D-Link Modem Upload Problem on Cox Internet

Published by Kroy March 17th, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

If you are on Cox Communication’s Premier plan and your modem is disconnecting when you try to upload anything all you’ll likely have the D-Link DCM-202.

Yesterday, Cox increased the speeds for Premier plan customers. Upload speeds were increased to 4 or 5 Mbps, downloads increased to about 25Mbps. Unfortunately Cox messed up and didn’t apparently test that their upgrade would work all modems on their approved list. The D-Link DCM-202 has massive problems with uploads on Cox’ new setup – it disconnects if you are trying to upload anything. Once you stop the upload attempt, the modem will reconnect. Downloads should be fine but even those might be affected.

Cox didn’t feel it’s necessary to at least acknowledge this problem on their web site so many customers were, like me, totally caught off-guard about it and have to figure this out on their own. The DCM-202 is one of the most widely used modems so there are probably lots and lots of customers who are undoubtedly freaking out right now. Lovely service, Cox.

Cox’ new infrastructure works best with DOCSIS 3.0 modems. The D-Link DCM-202 and almost all other currently available modems however are only DOCSIS 2.0 compliant. Apparently, D-Link is the only modem manufacturer that currently has these problems on Cox’ new deal. Cox and D-Link supposedly are working together to figure out what the problem is.

Since you’ll likelyneed your internet to actually work right now and not when Cox and D-Link get around to working things out you will need to get a different cable modem. Luckily, you can buy any common cable modem (for example, the Linksys CM-100 you’ll find at Target and Staples works just fine) – just don’t buy another D-Link DCM 202. It just won’t work.

Ideally you’ll purchase Motorola’s SB6120 modem though – it’s the only DOCSIS 3.0 compliant modem Cox can work with (disregard the Cisco modem they have on their list – according to a rep I spoke to, that one is not supported right now either). The Motorola SB 6120 also one of the few DOCSIS 3.0 modems currently available on the market. But you might need to order that one online – I was unable to get one at any of the Fry’s Electronic stores or three other electronic places I went to. It’s sold out everywhere apparently, at least at the time of this writing.

So summary: if you’re on Cox Premier and have the D-Link DCM-202 go out right now and buy a different cable modem. I hope this helps you and saves you hours on the phone with tech support and running around town trying to find the SB6120.

How To: 24p Firmware Upgrade on Canon 5D Mark II

Published by Kroy March 15th, 2010 in Photography. 0 Comments

If you are the lucky owner of a Canon 5 D Mark II you may have heard that Canon finally released a firmware upgrade to allow your baby to record in 24p mode. It’ll also allow your 5D to record at 29.97 fps rather than the cumbersome 30p.

This video was created by the creators of Magic Lantern, which you can think of as open source software improvements to your 5D. It adds useful stuff such as zebra patterns and audio meters to your Canon 5D. It’s free and still in beta but it might be worth a shot if you are using your 5D to shoot movies. If you want to install Magic Lantern on your 5D make sure you read the entire wiki page (link above) before you do.

The Canon firmware upgrade should be available sometime in March on Canon’s DSLR site.

Lady Gaga: Product Placement, Pantyhose, Oh My!

Published by Kroy March 14th, 2010 in Editing with Kroy and Production Tips. 0 Comments

Production/Editing tip:

When you watch a music video from a top shelf act, nothing is an accident. Nothing. Every little product placement, fetish item, gesture, look etc. is planned and usually has a reason for being there. “Sex sells” is a truism, but that’s not the full story. There’s some off-the-wall, even kinky stuff that just stands out. It’s meant to shock. Lady Gaga videos (and her appearances) might be some of the more obvious examples. Think the fact she is wearing pantyhose (really, all kinds of hosiery) in nearly every appearance is an accident (think ‘Love Game‘) ? No. She (and/ or her producers/PR team) understand the power of fetish.

Pay close attention and you notice some subtle audio ‘easter eggs’. People love easter eggs. And if you do ‘em right they will help you sell better. Remember: your viewer’s subconscious is always on. You have to sell to it, too.

People LOVE pop culture references. This video has tons of them. Do you ever do that?

Notice how her branded earphones make an appearance? How about the ‘Beats Br Dr Dre‘ logo? How about the Virgin Mobile logo? Wonderbread? The product placement in this video is not very subtle, but it can work. Even if you don’t do product placement, there are lots and lots of other aspects you should study. Lady Gaga/Beyonce’s Telephone video isn’t the only video that incorporates symbolism, fetish visuals, product placement, etc of course. It’s just recent example with some obvious stuff happening. So even if you’re not very good at spotting these things yet, this video will be a wonderful training guide for you.


