Comments on: Formats for Audio and Video on Church Web Sites http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/ Sharing technology ideas for LDS parents and youth Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:38:28 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-20850 Mark Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:36:51 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-20850 I also support the open source alternatives, and I'm willing to help out. In the meantime, Linux users should know about Fluendo—you can buy legal codecs for Linux (and a few of them are free, such as the MP3 one). It does cost money, but it does work, and it is legal. I recommend that the church inform users of this, as it is probably the only truly legal option for many codecs on Linux. Anyway, I have another question: Are church DVDs encrypted? If so, why? It is currently impossible, according to my research, for Linux users to watch their own encrypted DVDs on their computers legally (it's quite easy to do it illegally—well it's against the letter of the law, anyway, although I'm sure the people who made the law didn't intend to prevent people from 'watching' their own DVDs on Linux). There are plans for a legal player to be sold, but I don't know how much it will cost. I'm just meaning to suggest that future DVDs be unencrypted—this shouldn't cause problems for anyone (and likely, no one but truly honest Linux users will notice the difference). It'll probably save time and money, anyway. I also support the open source alternatives, and I’m willing to help out.

In the meantime, Linux users should know about Fluendo—you can buy legal codecs for Linux (and a few of them are free, such as the MP3 one). It does cost money, but it does work, and it is legal. I recommend that the church inform users of this, as it is probably the only truly legal option for many codecs on Linux.

Anyway, I have another question:

Are church DVDs encrypted? If so, why?

It is currently impossible, according to my research, for Linux users to watch their own encrypted DVDs on their computers legally (it’s quite easy to do it illegally—well it’s against the letter of the law, anyway, although I’m sure the people who made the law didn’t intend to prevent people from ‘watching’ their own DVDs on Linux). There are plans for a legal player to be sold, but I don’t know how much it will cost.

I’m just meaning to suggest that future DVDs be unencrypted—this shouldn’t cause problems for anyone (and likely, no one but truly honest Linux users will notice the difference). It’ll probably save time and money, anyway.

]]> By: Daniel W. Jones http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-16611 Daniel W. Jones Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:25:02 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-16611 I also apologize for a me-to. But I only use linux and affirm that virtually everybody can watch with ogg format. I can even watch wav if you don't block it.., on MPlayer, I believe. Also PAF5 should be available for linux. Thanks for listening. --Dan I also apologize for a me-to. But I only use linux and affirm that virtually everybody can watch with ogg format. I can even watch wav if you don’t block it.., on MPlayer, I believe. Also PAF5 should be available for linux. Thanks for listening. –Dan

]]> By: EarloftheWest http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-14434 EarloftheWest Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:19:35 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-14434 I know this is a really old thread but I wanted to add my 2 cents. I'm using Ubuntu GNU/Linux as my primary OS now. The only thing my Ubuntu experience is missing is being able to watch the General Conference downloads without having to install proprietary (and most likely illegal in the US) codecs on my computer. We're seeing a shift in technology towards ultra low cost PCs (laptops). Many of these machines are running Linux distributions. These folks are out in the cold and won't be able to view General Conference. I completely understand that adding one additional format is a little more work for the folks in the multi-media department. It is well worth the effort however. Today, only Windows and Mac users are able to view video archives of General Conference. By adding ogg versions, everyone in the world will have access to them. The Church asks viewers to install codecs to watch content. For example, if folks want to watch BYU TV over the Internet, they need to download the Move Networks application onto their computer. In the medium to long term, the Church could provide video content in just one format: ogg and have folks install the codecs on their computer to view the content. The Church would only have to produce one version of content and everyone in the world would have access to it. A low-res and a HD version of the content could be provided in ogg. I suspect that there are folks out there that would be happy to convert the current feeds or rip the DVDs to create ogg formatted content of General Conference and provide those files to the Church if creating ogg files is an additional burden. I believe that this will become an increasingly important issue in the near future. As a side note, does Microsoft and Apple charge folks to stream Windows Media and Quicktime content? If so, by switching to an open platform, those dollars could be saved. Thanks for your time. I know this is a really old thread but I wanted to add my 2 cents.
I’m using Ubuntu GNU/Linux as my primary OS now.
The only thing my Ubuntu experience is missing is being able to watch the General Conference downloads without having to install proprietary (and most likely illegal in the US) codecs on my computer.
We’re seeing a shift in technology towards ultra low cost PCs (laptops). Many of these machines are running Linux distributions.
These folks are out in the cold and won’t be able to view General Conference.
I completely understand that adding one additional format is a little more work for the folks in the multi-media department. It is well worth the effort however.
Today, only Windows and Mac users are able to view video archives of General Conference. By adding ogg versions, everyone in the world will have access to them.
The Church asks viewers to install codecs to watch content. For example, if folks want to watch BYU TV over the Internet, they need to download the Move Networks application onto their computer.
In the medium to long term, the Church could provide video content in just one format: ogg and have folks install the codecs on their computer to view the content. The Church would only have to produce one version of content and everyone in the world would have access to it. A low-res and a HD version of the content could be provided in ogg.
I suspect that there are folks out there that would be happy to convert the current feeds or rip the DVDs to create ogg formatted content of General Conference and provide those files to the Church if creating ogg files is an additional burden.
I believe that this will become an increasingly important issue in the near future.
As a side note, does Microsoft and Apple charge folks to stream Windows Media and Quicktime content? If so, by switching to an open platform, those dollars could be saved.
Thanks for your time.

