Hi
I no longer have a repository using video working on live site. My need was for users to select files from a list which would then play in one embedded activeX media player control.

The problem was / is that the ms media player as setup by the repository was distorting the aspect ratio of files and as it did not quite do what we wanted went no further with it.  To be fair I had no time to look into this - could easily have been the skin dimensions or the use of only a few media player config settings by the template.

In terms of format MS media player will play any .avi .asf, wmv, mpg etc it can find find a codec for.
It will not play quicktime or real media files.
This includes other mpeg4 variants such as divx and xvid however if the codec is not available from MS it will not look further. For this reason check your encoder is using the right (basic) audio and video codecs to avoid users waiting while it downloads and installs codecs not part of a standard windows os.
You probaly know this but make sure you have added the file types to those allowed to be uploaded by DNN.
(Host Settings - Advanced - Other Settings - File Upload Extensions.)

From most non-linear video editing packages you can export "to the web". Ypu can also download the techy but powerful Windows Media Encoder from MS - its free.

A good starting point is to find a preset for Windows Media Video - Progressive download, 350-400kps.
Using this will result in a scaling to half Pal/ Ntsc frame sizes.  This (Pal 4:3) comes down to a video frame size of 352x288px and a file size of about 2.5 meg per programme minute.
Note that unless you are running the video from Windows Media services you are Not streaming video - its progressive download - that is the player buffers enough of the file until it can start playing whilst continuing to download.
It the quality or Kps goes up so do the buffering times.  Frame rate is not such an issue. Too many keyframes are - leave on default.
I often use a Kps of 700 to deliver ad previews to clients in Africa without user issues.

Big Problem with FireFox using Media Player
Firefox makes a user jump thjough hoops in order to load the activeX control so using this is effectively usless if you believe the figures for Firefox or feel that this is the browser choice of many of your users.
(All the techy websites say upto 20% - my web site logs say less than 5%)

Firefox does not block an embedded Quicktime player (if the user has it) Big download if not.
I have just scanned through the repository doc and it does not mention the flash player.
The Nifty Video template uses a media player.

My Solution
Buy Flash 8
Use it to encode DV as flash - uses the Flash player to allow a variety of player layouts.
The Flash player is on most PC's.
Do it all in html and script.  Cleary not a solution if you need to use repository upload and other functions but is solves all the others.

None of the above is an any way a criticism of the Repository which from my understanding can be configured to work with most files and in many different ways.  I use it all in several ways but not for video because of GrrFox.

What we need is for the vendors to let their players play all files and then its down to user software choice.

Not perhaps all the answers to your exact questions however I hope it helps.

Ian

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Mutate and Survive