If you are shooting porn you may think this doesn’t apply to you. What does a top act’s music video have to do with your work, right? No, it’s much deeper than that. For right now, forget about anything but ‘getting into the consumer’s head”. Think subtle, even subconscious symbolism. Think about the way you shoot/edit and the way they shoot/edit. Think about how fetish items (in Lady Gaga’s case, pantyhose, piercings, latex etc) are introduced in an almost teasing manner. It certainly draws attention. Think about those barely audible audio easter eggs. Some naughty stuff is going on there. If your conscious mind doesn’t hear it, your sub-conscious mind does.

Think about…well, you get the point. Now think about  your trailers.

How can you make your trailers be more appealing? Stand out? Be remarkable? Entice without giving everything away? I’m not saying every one of your movies or trailers needs to be a overly complicated piece of avantgarde video art. Far from it. Even if the source material isn’t totally off the wall, your editing can make a huge difference. You can take vanilla material and make it sizzle. You can make people click through to the join page after seeing your trailer, and they don’t even know why. Your viewers should have images from your movie/trailer in their head when they’ve already moved on from your site. Which might make them come back. Believe it, I’m doing this every day. It is possible.

Watch Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s Telephone video for some inspiration.

6 things about porn that are kind of gay when you think about it

Published by Kroy March 14th, 2010 in Production Tips. 0 Comments

Today’s shooting tips…

Here are 6 things about porn that are kind of gay when you think about it. As Seinfeld would say “(gay)…not that there’s anything wrong with it…”. Of course there’s nothing wrong with being gay. But if you shoot porn for straight consumers you should watch out for some stuff – like the following six ‘gay’ things. If you don’t think of them as gay, you’ll probably agree that they could be considered ‘gross’ or at least ‘not visually appealing to most male consumers’. Just because your competitors can’t be bothered to watch out for this doesn’t mean you should be like that too. Personally I’m always amazed how this doesn’t seem to bother a lot of shooters/editors. They figure, ‘well, it sells anyways’ so that’s good enough then apparently. No, it’s not. Not anymore. Oh you’re just doing your job? Your boss didn’t tell you specifically about this and you just want this to be done with? Well, that’s a valid excuse then. For those who wish to grow, and strive in this market, let’s ponder some things:

Six gay/gross/unappealing things:

1) More naked guys than girls. Gangbangs are the worst. One tiny porn girl and five huge sweaty fat guys covering her up for the entire scene. Yuck!

2) Guy jerking off for an hour standing over/next to the female talent before he can jizz over her face. Editors, please start noticing this stuff. Consumers do not like it.

3) POV-guy behind the camera somehow manages to include the phrase “my COCK!” every ten seconds.

4) Double Penetration scenes (DP) with one dick constantly brushing up on the other guy. Ewwww! I know, hard to avoid but please fucking TRY.

5) Cutting away from the girl and doing a closeup of guy’s face when he “orgams” (usually a pick-up shot). Instant boner loss.

6) Not really gay, but excessively long “man blanket” shots. (Man blanket = male talent covering up girl with his body)

Am I being petty? I don’t think so. My most successful content is that where I (or my content producing client) is careful about not having ‘too much man’ in the picture. Some of the best selling content doesn’t even show the male talent’s face or most of his body much at all. Might not always work for you depending on your style but try it.

Quick side note, I’m certainly aware that there are  shooters who incorporate this type of stuff on purpose to appeal to the hidden homo-erotic fantasies of  straight consumers.But if you aren’t doing this on purpose, and you are supposed to be shooting/editing with as little “dude stuff” in front of the lens as possible, then take those points above to heart and try some different angles and approaches. Yes, it might mean you’ll actually have to start thinking about shit on set again but hey, wouldn’t making more appealing content be worth it?

