Sasha Harris-Cronin

I'm looking for a little advice. I have some exhibits that need to do some simple high definition video playback, including keeping track of timecode, switching movies and seeking within them. Until now, they've been spec'd as using harddisk MPEG-2 video players. Unfortunately, we've tested the major ones (Mantis, Adtec, Alcorn-McBride) and they can output high definition without a hitch, but they all suck at seeking within movies. So I'm thinking about trying with Jitter and a mac mini.

I know I can bang out the playing and seeking easily enough in Jitter. I'm curious about the playback quality, though.

I'm guessing the video will be 720 x 1280 but I'm curious about 1080 x 1920 as well. I probably have a little leeway about resolution, but it will not be standard def. The playback is very vanilla. Not even fades between the clips.

What encoding type/quality is best? PhotoJPEG 50%? Is there a way to take advantage of OpenGL? Can I even do that on the 64MB Intel GMA950 vdieo card that is in the mac mini?

I know this question has been addressed in various ways before, but things change quickly enough that I thought I'd ask again.

I'm looking for a little advice.  I have some exhibits that need to do some simple high definition video playback, including keeping track of timecode, switching movies and seeking within them.  Until now, they've been spec'd as using harddisk MPEG-2 video players.  Unfortunately, we've tested the major ones (Mantis, Adtec, Alcorn-McBride) and they can output high definition without a hitch, but they all suck at seeking within movies. So I'm thinking about trying with Jitter and a mac mini.

I know I can bang out the playing and seeking easily enough in Jitter.  I'm curious about the playback quality, though.

I'm guessing the video will be 720 x 1280 but I'm curious about 1080 x 1920 as well.  I probably have a little leeway about resolution, but it will not be standard def.  The playback is very vanilla.  Not even fades between the clips.

What encoding type/quality is best?  PhotoJPEG 50%?  Is there a way to take advantage of OpenGL?  Can I even do that on the 64MB Intel GMA950 vdieo card that is in the mac mini?  

advice-on-hidef-playback

the current mac minis are incapable of decent 1080i playback in jitter 

with photoJPEG 75%. they are jittery. you'll have better luck with 

720p. also, if there is no blending, use direct-to-window playback 

(send the message 'window [jit.window's name]' into jit.qt.movie to do 

On Jan 26, 2008, at 3:51 PM, Sasha Harris-Cronin wrote:

> I'm looking for a little advice. I have some exhibits that need to 

> do some simple high definition video playback, including keeping 

> track of timecode, switching movies and seeking within them. Until 

> now, they've been spec'd as using harddisk MPEG-2 video players. 

> Unfortunately, we've tested the major ones (Mantis, Adtec, Alcorn- 

> McBride) and they can output high definition without a hitch, but 

> they all suck at seeking within movies. So I'm thinking about trying 

> I know I can bang out the playing and seeking easily enough in 

> Jitter. I'm curious about the playback quality, though.

> I'm guessing the video will be 720 x 1280 but I'm curious about 1080 

> x 1920 as well. I probably have a little leeway about resolution, 

> but it will not be standard def. The playback is very vanilla. Not 

> What encoding type/quality is best? PhotoJPEG 50%? Is there a way 

> to take advantage of OpenGL? Can I even do that on the 64MB Intel 

> GMA950 vdieo card that is in the mac mini?

> I know this question has been addressed in various ways before, but 

> things change quickly enough that I thought I'd ask again.

the current mac minis are incapable of decent 1080i playback in jitter  
with photoJPEG 75%.  they are jittery.  you'll have better luck with  
720p.  also, if there is no blending, use direct-to-window playback  
(send the message 'window [jit.window's name]' into jit.qt.movie to do  
it).

>
> I'm looking for a little advice.  I have some exhibits that need to  
> do some simple high definition video playback, including keeping  
> track of timecode, switching movies and seeking within them.  Until  
> now, they've been spec'd as using harddisk MPEG-2 video players.   
> Unfortunately, we've tested the major ones (Mantis, Adtec, Alcorn- 
> McBride) and they can output high definition without a hitch, but  
> they all suck at seeking within movies. So I'm thinking about trying  
> with Jitter and a mac mini.
>
> I know I can bang out the playing and seeking easily enough in  
> Jitter.  I'm curious about the playback quality, though.
>
> I'm guessing the video will be 720 x 1280 but I'm curious about 1080  
> x 1920 as well.  I probably have a little leeway about resolution,  
> but it will not be standard def.  The playback is very vanilla.  Not  
> even fades between the clips.
>
> What encoding type/quality is best?  PhotoJPEG 50%?  Is there a way  
> to take advantage of OpenGL?  Can I even do that on the 64MB Intel  
> GMA950 vdieo card that is in the mac mini?
>
> I know this question has been addressed in various ways before, but  
> things change quickly enough that I thought I'd ask again.
>
> Thanks!
>
> sasha.
> --
> --- sasha harris-cronin ----
> -- sasha@mortalspaces.com --
> --- www.mortalspaces.com ---


advice on hidef playback