In the latest release we know have the option to output video tours via Apple's H.264 codec.

The issue here is nobody seems to know how we deal with the FMP4 .avi file it creates. Search the web turns up little answers too date. All popular software I.E: MOVAVI, Adobe Premiere, Pinnacle, Ulead etc doesn't know what to do with it.

So I'm asking everybody for a collective effort to find out the best way to get the highest possible resolution for DVD burning using this H.264 codec movie file that Tourweaver outputs. Maybe Joe or Jenny from Easypano can show a work flow?

This information will also need to be added to the users manual.

Regards, Smooth

Good idea - I dont work for Mac computers since all my stuff is created around an autorun max style 'front end' (Longtions Enterprise version) but i'm happy to use my school mac to test anything and see what can be done as it would be useful to have these for school use.  Would be useful to find out if theres a front end maker for macs and pcs (other than director). Thats another issue however and I don't want to take the thread away from that as this is a specific issue to work on.

Thanks for the reply.

Actually, H.264 doesn't require a MAC computer, I believe it was Apple who introduced it (at least that's where I first heard about it in Quicktime) . It's the H.264 Codec FMP4 that is in question. Codec's will run on both Windows and Mac. It is just a way of compressing video. H.264 FMP4 is basically a mpeg4 file using H.264 compression. By all accounts H.264 is a very good codec and recommended by many for high quality low file size.

Here again is the issue. The file that Easypano Tourweaver outputs is a H.264 FMP4 file with a .avi file extension. To view this file you need a codec that decompress the file. (I don't have one) and none of the common players I.E: Windows Media Player, Power DVD etc will play the file. So you need to convert it or find a codec that will allow you to use FMP4.

Now, the object of outputting in H.264 (if I'm not wrong) is so you can get a higher quality video file for playback on HD television as apposed to the very poor quality offered previously. Like my LCD HD TV is 1920x1080 and we would like to play better quality resolution tours through it.

Seems strange to me that Easypano introduced H.264 using the very odd FMP4 format when none of the common players can play it and none of the common encoders can convert it. Such as Adobe Premiere, MOVAVI, Ulead or Pinnacle. So I'm asking for instructions either from Easypano (who released it in the latest Tourweaver build) or anybody who has a quality workflow.

Regards, Smooth 

Vilmer,

Thanks for the reply and yes I have read way to much on the Doom9 website and forum. I haven't loaded ffdshow because I'm wary of adding multiple codec's. As I have had MAJOR issue's before. I really am asking for a complete workflow from somebody who has been successful or for Easypano to supply instructions for their latest release.

Regards, Smooth

OK, I installed VLC Player and it can

• A) Play the FMP4 H.264 video
• B) It can convert FMP4 H.264 into something else (more normal)

My results so far show little to no improvement in display quality over the older method. Still shows a lot of artifacts and has Posterizing effect.

Really, like I said right form the beginning the output option should be NON-compressed .avi and from there we can do our own compression using proven methods and codec's to produce high quality DVD display.

Regards, Smooth

P.S: I installed ffdshow, I had a quick look at the GUI and it wasn't very friendly. I need to spend some time reading the manual (if I can find it) maybe it was a separate download?

I think the crew at EasyPano need to realize that most of us that use their software are somewhat savvy around computers and they just need to either do away completely with encryption and compression in their software, or at least offer it as an option for us to choose or not to actually use.  Just my $.02 worth.

Cheers!

My APPLE TV is able to read videos produced from TW.

WOW.  Now, me and the 2 other guys on the planet who bought APPLE TV'S can see the videos.

I hope Easypano will add other codec options for maintream users as they are our customers.