And yes, I’m writing this somewhat tongue in cheek. Having been a shooter and editor myself I understand that sometimes you just don’t have the time or attention to notice  these things. Or you get just a little too comfortable, especially if you’ve been shooting/editing for a while. After all, the “other guys” are doing it that way too, right? Or maybe you want your male talent to be as comfortable as possible so you let them run the show. And who knows, maybe there’s actually a big percentage of straight consumers who like watching that type of stuff, right? Well, don’t bank on it. Consumers have become more vocal over the past few years. Read their comments on review sites, or (gasp!!) tube sites and you’ll notice trends. More and more of your potential customers are basically telling you what they don’t like. This type of  insight into consumer preferences is unprecedented and something we couldn’t have dreamed of just a few years ago. You just have to pay attention now. If you want every edge possible then start seeing those trends and do your research – or be left behind.

Shrinking Steve Jobs Presents the iPad, Seth Godin Cries

Published by Kroy March 6th, 2010 in Sales & Marketing. 0 Comments

Steve Jobs iPad

Update 03/12

Looks like I wasn’t as clever as I thought with the “shrinking Steve Jobs” thing – Rocket Fuel apparently thought of this gag before I did. Well, it is kinda obvious. Regardless, the actual point of this post still stands:

Marketing Tip: Selling Mediocre Stuff

Seth Godin, who (rightfully) says that one needs to have something truly remarkable in order to strive in today’s markets, is gonna hate this but here it goes…

You know, while the iPad has garnered some of the most negative views I’ve ever read from folks on forums and gadget comment sections, you have to remember that marketing is where it’s at.

Mediocre, crippled shit doesn’t sell – unless you’re Steve Jobs. I truly consider Steve Jobs one of the greatest marketers of all time (caveat below…). Steve can present a card board box  and we all think we can’t live without it. He is a master at ‘locking in’ customers. Everything Apple makes is ‘ground breaking’ and ‘revolutionary’, even though almost everything they’ve come out with had already been done in one form or another.

Reasonable, well informed people know this. But most consumers are neither reasonable nor well informed it seems. So you need to take this into consideration if you market something mediocre.
But Apple knows how to pull in the masses with the right words, the right design, the right hype, and fostering a cult following second to none in the gadget world. Steve Jobs is a marketing god – which is why even the iPad will sell well. Regardless of how you feel about Apple products, you should study the man.

Here is the problem: you are not Steve Jobs. So mediocre don’t cut it. Seth Godin is right after all…

Seth Godin is one of the most prolific marketers of our time. I have been devouring everything this man has published since Idea Virus and a lot of my marketing incorporates his ideas in some form. Any serious marketer needs to stock up on his books, especially All Marketers Are Liars,  and Purple Cow, and check out his blog musings on a regular basis.

Jenna Jameson’s Girly Advice

Published by Kroy February 25th, 2010 in Model Tips. 0 Comments

Jenna Jameson makeup tipsLooks like Jenna Jameson is back writing regularly on her blog House of Jameson (http://www.houseofjameson.com).

It’s not at all what one might expect to read from who was once the world’s most popular pornstar until she became a (very sexy) mommy of twins. Jenna talks about fashion, make-up and even dares to venture into some unspeakably girly territories such as how to best carry around a supply of tampons without grossing out whoever is going through your purse. The whole thing is unpretentious, very honest, and relevant even to those women who don’t have a ton of money to spend on fashion and beauty. Make-up advice from a pornstar? I’m sure lots of ladies will want to scoop that out.

The blog is oddly informative, especially to women who are looking for insider make up and fashion advice. Jenna remembers her poor roots too and talks about where to buy sexy lingerie and makeup for cheap. Just because you have money doesn’t mean you have to spend it on looking good. Jenna understands that.

So if you ever wanted to get the inside scoop from a bona fide pornstar about properly selecting and using make-up, or how to spice up your wardrobe, Jenna’s blog is for you.

Regardless if you are in the adult industry or not, check out Jenna’s blog – you might just learn a trick or two.

Ozzy Osbourne Book Signing, Tempe AZ, Changing Hands 02/20/2010

Published by Kroy February 20th, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Insanely long line at the Changing Hands book store in Tempe, Arizona. Those with a ticket are assigned a group number. Since I don’t have six hours to just stand around I decided to pay someone in the group to call me when they are closer to the book store entrance. Not gonna cry if I never get that call…

