PC HELP LOS ANGELES

PC Help LA's encoding division provides full service streaming media content delivery solutions. Services include archival hosting and live broadcasting production. Start serving your digital media content today. Serve Windows WMV, Real, MP3 & QuickTime or the newest, hottest format, DIVX.

PC Help LA utilizes high-speed connections to the Internet backbone to automatically select the fastest way to move your data. PC Help LA Encoding utilizes variable bit rate encoding so your media is sent to its destination using the best possible speed for your website visitors.

Video
We can convert your VHS or digital tapes to all formats; Real, Windows, Quicktime, mpeg1, mpeg2, mp4, divx, and Flash Video.

Audio
We can convert your MP3 files to all formats; Real, Windows, Quicktime.
We can convert your cd audio files to all formats; Real, Windows, Quicktime..

Conversion
We can convert your Real Media files to all formats.
We can convert your Quicktime files to all formats.
We can convert your Windows Media files to all formats.

Send us your audio or video files. Within 24 hours your media will be encoded to your specifications.

Encoding is the process of converting video and/or audio into a digital file capable of being sent over the Internet or other types of networks. There are a variety of options when it comes to encoding. There are format or "media player" choices such as Windows Media, RealVideo and QuickTime, each of which has its relative strengths and weaknesses based on the type of video and target audience. There are also considerations depending on the audience's connection speeds and the actual content of the video.

Media players are software applications that allow a user to view "streaming video." The three most popular players are Windows Media, RealVideo and QuickTime and can be downloaded and installed free of charge from their respective websites:http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/, http://www.mediastreamnetwork.com/www.real.com, www.apple.com/quicktime/download. A media player will typically launch automatically when the user clicks a video link on a Web page. Each player is associated with a specific file type or "format." Video clips must be encoded to the correct format for each player.

In the past, viewers had to download an entire video file before viewing. This was a time consuming and frustrating process. "Streaming" video allows the user to begin viewing the video in seconds by delivering the data in small packets which are buffered and then discarded after viewing is complete. Streaming video also ensures that the video will continue to play regardless of network congestion and bottlenecks.

The first consideration when selecting format(s) is your audience. Because it's important to make the viewing experience as passive as possible, consider which player is most popular with your audience. By reducing the need to download and install new players, you increase the likelihood that the video clip will be watched. To gain the widest possible audience, you may want to consider using more than one format. The second consideration in selecting format(s) is the content of your video. Videos with little to moderate movement, such as interviews, lectures, focus groups, etc. are ideal for encoding. High motion video presents a greater challenge to achieve a high quality result. Careful selection of format and encoding parameters, however, can help achieve this result.

Windows Media-Any computer that has Windows 98 or later will already have Windows Media installed. If your audience is primarily PC based, Windows Media may be your best option because it is well suited for most streaming applications at a wide range of Internet connection speeds.

RealVideo-This player is also well suited for most streaming applications at a wide range of Internet connection speeds. RealVideo has over 150 million unique users worldwide and is the number one contender with Windows Media. A pre-encoding analysis feature gives RealVideo a slight advantage over Windows Media for high motion video.

QuickTime-This player is very popular among MAC users. Encoding for QuickTime can optimize the quality of higher motion video clips. QuickTime can achieve fantastic results for users with high broadband connections and high-speed processors. QuickTime is often used for Hollywood movie trailers.

In addition to format considerations, you should also consider your audience's connection to the Internet. It is critical to provide your viewer with a "stream" that is optimized for their particular connection speed. This can be achieved two different ways. First, you can encode a single file for each individual connection speed. The second alternative is to create a single file or "multiple bit rate stream" to allow viewability from a variety of connection speeds. The main advantage of encoding individual files for each connection speed (single bit rate) is that you can vary the size of the window (frame size) according to their connection speed. In other words, viewers with a faster connection will be able to view the video in a larger window. One of the advantages of a multiple bit rate stream is that it allows for a more passive viewing experience as the user will automatically receive the stream appropriate for their connection speed. Also, it is only necessary to create one link on your site as opposed to multiple links for single files. The downside is that the video is constricted to a single frame size. In other words, viewers with a faster connection speed will be limited to a smaller video window.

Streaming video clips are delivered at specific data rates based on the connection speed of the viewer. Data rates are expressed in kilobits per second (kbps).