codec conversion for large HDTV screen and MPEG-2 issues

Hi there!


2 issues:

1.Client wants the HDV (no audio) videos I have produced to play on 52 inch HDTV monitors in store fronts.

They have PCs set up to do this and they do have web access to the monitors. I have to convert my QT movie to a wmv file in order to play it via the pc.

We are trying to determine the best codec for this. If we load the file to their dedicated PC for the HDTV monitor, do they need a special video card for this to play back in HDV? I do not think the PC is equipped with any kind of specific video card. I am still acquiring information regarding this.

Would it be best to upload the HDV video to their server and play it this way in their monitors? My concern is quality loss. Fuzzy fonts, graphics etc. Would the codec I use need to be h.264?

The second issue is:

2. My Mpeg-2 files are not playing on their system which is:

Mac OS X 6.8.3

Quick Time 10 (which it came with and is the default)

QT 7.6.2 is loaded (for anticipation to convert to windows with QT Pro/flip4mac studio pro HD)

In HD>library>quicktime>Mpeg-2 Component package is showing up. (i suppose this is for IDVD)

The Mpeg-2 videos still won't play (black video) and comes up with a window that says they need a MPEG 2 component plug in ($20).

the source codec is from

Mac OS X 10.4.11
FCP Studio 2 6.0.3


I exported both a pro-res version and an HDV version and
exported Quick Time Movie self contained. It only allowed Medium quality.

the window viewer inspector says


I have asked them to download the MPEG-2 component, but in the event it does not work, is there a successful solution to this? I have never had this happen with any client before or not been able to play Mpeg-2 videos.

I also noticed on one my other macs (10.5) the mpeg-2 videos no longer play. They use to! But on a different Mac 10.6.3 with QT 10 it works fine.

any direction would be appreciated..

Codec? I'm relatively certain WMV is a codec -- "WMV Image Codec" or "Windows Media Video".

You said they were using PCs, but then you said their system was Mac OS 10.6. Which is it?


www.derekmok.com

Hi thanks for the response. The Macs are used by the creative department to produce the videos. The system which the videos will run in will be a PC platform. hence the conversion. They confirmed the videos will be viewed in HD monitors in which each has a dedicated CPU.


I just now discovered just that the PRO RES HQ codec will play on their macs and can be converted to WMV without issues. I have not been able yet to test on the monitors via the CPU. I do not know why I did not consider using Pro Ress in the first place!

The MPEG-2 codec is what tripped us up and we were trying to find a solution to that-I was concerned the HDV quality would be lost if I used a different codec that was compatible with their system. Again, I have never had this issue before and after researching it for a week, turns out many are going through the same thing.

I think the pro-res>wmv will work without loss.(If I can figure out the right export recipe for WMV Studio Pro HD)

Do you even need to convert to WMV if the PC is capable of playing back the ProRes movie?

My software:
Pro Maintenance Tools - Tools to keep Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro running smoothly and fix problems when they arise
Pro Media Tools - Edit QuickTime chapters and metadata, detect gamma shifts, edit markers, watch renders and more
More tools...

Hi,
I would not think it would need to be converted. I am having them test the pro res videos on their platform .