Video camera: Blackberry Curve; Original Resolution 240×176 at 14.69 FPS

Marketing: Response on HTC Supersonic from Sprint Reveals…

Published by Kroy February 20th, 2010 in Marketing with Kroy. 0 Comments
HTC Supersonic render, courtesy of Andophones.comToday’s Marketing Lesson – by Sprint
The rumored Sprint Supersonic sounded like something I might stay with Sprint for but information on the mysterious device is fairly scarce. I wanted to find out a release date on the Supersonic but didn’t expect much of a clear answer from them. So I wasn’t surprised to get exactly that, however reading the “subtle” attempt to hype up the phone in the Sprint rep’s email response made me smile:
—————————————————————————————————-
Dear XXXXXXXXXX:
Thank you for contacting Sprint. Please be advised Sprint has not
released any information on when we will have the Supersonic; the first
live shot of HTC’s killer Supersonic for Sprint, a phone that we’ve
heard would feature HD2 -like specs in an HD2-like shell: 4.3-inch
display, fast processor, and an unbelievably thin body, to be specific.
With the inclusion of Android 2.1 with Sense and WiMAX, perfect for
Sprint’s budding 4G network. The site that’s leaked the photo also says
we can expect an FM radio and a 1GHz clock.
We value your business and appreciate the opportunity to address your
concerns. Please reply to this email or visit Sprint.com/mysprint if we
can be of further assistance.
Case ID xxxxxxx
Thank you,
XXXXXX X.
Sprint Premier Back Office
Dedicated to Excellence! More….Better….Faster!
—————————————————————–

The interesting part to marketers here is this: if you read the response (hint: power words) it’s clear that what is supposed to look like a personal opinion from a Sprint employee is a (not so) carefully worded hype element. Basically they are trying to stay mysterious and hush-hush, even distancing themselves from making an official statement by putting in a disclaimer (first sentence), while still confirming that the Supersonic is indeed coming out. And, without officially saying so, the email even gives some specs, which to me reads like an ad  for it. Listing the “leaked, not confirmed” specs and using words like “unbelievably thin body” is meant to whet my (the consumer’s) appetite. It worked. This style of quasi guerilla hype marketing is a bit unusual for Sprint. I like it.

I think Sprint needs to fight with everything it’s got. If this means to let their reps respond to inquiries about leaked phones with a bit of fake hype then so be it. Even if it’s cookie cutter text written to look like it’s the personal opinion from an employee and not a official Sprint statement is okay here. Yes, maybe this could be worded a little differently, a little less obvious. But I’m glad to see Sprint trying this route.

Browse External Drive with IPod, IPhone

Published by Kroy February 6th, 2010 in Technology. 0 Comments

I had an idea that somebody with more time and dev skills could run with. Here it is: write an app that allows someone to plug the iPhone or an iPod Touch into an external hard drive and browse its contents.

I have to deal with literally hundreds of external hard drives clients give me, and some I use for my own long term storage needs. The pain is that no manufacturer has figured out a way to put even a basic LCD on it that allows me to see what’s on a drive without having to power it up, plug it in a computer, and go from there.

For most consumers this is a non-issue but if you have a lot of drives, checking what’s on a hard drive, or see how much disk space is left, can become very time consuming.

So it would be great if I could connect an iPhone/iPod Touch to an external drive via USB and at least see the file names and how much disk space is still available, without having to go through a computer. Ideally this would work even without having to use an external power adapter for the drive (some drives can be powered up via USB only), but I don’t know if that’s technically possible with the iPod/iPhone’s limitations. I understand the chipset in those is a USB slave only, but maybe some super geeky dev or company could come up with a way around that.

I hope this proposal makes sense. If you’re ready for a challenge, go forth and create. I know lots of folks like me will thank you and pay handsomely for an app like that.

Videographers Wishlist for the iPad

Published by Kroy February 3rd, 2010 in Technology and apple. 0 Comments

Gary from Videoguys created a videographer’s wishlist for the recently announced Apple iPad. Given its limitations and closed development those wishes probably will remain dreams for the time being but the ideas are great. What’s your idea?

Make sure to follow Gary Bettan and Videoguys on Twitter @videoguys

Flash on iPad, iPhone Necessary to Watch Porn, Adobe Says

Published by Kroy February 1st, 2010 in adobe and apple. 0 Comments

No porn for you!Adobe fired back at Steve Jobs’ bs about Flash not being necessary on his iPad/iPhone/iPod touch toys by showing a screenshot of prominent sites with the “missing Flash plugin” icon taunting the Apple gadget user. Among the images is a screenshot of popular pay site BangBros.com.

Point made, Adobe, well done. Of course the employee who put this up apologized and removed the image. Why? It’s a valid point. Porn, like it or not, is a major part of the web. We can dance around the issue all day long but fact is more and more mobile device users access adult sites. If you have an iPhone or are planning on using the iPad, which would be a great porn browsing device by the way, then you’re out of luck.

