime. Real Player, I can understand their desperation to get market share. I thought Apple was above such tactics. Apple should be ashamed.

I've uninstalled those renegade steath Quicktime installs at least half a dozen times and return the defaults back to Quicktime Alternative. Same with Real Player Alternative. I'm beginning to hate both formats.

[[email protected]]

I can't get any of the HD videos at the Apple site to play with the latest Quicktime Alternative installed. Media Player Classic just freezes. Does anyone else have this problem?

I think you need the latest QT for HD videos, 7 is is?

[Jason Dunn]

I can't get any of the HD videos at the Apple site to play with the latest Quicktime Alternative installed. Media Player Classic just freezes. Does anyone else have this problem?

I think they haven't quite figured that part out yet - I was able to watch about 10 seconds of a QT7 trailer then it re-started. The latest QT Alternative is still in beta, obviously some issues. There's not that many QT7 trailers out yet, so it's not a big deal for now...

[Phronetix]

I have no problem with Quicktime as a video format - what I have a problem with is Apple giving away a "free" player that every so often pops up a friggin' ad for the pro version. LAME. Either the player is free or it's not. Quicktime Alternative just yanks out the codec and allows you to watch Quicktime video files in Media Player Classic. No muss, no fuss.[/quote]

Ahh. Makes sense. I'd no idea about the nagware. I haven't run Windows since Win98. I also bought the QTpro as well, so I've no idea whether there are these pop ups on the Mac platform either. So, isn't there a way to turn off the pop up windows?

[ctmagnus]

So, isn't there a way to turn off the pop up windows?

There is... Spring for the Pro version ;)

[sub_tex]

I was appalled at the degree of aggressive and installation of ridiculous backround processes Quicktime dumps into Windows startup and running processes along with automatic associating every possible file format to Quicktime. All without ANY user input or approval.

I have to disagree with you here. I've installed QT more times than I can imagine. During the install process there is indeed a time to set MIME settings. By default QT only selects the Mac file types and MP3s for browsers.

Everything else is unchecked. This insn't REAL's horrible 54 checkboxes nightmare.

Also, it only has a single startup process: the qttask.exe

And while it's in your systray you can easily rigth click it, go to prefs, and disable the ssytray icon/startup. There's also the solution of just killing the key in the registry. :)

[Jason Dunn]

I have to disagree with you here. I've installed QT more times than I can imagine. During the install process there is indeed a time to set MIME settings. By default QT only selects the Mac file types and MP3s for browsers.

I'll have to disagree with your disagreement. ;-) I've installed Quicktime many times as well and I'm always a bit baffled at how it seems to take over browser-based functions but not shell based functions. As in, I can double click on an MP3 on my hard drive and the correct app will open them. But in my browser, Quicktime is the embedded player! Drives me nuts, and it's deceptively difficult to stop it from happening with the install of Quicktime.

[sub_tex]

Wait, so you're saying you uncheck mp3 from the mime settings and QT *STILL* opens the mp3s in your browser?

[Jerry Raia]

None of this can be worse than RealPlayer! I don't care how big they make the image I refuse to use it.

[craigf]

I've installed Quicktime many times as well and I'm always a bit baffled at how it seems to take over browser-based functions but not shell based functions. As in, I can double click on an MP3 on my hard drive and the correct app will open them. But in my browser, Quicktime is the embedded player! Drives me nuts, and it's deceptively difficult to stop it from happening with the install of Quicktime.

Try using Firefox instead of IE and I think you'll find this problem goes away. :D

Beyond that, there's a difference between hating the format and hating the player app. While one can certainly hate Quicktime for whatever reason, I appreciate the fact that the streams are based on a fairly straightforward and relatively open video codec. Personally, I despise WMP with every ounce of my being, but that's not the same as saying I hate WMV (at least not the non-DRM'ed version of WMV).

p.s. I think it's "bare minimum" (no bears involved) :wink: