QuickTime will (as I have learned) be able to produce files just as small/high-quality as WMV ... its just a matter of having the tools to make it do so. Which to my thinking is gonna require QuickTime Pro.
Windows media files are fine. However you cant really compare them to "QuickTime" because "QuickTime" supports all sorts of codecs ... comparisons to WMV has to be done against a specific flavor of QuickTime.
The bottom line is that using comparable compression settings, WMVs and QuickTime each do very well with similar results. If you're not concerned about being ipod compatible, and dont see yourself using interactivity in your movies ... it's really just a personal choice. If either of those are important to you ... go Quicktime.
Advantages to WMV (within a windows production environment):
1) its VERY easy to produce WMVs. (And they can produce very nice quailty images at decent file sizes).
2) There are all sorts of editors out there with all sorts of feature sets.
3) WMP is installed on most PCs in the world (Microsoft monopoly) - and in some cases users arent free to install quicktime.
Disadvantages to Quicktime (within a windows production environment):
1) Almost no good software editors that work well with Quicktime (unless you want to spend lots of money). Avid has a free tool, but it doesnt work on some systems ... and will still be constrained by not having full access to the QuickTime API.
2) Because of this, publishing QuickTime from windows is going to add some steps to the process ... because there is such AWEFUL support for quicktime export within editors in Windows, you'll need to use your editor of choice to save AVIs .. then import them into QuickTime Pro, then compres, then export, etc...
All that being said ... I'm a windows user who has converted to the QuickTime camp...
Authoring QuickTime in Windows can be a pain in the neck, but once you get a working system down you have a few advantages over Windows Media.
Advantages to QuickTime (within a windows production environment):
1) works on the ipod (may or may not be an issue for you, but its currently in fashion :-P)
2) "fast start" is very easy in Quicktime ... the same effect in Windows is very painful ... I think it may even require a windows media server from which to stream the file *uhg*.
3) Interactivity features are MUCH more robust in quicktime, and far easier to use. (again you may or may not ever chose to use them, but there are very limited interactivity options in WMV while in Quicktime ... well you could code a whole application in your movies :-P)
4) Quicktime lets you mess around with compression settings much easier than Windows Media will - allowing you to find the exact balance of quality/filesize you want.
- Dave
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