At least BangBros.com has a mobile version (which isn’t nearly as complete as its main sites) but many other sites do not. Besides, the iPad would be perfect to access the full thing in all its glory. Well again, ya can’t.

Me thinks not allowing Flash on Apple mobile devices has less to do with instability issues, as Mr. Jobs claims, and more with the fact that once you allow Flash, users could get a gigantic amount of free stuff such as movies, videos (Hulu, for example) and games -  and Apple would prefer you pay for everything you consume on your Apple device.

Adobe should stick with this, it is a good point.

No Flash on iPad – What’s the Excuse

Published by Kroy February 1st, 2010 in Gadgets, Marketing with Kroy and apple. 1 Comment

According to an article on Cnet, Steve Jobs basically said that people have too many problems with Flash on a Mac and that it doesn’t matter anyways in the future because web video will be presented via HTML5 instead of Flash. So despite massive requests for Flash on the iPhone and now the iPad, Apple won’t budge.

Hey, I love what HTML5 will be able to do. In the future. Flash is pretty bloated, yes. And while I personally never had any problems with Flash on my Macbook Pro, I believe that others do. But you know what Steve, your iPad is going to sell NOW. So we want to watch Hulu and all the other Flash-based video sites on it NOW. Not in the future. NOW.

See, this is the difference between a mega corporation like Apple and us “little porn guys”. If we pulled this “we don’t like this format so we’re not supporting it” bullshit we’d be out of business. For Apple, not having Flash is a feature.

From a marketing perspective, Apple is God. Making a lack of something a feature and claiming this lack is to provide a better user experience (because choice just isn’t good for people, apparently) is pure gold – mostly because a lot of people actually buy into that nonsense.

How Nothing’s Changed – Vintage Porn

Published by Kroy January 15th, 2010 in Video. 0 Comments

A reader sent me this vintage porn clip. It’s funny to come across a porno from the beginning of last century and realize that nothing’s changed. Yes, our great-grand parents liked to watch other people fuck just like we do. Those pioneering pornographers from back then shot their movies pretty much the same way we do now.

Except of course now it’s cool to be in porn. I can’t tell you the number of girls (mostly from good families) who want to shoot porn for my clients. Being in porn is the new cool. Except it’s not new at all…

Google Public DNS, Open DNS – Should You Switch?

Published by Kroy December 8th, 2009 in Tips and Tricks. 0 Comments

So you read about Google’s new Public DNS service, or maybe you’ve heard of Open DNS and you know DNS has something to do with your internet connection. So should you “switch your DNS”? What does that even mean?

DNS – What Is It?

The quick and dirty explanation is: Domain Name System aka DNS makes it possible for you to type in a domain name into your address bar, instead of an IP address. DNS translates the domain name back into its IP-address equivalent. There’s more to what DNS does but for our purposes here, this is what matters.

Why a third party DNS?

One reason for using a service like Open DNS is because it lets you do some things like filter out certain sites at the DNS level (popular with schools and corporations), among other control-y things.

What’s the fastest DNS then?

Sometimes an ISP’s DNS service happens to be slower than another one. Sometimes your ISP is just fine. If sites are coming up slower than usual, or not at all, a variety of reasons could be to blame, one of them a problem with the DNS service. By the way, a neat way to see if a site is having problems, or just you, check out http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ . It does exactly what the name says.

Switch? Yes? No?

So if your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is already doing this then why would you want to switch to another DNS service? You probably don’t need to.

But how do you know if your DNS is the fastest one? What about Google’s new Public DNS. Or Open DNS? Those are not necessarily faster for you and in order to find out you can download a free program/app that runs a test to see which DNS service is faster for you. It’s called Namebench.

Find the fastest DNS

Namebench is free (Windows/Mac/Linux) and runs for a few minutes before showing you a detailed page with the fastest DNS service, and slower ones in ascending order below that. For example, running Namebench on one of my machines I found out that my ISP already offers me the fastest DNS service, far faster than Google’s Public DNS or Open DNS.

Namebench DNS results

Check out the screenshot above: in my case here, you’ll see Primary Server which is actually my gateway’s (router) IP address, under “Recommended configuration”. Below that it lists my ISP and the IP address it has assigned to me at this time. I blurred that out because I don’t trust none of you motorscooters. :)

In the Tested DNS Servers section you will again see your IP address, as well as all the other DNS servers tested for you. Look in the “Avg (ms)” column. The lower the number the faster the connection. In my example, my ISP-provided DNS connection is already faster than any of the other servers tested. Good news for me!

