Javascript monster VS. the .wmv

[dougc]

The software VAR I work at has on their website videos made by the originators of the product (ERP/manufacturing/distribution), demonstrating some of the high points. The boss says they want me to do the same thing somehow for their own modules/systems they have created in-house (that currently have no videos).
- So I have looked at the existing videos (which show the software running, and have narrative sound), and they're lousy, small-size screens and compressed all to chunks. Even the sound is lousy. I have the capability to record screen-capture videos (with my computer) off one of their computers (running the software in question) while recording sound, so making a video is easily possible, all it'd take is the s-video->composite cable. Problem is, to make it look nice, the video file size is going to be enormous compared to the 2.5-4 meg files up already.
- So I'm wondering if a page with javascript animation would be a better idea, but I've never really seen this done anywhere before. All the demo really is, is screenshots of the software, a moving cursor now and then, and occasional sound files explaining the features as they are displayed. It'd certainly be more trouble to make than a video, but I'm hourly, so I don't really care about that. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] There'd need to be two versions because IE plays sound very well from a javascript call but Netscape doesn't--so the Netscape version would need text displayed. The systems they sell are all MS/SQL-based anyway, so it's unlikely anybody without IE is going to look that far anyway. ---- I'd bet it'd even be far smaller in download-size, as even the short movies they have now are 3-4 megs each.
?????????
Is there any reason that this is a particularly bad idea?

[dougc]

The software VAR I work at has on their website videos made by the originators of the product (ERP/manufacturing/distribution), demonstrating some of the high points. The boss says they want me to do the same thing somehow for their own modules/systems they have created in-house (that currently have no videos).
- So I have looked at the existing videos (which show the software running, and have narrative sound), and they're lousy, small-size screens and compressed all to chunks. Even the sound is lousy. I have the capability to record screen-capture videos (with my computer) off one of their computers (running the software in question) while recording sound, so making a video is easily possible, all it'd take is the s-video->composite cable. Problem is, to make it look nice, the video file size is going to be enormous compared to the 2.5-4 meg files up already.
- So I'm wondering if a page with javascript animation would be a better idea, but I've never really seen this done anywhere before. All the demo really is, is screenshots of the software, a moving cursor now and then, and occasional sound files explaining the features as they are displayed. It'd certainly be more trouble to make than a video, but I'm hourly, so I don't really care about that. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] There'd need to be two versions because IE plays sound very well from a javascript call but Netscape doesn't--so the Netscape version would need text displayed. The systems they sell are all MS/SQL-based anyway, so it's unlikely anybody without IE is going to look that far anyway. ---- I'd bet it'd even be far smaller in download-size, as even the short movies they have now are 3-4 megs each.
?????????
Is there any reason that this is a particularly bad idea?

[gidgit]

Is there some reason why you would not consider Flash? I have seen quite a few nice promo's done in this format... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[dougc]

-Flash would be great, where can I get it for free? Basically the budget here is zero....last I heard, it cost ~$400+ US for the software, when I looked on Macromedia's site the only thing that turned up was some "studio" thing for $800 MSRP, that lists for ~$650 a few other places (that is, if I've been looking at the correct item all this time). What exactly do I need to make Flash websites, and what does it cost?

[gidgit]

There is a little program that has been mentioned several times Swish v2, this is their home page, but, alas, I have just tried this link to make sure it worked ok and... uggg, slow, slow, slow... ( hey, just closed up some windows and voila... low and behold their page was up...cool... v2 cost is a cool 50 bucks, which is pretty awsome when ya consider what this app can do for ya...

but... you can download a trial from here (cnet)

also, PC Format October 2002 has Swish Lite v1.52 full version included in their disk that comes with the mag... this version does not have many of the advanced features that v 2 does such as vector shape creation etc, and does not open to a full sized window as does v2, but it does allow for flash type text effects as well allows for the inclusion of graphic files to be included with effects... this Lite app is worth 20 bucks from the makers of Swish... the mag cost less and included several other full apps and many trials to boot including some cool games, not to mention the mag was pretty good reading [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

hth some

[This message was edited by gidgit on November 08, 2002 at 19:04.]