In an AVI Quandry...

[RickAltman]

Greetings, I'm new to AutoPlay Menu, but a quick study. I am creating a series of training videos, and am put off by the many different flavors of MediaPlayer that are in use today. Player1 is a nice clean interface; Player 2 is a mess! I would love to be able to offer my own media player on my CD, but haven't been able to find one that is distributable and effective.

I have considered doing everything as embedded objects with links to separate pages, but I really need forward and rewind controls, which, to my knowledge, the Play AVI function doesn't offer.

I would appreciate any and all suggestions...

Rick Altman
Cupertino, CA

[David Delaney]

Re: In an AVI Quandry...

Actually, it AMS3 offers Pause, Play and Stop. Rewind/FF are out of reach for now - but you still can do alot with what is available. I usually use a PLAY/STOP/PAUSE button on my AVI and it looks quite professional...

[RickAltman]

Re: In an AVI Quandry...

> I usually use a PLAY/STOP/PAUSE
button on my AVI and it looks quite
professional...

It's not the look that concerns me; it's the function. My topics will be complex, and I really want to offer users an easy control to back up. Maybe it's my ignorance, but I'm surprised there isn't some freeware Play-an-AVI-file-no-questions-asked player available.

Rick A.

[Michael]

Re: In an AVI Quandry...

Hi Rick,

I also work with MS mediaplayer, loading(installing) at the beginning of the menu and having the reader click on a video icon in order to play the video. But I have also used the embedded avi player in AMS. It's not too bad. The problem (besides what you note: FF or REW) is the limitation (i.e., quality) of the video codecs. In order to have a video play with some measure of quality, the file size must be large. As you compress the video(reduce the size to fit a CD), you loose the visual quality. It is at best, a compromise.

Using video files compressed on asf is still the best for extreme reduction in file size. If you have a lot of video, this is the way to go. If you have only at few clips, then work with the avi player in AMS and your compression (try RLE or Cinepak)to get the best video picture given the 650 MB CD. The reader can pause or start over, that's it. Sad, but true.

Maybe we can ask for FF or REW in the next version. Anyway, that's my $.02. Good luck.

Happy Holidays,
Michael

[David Delaney]

Re: In an AVI Quandry...

Try gettin the newest version of Media Player from Microsoft - that might be the best and have it installed from the AMS3 menu first, then play the video from it.

[Adam]

Re: In an AVI Quandry...

I have made note of these suggestions and will be sure to pass them on to our developers.

Thanks guys/gals

Adam

[RickAltman]

Re: In an AVI Quandry...

> Try gettin the newest version of Media
Player from Microsoft and have it
installed from the AMS3 menu first.

My dilemma is that I prefer the *older* version. I don't know about you, but my view is that Media Player 2 is a big, slow, overgrown behemoth, while the previous version is nice and lean. In any event, how would one acquire a complete version of mplayer and then install it from an AMS menu? If I knew how, I'd do it!


> Using video files compressed on
asf is still the best for extreme
reduction in file size.

What is ASF?


> Maybe we can ask for FF or REW in the
next version.

I would second that...


Rick A.