If you scroll down further, Namebench gives you a bunch of graphs that give you more detail about the test results than you need. Point is, pick the fastest DNS service if you are unhappy with your current DNS’ performance. If you do want to switch from your ISP’s DNS to another one do a quick Google search on how to do that. It’s much easier than it sounds, but unless you are constantly experiencing problems, or wish to explore some of the more advanced options a DNS service like Open DNS offers, you probably won’t need to.

Free Video Encoders and Converters – Mac – PC

Published by Kroy December 6th, 2009 in Codecs and Video Software. 0 Comments

Free video encoder Xilisoft converts only to Windows Media 8 (wmv2)VIDEO ENCODING – WMV and FLASH

I just want to mention something in regards to video encoders because I get a lot of questions about that stuff. If you are at all serious about encoding WMVs and FLVs, please forget about free encoding programs. This is especially true for the Mac. Even with paid-for program be very careful…

The Short Answer

If you want to publish the best quality WMVs or FLVs forget about free apps. All of them. If you’re on a Mac you’re especially screwed. Read on…

If you are going to publish videos to a large number of people and make a living doing it, like if you’re operating a paysite, you absolutely need to offer the best possible expected quality WMVs and Flash movies.

This means your WMVs need to be encoded to Windows Media Version 9 (four letter code: wmv3. Part of the VC1 specs), and your FLVs need to be encoded with On2’s VP6 codec (H.264 is now possible too but I won’t get into that here).

The old (outdated) way to encode WMVs is with the codec named wmv2 ( aka Windows Media 8). And prior to VP6, one would usually use the Sorenson codec to create FLVs. Both methods are obsolete now if you expect the best quality.

By the way, many server-side transcoders use some command line magic with FFMPEG to make FLVs because On2 VP6 is proprietary and would cost money. Creating FLVs with FFMPEG is free but those files don’t look nearly as good at comparative bitrates as FLVs created with VP6, for the most part. This is why the stuff on porn tube sites looks so bad: it’s usually encoded using “free methods”  (because thieves don’t like to pay for encoding either) and at low bit rates.

GET TO THE POINT! WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

The problem: Most encoders you can download for free, and even many non-free converters, encode your files using the old codecs. That’s a big deal if you want to make a living with your content. FFMPEG-encoded FLVs might be okay for free tube sites but if you’re selling your stuff your videos better look GREAT. And for that you need On2 VP6. The same is true for WMVs – encoding your files to the old Windows Media 8 is just not acceptable any longer. It needs to be Windows Media 9, especially if your WMVs are supposed to be High Definition.

THROW ‘EM ALL AWAY

Forget about Xilisoft Media Converter, Any Video Converter, and all that other junk. Only people who don’t know enough about proper encoding love these programs, mostly because they’re free. If you’re a pro, or want to be, skip ‘em.

If you’re in the early stages of looking for a good encoder please save yourself the time and headaches and read the following: Virtually all free encoders lack support to encode files to Windows Media Version 9 (wmv3 codec; VC1). With the exception of the overpriced (and buggy, at least for me) Flip4Mac WMV Studio Pro HD, all encoders I’ve come across for the Mac encode to the old wmv2 (Windows Media 8 ) standard, which, pardon my french, is bullshit. WM8 is old and inefficient. It’s almost 2010, Windows Media Version 9 has been out since 2006 yet almost all the encoders for Mac still encode to Windows Media 8.

I can somewhat understand free encoders only converting to outdated codecs. But unfortunately even a lot of paid-for programs/apps do this stuff and you won’t know until you actually start converting. It’s misleading and probably illegal but they get away with it anyways (“convert to highest quality WMVs with our encoder”…yeah right.)

Yes, some apps you have to pay for still encode to Windows Media 8, like DV Kitchen on the Mac. That’s simply not acceptable.

So far NONE of the free encoders do this right.

SO WHAT SHOULD I DO THEN?

