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Patton76 · Mar 20, 2003, 10:58 PM

On this section on the CNN homepage are several QT movies:

Interactive: Iraq battle scenarios

This is kind of strange, since CNN dropped all QT support some time ago, they switched all their movies to Real and WMP.

You should think that CNN would use WMP or real for those movies.

Maybe CNN realized QT is still the superior codec to quickly make movies.

Any reactions on this change?

Mike S. · Mar 21, 2003, 12:54 AM

Originally posted by Patton76:
On this section on the CNN homepage are several QT movies:

Interactive: Iraq battle scenarios

This is kind of strange, since CNN dropped all QT support some time ago, they switched all their movies to Real and WMP.

You should think that CNN would use WMP or real for those movies.

Maybe CNN realized QT is still the superior codec to quickly make movies.

Any reactions on this change?

I seem to recall CNN equipping all of their field reporters with Powerbooks and Final Cut Pro so they can essentially have portable studios.

Heck, they can broadcast direct with QT Streaming server and some of that video coming off the aircraft carriers looked like something streamed online.

If they're using Macs, Final Cut and Quicktime already it only makes sense that their online content be in QT as well.

Camelot · Mar 21, 2003, 03:37 AM

I can't find any QuickTime content on CNN's site.

Every 'video' link I follow wants me to subscribe to CNN/RealONE's subscription service (RealPlayer-based), which I absolutely REFUSE to do.

Agasthya · Mar 21, 2003, 04:01 AM

Originally posted by Camelot:
I can't find any QuickTime content on CNN's site.

Every 'video' link I follow wants me to subscribe to CNN/RealONE's subscription service (RealPlayer-based), which I absolutely REFUSE to do.

[APi]TheMan · Mar 21, 2003, 06:04 AM

Originally posted by agasthya:

Took the words right out of my mouth. I won't touch RealPlayer or Windows Media Player. If I have to, I'll try playing WMP content with MplayerOSX, but that doesn't do streams. So if Mplayer can't do it, oh well.

grobbins · Mar 21, 2003, 12:11 PM

Most users of RealOne Player for Mac OS X seem happy with it, and the software is free and not intrusive. Why are you choosing to avoid it?

quadgrande · Mar 21, 2003, 12:27 PM

Yeah, I hate to be blasphemous, but I've been watching a lot of internet video recently. I think RealOne's content looks better than QuickTimes.

1. Video starts sooner
2. Video looks better, larger (smoother?, anti-aliased maybe?)

I'm not going to pay CNN for content though, and I can't complain about the vastness of what Quicktime brings to video that clearly RealOne doesn't.

voodoo · Mar 21, 2003, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
Took the words right out of my mouth. I won't touch RealPlayer or Windows Media Player. If I have to, I'll try playing WMP content with MplayerOSX, but that doesn't do streams. So if Mplayer can't do it, oh well.

VLC 0.5.2 does WiMP streams.

Synotic · Mar 21, 2003, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by grobbins:
Most users of RealOne Player for Mac OS X seem happy with it, and the software is free and not intrusive. Why are you choosing to avoid it?

I also agree, RealPlayer in OS 9 was horrible but it's a lot nicer now (and works nicely in Safari...

) If you want an example, go to bbc, they have free video streams.

passmaster16 · Mar 21, 2003, 05:25 PM

Originally posted by Synotic:
I also agree, RealPlayer in OS 9 was horrible but it's a lot nicer now (and works nicely in Safari... ) If you want an example, go to bbc, they have free video streams.

I agree as well. While WMP is plain horrible, RealPlayer isn't too bad. I don't think it's better than Quicktime, but it does a decent job. I just wish Apple would have better plugin support for browsers. I hate going to a website and having to download the Real or WMP link, then play it. Maybe I'm just spoiled by windoze in that respect.

VValdo · Mar 22, 2003, 03:28 AM

Originally posted by passmaster16:
I agree as well. While WMP is plain horrible, RealPlayer isn't too bad. I don't think it's better than Quicktime, but it does a decent job. I just wish Apple would have better plugin support for browsers. I hate going to a website and having to download the Real or WMP link, then play it. Maybe I'm just spoiled by windoze in that respect.

My objection is purely political. WMP and RP are both known for historical tendancies towards spyware, adware, reconfiguring your computer to use their player for numerous formats without asking, and in the case of WMP deliberately breaking Quicktime on Windows. .

I will never put any microsoft software on my machine again.

W

libraryguy · Mar 22, 2003, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by passmaster16:
I agree as well. While WMP is plain horrible, RealPlayer isn't too bad. I don't think it's better than Quicktime, but it does a decent job. I just wish Apple would have better plugin support for browsers. I hate going to a website and having to download the Real or WMP link, then play it. Maybe I'm just spoiled by windoze in that respect.

RealPlayer files open up fine for me in Safari...embeded right in the browser. But, Windows MP is another story...I don't think the plugin works well with Safari.

Camelot · Mar 22, 2003, 09:42 PM

Just for clarification's sake, it isn't RealPlayer I'm objecting to (I have it installed), it's paying a monthly subscription for the content CNN are showing.

rytc · Mar 22, 2003, 11:43 PM

Originally posted by libraryguy:
RealPlayer files open up fine for me in Safari...embeded right in the browser. But, Windows MP is another story...I don't think the plugin works well with Safari.

The WMP plugin doesn't work in anything but IE, its one of its many great 'features'