]]> By: ldswebguy http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-2473 ldswebguy Fri, 11 May 2007 17:28:20 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-2473 Sven, we don't provide Mpeg 2 VOB format. The Church publishes DVDs with video and audio in many languages, including Swedish. Sven, we don’t provide Mpeg 2 VOB format. The Church publishes DVDs with video and audio in many languages, including Swedish.

]]> By: Sven Luthman http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-2433 Sven Luthman Thu, 10 May 2007 19:34:10 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-2433 As I understand most material is possible to get in "Mpeg 2 VOB" format. Where can I find those files for the General Conference to download? I want DVD quality of the video signal, english sound and then will I make subtitles in Swedish (and maybe other languages also) and burn DVD copies för the Stake. /Sven As I understand most material is possible to get in “Mpeg 2 VOB” format. Where can I find those files for the General Conference to download?

I want DVD quality of the video signal, english sound and then will I make subtitles in Swedish (and maybe other languages also) and burn DVD copies för the Stake.

/Sven

]]> By: Travis Atkinson http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-1263 Travis Atkinson Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:47:39 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-1263 Update: OK so I fixed the playback issue in iTunes etc. (had to rename the files) but now I can't get the files to convert for use on my iPod as I get audio with no video in iTunes, but the newly converted files won't even play on my iPod. Any suggestions, I have sent feedback on the Church website but am just wondering if anyone else was having these issues. BTW, I have iPod Video 80gb. And iTunes 7.1.1.5 Update: OK so I fixed the playback issue in iTunes etc. (had to rename the files) but now I can’t get the files to convert for use on my iPod as I get audio with no video in iTunes, but the newly converted files won’t even play on my iPod. Any suggestions, I have sent feedback on the Church website but am just wondering if anyone else was having these issues. BTW, I have iPod Video 80gb. And iTunes 7.1.1.5

]]> By: Travis Atkinson http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-1255 Travis Atkinson Sun, 18 Mar 2007 05:23:40 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-1255 Not sure where else to post this but I am having issues with the Quicktime downloads for the WWLT that was just posted this weekend. I can't open the files once they've downloaded as I get the following error: Errpr -37: a bad file name or volume name was encountered. Is anyone else having this issue? It only affects the first two files, the others downloaded correctly. Not sure where else to post this but I am having issues with the Quicktime downloads for the WWLT that was just posted this weekend. I can’t open the files once they’ve downloaded as I get the following error: Errpr -37: a bad file name or volume name was encountered. Is anyone else having this issue? It only affects the first two files, the others downloaded correctly.

]]> By: Andreas Ermler http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-1250 Andreas Ermler Sat, 17 Mar 2007 18:39:27 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-1250 Some suggested reading: http://www.openformats.org/ http://perens.com/OpenStandards/Definition.html Some suggested reading:
http://www.openformats.org/
http://perens.com/OpenStandards/Definition.html

]]> By: Guido http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-1220 Guido Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:23:59 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-1220 Hi Thxs for your work, which is the possibility of using divx?. My point is that the divx turning into the common standard of audiovideo, in fact, till now, to see the conferences in my dvd (with divx support) I have to transform from WMV to Divx and then record them in a dvd disk. Hi
Thxs for your work,
which is the possibility of using divx?.

My point is that the divx turning into the common standard of audiovideo, in fact, till now, to see the conferences in my dvd (with divx support) I have to transform from WMV to Divx and then record them in a dvd disk.

]]> By: Andreas Ermler http://ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-1189 Andreas Ermler Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:13:37 +0000 http://www.ldsmediatalk.com/2007/02/28/formats-for-audio-and-video-on-church-web-sites/#comment-1189 I understand the reason for doing it the way it is. Most people do use Windows on their computers and can access those files without having to install anything new. But by using _only_ proprietary formats it's really hard, in some countries illegal or often just impossible to access those files for users who don't use that software. The thing about open formats is that they can be accessed on _every_ system. Programs that can access them run on Windows (even the Windows Media Player can play those formats if you just install the codecs), on Linux, on MacOS etc. So basically everybody can use those formats and not just people that use Windows. So users would have the choice what they want to use, what program, what operating system, etc. But by just offering files in a proprietary format you actually _are_ supporting monopolies and discriminating people who can't use that format. I'm reading a lot of IT-related news and it is my impression that there is a trend at the moment, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that a lot of governments, schools, etc. everywhere around the world are switching to open formats (especially OpenDocument) and Open Source Software (if you want links, tell me). So it's my impression that supporting different platforms could become an important subject in the future. You wouldn't have to support lots of formats, it would be just Ogg Vorbis for audio and Ogg Theora for Video. Wikipedia for example is doing that. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_help) I understand the reason for doing it the way it is. Most people do use Windows on their computers and can access those files without having to install anything new.
But by using _only_ proprietary formats it’s really hard, in some countries illegal or often just impossible to access those files for users who don’t use that software.
The thing about open formats is that they can be accessed on _every_ system. Programs that can access them run on Windows (even the Windows Media Player can play those formats if you just install the codecs), on Linux, on MacOS etc. So basically everybody can use those formats and not just people that use Windows. So users would have the choice what they want to use, what program, what operating system, etc. But by just offering files in a proprietary format you actually _are_ supporting monopolies and discriminating people who can’t use that format.
I’m reading a lot of IT-related news and it is my impression that there is a trend at the moment, correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that a lot of governments, schools, etc. everywhere around the world are switching to open formats (especially OpenDocument) and Open Source Software (if you want links, tell me). So it’s my impression that supporting different platforms could become an important subject in the future.
You wouldn’t have to support lots of formats, it would be just Ogg Vorbis for audio and Ogg Theora for Video. Wikipedia for example is doing that. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Media_help)

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