My goal is to record videos with a digital camcorder and create flash files out of those videos, i.e. add the videos to the flash files within a website. I have done some research on the subject. I am a programmer/web-developer so my plan is to employ Adobe products when editing these videos, as at some point I will be using Actionscript etc. To get started I do NOT have to use Adobe products. So as a preliminary question, if you know of some programs (non-proprietary preferably) that can achieve most of the basic functions that Adobe Flash can achieve, please let me know.
According to Adobe's website and to an Adobe representative that I spoke to on the phone, FLV and MPEG-4 are the formats that are required for the Adobe Flash Player. So MPEG-4 has to be the target format. Both are the recommended formats overall. My thought was to record in the MPEG-4 format. But after some research, it seems that might be a mistake. The following are the drawbacks that I have learned when recording in the MPEG-4 format:
01. most digital camcorders on the market seem to be MPEG-2 camcorders
02. it seems there is a slim selection of MPEG-4 digital camcorders
03. MPEG-4 is very difficult to edit
04. MPEG-4 is not lossless
05. Adobe only guarantees support of MPEG-4 and not MPEG-2
06. Adobe highly recommends MPEG-4
So my assumption is that recording in a lossless format and then converting to MPEG-4 is the way to go. I certainly don't want to record in a format that is not lossless and is difficult to edit due to the extensive compression of MPEG-4. Those are game-changers for me with regard to recording in MPEG-4. So which format should I record in that'll seamlessly convert to MPEG-4, will be easy to edit, won't take up too much hard-disk space (I'm not sure if this is possible) and also has the ability to be burned onto DVDs?
After the small amount of research I did this is the route I am thinking. If you think this approach is off, I would be glad to take your suggestions, based on my goal.
Thanks!!
Pete
