Streaming Media - August/September 2008 - (Page 62)

Figure 9. Same encoding tool, different codec. Looks like the codec is the problem. these types of files. The test file is a 1024x768, 15 fps screencam captured in Camtasia and edited and output in Premiere Pro. I rendered the file using VBR encoding with a target data rate of 200Kbps for video and 32Kbps for audio, using the highest-quality encoding parameters supported by the encoding tool. Table 3 summarizes the results, which mirrored the HD tests, where Apple was out of the running very early, and MainConcept enjoyed a small, probably commercially irrelevant quality advantage in both still and motion tests. The first is shown in Figure 10, which is the preview screen from the Adobe Media Encoder and is actually a static shot (the video was not playing). Apple clearly isn’t optimized for screencam encoding, and I got nearly identical results when producing from Squeeze using the Apple codec. Figure 10. The Apple codec clearly isn’t optimized for screencams while both of the other H.264 codecs do a credible job. Again, much of the difference between MainConcept and Dicas derives from the improved contrast that Carbon Coder or the MainConcept codec itself appears to apply, resulting in clearer, more vivid colors. In motion trials, the MainConcept codec seemed to recover from major screen changes two or three frames faster than the Dicas codec, though most users wouldn’t notice without side-by-side comparisons. Overall, if you’re in the market for an H.264 encoding tool, I would definitely prioritize any tool with the MainConcept codec, though the advantage over the Dicas codec is very modest. On the other hand, if you’re currently producing H.264 video with the Apple codec, you could probably improve quality, cut bitrate, or both by switching to a tool with either the MainConcept or Dicas codec. Jan Ozer (jozer@doceo.com) is a frequent contributer to industry magazines and websites on digital video-related topics and is the author of Critical Skills for Streaming Producers, a mixed media resource available at www.streamingmedia.com/streamingproducers. Comments? Email us at letters@streamingmedia.com, or check the masthead for other ways to contact us. 62 STREAMING MEDIA August/September 2008 http://www.vbrick.com http://www.vbrick.com http://www.streamingmedia.com/streamingproducers

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Streaming Media - August/September 2008

Streaming Media - August/September 2008 Table of Contents No Doubt - Editor's Note Mo’ Videos, Mo’ Money: Solving the Problem of Network Cost Why Good Design Matters More Than Ever: Just. Press. Play. Technology and Business Trends by the Numbers High-Touch Encoding With Microsoft Expression Encoder 2 The State of the Content Delivery Market, 2008 Get a Life: New Tools Put Lifecasting Within Anyone’s Reach So Many Codecs, So Little Time: Comparing H.264 Files Using Codecs From Apple, Dicas, and MainConcept Writing an RFP for Maximum ROI: Things to Consider and Questions to Ask When Writing a Request for Proposal for a Corporate Webcasting System The Patent Wars Producing Screencams in Camtasia Studio Analyze That Using Video to Communicate Change for Business Success Intellectuals’ Property Rights

Streaming Media - August/September 2008

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