Is this Quicktime or Vegas Problem?

belsokar wrote on 8/19/2003, 6:24 PM
So I'm encoding some quicktime video using the Quicktime template in Vega4 Render As functionality. I have used three diff settings when doing so (Fast Start, Fast Start w/ Compressed Header, and I forget the name of the last)...

I embed the file in my html page using the <embed> tag, and the result I'm looking for is that the file starts streaming immediately (assuming enough video has downloaded already)...I've seen many pages with this type of functionality, where an embedded qt player opens up in the window, and you can actually see the download progress bar moving as it downloads...and as soon as you download a bit, you can usually hit play. My problem however is that the QT logo appears, but the player doesn't open until the file has fully downloaded...I'm afraid this is driving potential customers away from my site since nothing happens for a while as opposed to them seeing some type of progress right away...

any tips on what may be causing this problem?

The following sample code is what I'm having a problem with:

http://www.epicdreamsproductions.com/streamvideo3.htm (this particular file was rendered using the fast start w/ compressed header setting)

Thanks again!

Comments

jpkconsulting wrote on 6/1/2004, 2:29 PM
We have the same identical problem. I have not figured out how to fix it from within Sony Vegas, BUT if you have Quicktime PRO, all you need to do is open the MOV file from QT PRO, and SAVE AS, put a new file name, and select "SELF CONTAINED MOVIE" and use that file.

It works like a charm. Something must be wrong in Vegas, or there is a setting that you or I can not find.
SonyTSW wrote on 6/15/2004, 3:17 PM
What template are you using? The default template has prepare for streaming turned off.

We have found a problem with the streaming parameters if you modify them in a template and re-save the template. You can identify this potential problem by looking at the streaming page in Custom for the template. If you don't see any controls on the page (ie the prepare for streaming checkbox isn't visible), when you render using that template it will be as if you had unchecked the prepare for streaming checkbox.

We are working on a fix for this for Vegas 5.0b. For Vegas 4 users, an update to the QuickTime plug-in for will be made available through Customer Support.
danstine wrote on 6/15/2004, 6:29 PM
I reported this as a problem about 6 weeks ago. Have not heard of either of the previous.

jpkconsulting's work-around works like a charm. Support might want to make a note of this, as it sure would have been nice to know when I was having my grief ...

I've tried SonyTSW's suggestion, or at least I think I did what you suggested. I'm in Vegas 5.0a now, I picked render as 256 Kbps Video template, set my properties the way I wanted in custom. The Streaming tab is checked for Prepare for Streaming, with the optimization Fast start. It is accessible, I could change it if I wanted; but didn't. Rendered my file, uploaded, then tested. It didn't Fast Start. Renamed the file on my server in case you want to see for yourself, then tried jpkconsulting's work-around, and it did Fast Start.

By the way, Quicktime Pro is only $30, and does lot's of other goodies to make it well worth the investment. Just don't try to report bugs to Apple unless you're in the developer program.

Dianne