If you are encoding your videos for your personal enjoyment or to share with a few friends, go ahead and use one of the free encoders. If you are doing this for commercial reasons, expect to shell out some money for a decent encoder like Sorenson Squeeze, Cleaner, or some of the other professional encoders. By the way, Adobe’s Premiere Pro, Flash Professional, and the respective Creative Suites that offer those programs come with the Adobe Media Encoder. It technically can convert almost anything to anything else, and it does use all forms of VC1 (wmv3 /Windows Media 9) and the On2 VP6 codec. When it works it’s excellent. Unfortunately there sometimes are some bugs depending on your source files and hardware, so be prepared to fork out additional cash for supplemental encoders if you are one of the unlucky few to encounter these problems.

Alwasy TRY before you buy. There are lots of variables, particularly in term of your systems’ specs. Make sure your chosen encoder works for you before you commit the funds.

If you need to convert to FLV-only you can get Flix or Flix Pro ($$$) which is made by On2, the company that created the VP6 codec in the first place. Flix Pro is not cheap but an excellent stand-alone converter and if you want to do batch encoding then Pro is your only choice.

MAC VS PC

I’ve tried most commonly known encoders on both Windows and Mac over the years. Virtually all major free ones, and premium professional programs such as Sorenson Squeeze, Cleaner, Episode, Flip4Mac HD, and many others. Mac has the worst selection of them all. For a platform that’s supposedly so media creation oriented it’s astoundingly bad at creating the most basic and widely used forms of media. No-cost simply does not exist on the Mac if you want quality output files. None of the free apps do Windows Media or FLVs right. Even expensive “pro apps” are oddly buggy. I’ve had incredibly bad experiences with Flip4Mac Pro HD, and Episode, but some Mac-loving folks I know swear by it so YMMV.

On the Windows side things are a little better but not much. You might point out that I’ve written about the free SUPER encoder in the past. Frankly, SUPER is fine for personal use, or if you are encoding to a format other than Windows Media, or FLV. It does a good job converting to MPEG1, and various phone formats. Even its MP4/x.264 is okay in many cases, and I love its media info feature. But SUPER is not the way to go if you are encoding to FLV or Windows Media. Oddly enough, earlier this year SUPER supposedly made it possible to convert to Windows Media 9 but I was not able to get it to work properly on any of my workstations. The recent versions are also crashing frequently, especially on Windows 7 64bit.

In short, free converters on Windows usually face the same problems as on the Mac side of things, although a few programs at least do one of the two (WMV, FLV) right. Well, sometimes. Kinda. And that’s where the trouble begins because ’sometimes’ and ‘kinda’ just doesn’t cut it if you’re trying to create good quality media consistently and under deadlines.

WRAP-UP

For my professional work I always go back to using professional programs because the difference is just too great. Unfortunately, even pro (read: expensive) programs have their problems, as I pointed out earlier. For example, the Adobe Media Encoder does a great job most of the time but I’ve encountered some bugs with it too. Discrete Cleaner is okay on Windows but outdated and slow on the Mac. Squeeze has gotten quite good with its latest version but to me it didn’t feel good enough to replace Adobe Media Encoder. So in short, try them all and see what works best for your particular system and input files. Just make sure your program of choice encodes to Windows Media and FLV files correctly. Windows Media Version 9 (wmv3) and On2 VP6. Keep those two in mind.

I hope this helps someone looking to step up encoding quality, and maybe it’ll cut down on encoding questions I get. :) ~

NOTE: I’m sure some smart ass is going to say he tried XYZ’s free program and it was great. Someone else is going to point out how one can tweak the heck out of server transcoders and make FLVs created with FFMPEG look good. I don’t care. I’m talking about standalone programs for workstations and desktops, and the fact that virtually all of those supposedly great free programs really are junk when it comes to creating WMVs and FLVs. Especially Mac fanbois tend to take it personally when I point out the flaws and the fact that the Mac, or rather the OS X platform, simply is not nearly as conducive to professional content creation as Apple’s marketing likes to claim. Macboys, I dare you to show me a free app on the Mac that encodes to Windows Media 9 and On2 VP6. 

« Previous Entries

About Kroy

Kroy is a freelance Creative and Technical counselor specialized in video and photo media production, web publishing, and online marketing for the Adult Entertainment Industry.
Learn more about Kroy at KROYCOM

::: Get on my Hotlist! :::










Kroy on Twitter

Kroy Podcasts

Podcast interview on Sin 2.0
Shooting Content Made Simple Pt. I
Shooting Content Made Simple Pt. II
Shooting Affiliate Program Management

Kroy Recommends: B&H Photo Video

Camcorders for Every Budget

18 U.S.C. Section 2257 Compliance Notice