So you read about Google’s new Public DNS service, or maybe you’ve heard of Open DNS and you know DNS has something to do with your internet connection. So should you “switch your DNS”? What does that even mean?
DNS – What Is It?
The quick and dirty explanation is: Domain Name System aka DNS makes it possible for you to type in a domain name into your address bar, instead of an IP address. DNS translates the domain name back into its IP-address equivalent. There’s more to what DNS does but for our purposes here, this is what matters.
Why a third party DNS?
One reason for using a service like Open DNS is because it lets you do some things like filter out certain sites at the DNS level (popular with schools and corporations), among other control-y things.
What’s the fastest DNS then?
Sometimes an ISP’s DNS service happens to be slower than another one. Sometimes your ISP is just fine. If sites are coming up slower than usual, or not at all, a variety of reasons could be to blame, one of them a problem with the DNS service. By the way, a neat way to see if a site is having problems, or just you, check out http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ . It does exactly what the name says.
Switch? Yes? No?
So if your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is already doing this then why would you want to switch to another DNS service? You probably don’t need to.
But how do you know if your DNS is the fastest one? What about Google’s new Public DNS. Or Open DNS? Those are not necessarily faster for you and in order to find out you can download a free program/app that runs a test to see which DNS service is faster for you. It’s called Namebench.
Find the fastest DNS
Namebench is free (Windows/Mac/Linux) and runs for a few minutes before showing you a detailed page with the fastest DNS service, and slower ones in ascending order below that. For example, running Namebench on one of my machines I found out that my ISP already offers me the fastest DNS service, far faster than Google’s Public DNS or Open DNS.
Check out the screenshot above: in my case here, you’ll see Primary Server which is actually my gateway’s (router) IP address, under “Recommended configuration”. Below that it lists my ISP and the IP address it has assigned to me at this time. I blurred that out because I don’t trust none of you motorscooters.
In the Tested DNS Servers section you will again see your IP address, as well as all the other DNS servers tested for you. Look in the “Avg (ms)” column. The lower the number the faster the connection. In my example, my ISP-provided DNS connection is already faster than any of the other servers tested. Good news for me!
If you scroll down further, Namebench gives you a bunch of graphs that give you more detail about the test results than you need. Point is, pick the fastest DNS service if you are unhappy with your current DNS’ performance. If you do want to switch from your ISP’s DNS to another one do a quick Google search on how to do that. It’s much easier than it sounds, but unless you are constantly experiencing problems, or wish to explore some of the more advanced options a DNS service like Open DNS offers, you probably won’t need to.
I just want to mention something in regards to video encoders because I get a lot of questions about that stuff. If you are at all serious about encoding WMVs and FLVs, please forget about free encoding programs. This is especially true for the Mac. Even with paid-for program be very careful…
The Short Answer
If you want to publish the best quality WMVs or FLVs forget about free apps. All of them. If you’re on a Mac you’re especially screwed. Read on…
If you are going to publish videos to a large number of people and make a living doing it, like if you’re operating a paysite, you absolutely need to offer the best possible expected quality WMVs and Flash movies.
This means your WMVs need to be encoded to Windows Media Version 9 (four letter code: wmv3. Part of the VC1 specs), and your FLVs need to be encoded with On2′s VP6 codec (H.264 is now possible too but I won’t get into that here).
The old (outdated) way to encode WMVs is with the codec named wmv2 ( aka Windows Media 8). And prior to VP6, one would usually use the Sorenson codec to create FLVs. Both methods are obsolete now if you expect the best quality.
By the way, many server-side transcoders use some command line magic with FFMPEG to make FLVs because On2 VP6 is proprietary and would cost money. Creating FLVs with FFMPEG is free but those files don’t look nearly as good at comparative bitrates as FLVs created with VP6, for the most part. This is why the stuff on porn tube sites looks so bad: it’s usually encoded using “free methods” (because thieves don’t like to pay for encoding either) and at low bit rates.
GET TO THE POINT! WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
The problem: Most encoders you can download for free, and even many non-free converters, encode your files using the old codecs. That’s a big deal if you want to make a living with your content. FFMPEG-encoded FLVs might be okay for free tube sites but if you’re selling your stuff your videos better look GREAT. And for that you need On2 VP6. The same is true for WMVs – encoding your files to the old Windows Media 8 is just not acceptable any longer. It needs to be Windows Media 9, especially if your WMVs are supposed to be High Definition.
THROW ‘EM ALL AWAY
Forget about Xilisoft Media Converter, Any Video Converter, and all that other junk. Only people who don’t know enough about proper encoding love these programs, mostly because they’re free. If you’re a pro, or want to be, skip ‘em.
If you’re in the early stages of looking for a good encoder please save yourself the time and headaches and read the following: Virtually all free encoders lack support to encode files to Windows Media Version 9 (wmv3 codec; VC1). With the exception of the overpriced (and buggy, at least for me) Flip4Mac WMV Studio Pro HD, all encoders I’ve come across for the Mac encode to the old wmv2 (Windows Media 8 ) standard, which, pardon my french, is bullshit. WM8 is old and inefficient. It’s almost 2010, Windows Media Version 9 has been out since 2006 yet almost all the encoders for Mac still encode to Windows Media 8.
I can somewhat understand free encoders only converting to outdated codecs. But unfortunately even a lot of paid-for programs/apps do this stuff and you won’t know until you actually start converting. It’s misleading and probably illegal but they get away with it anyways (“convert to highest quality WMVs with our encoder”…yeah right.)
Yes, some apps you have to pay for still encode to Windows Media 8, like DV Kitchen on the Mac. That’s simply not acceptable.
So far NONE of the free encoders do this right.
SO WHAT SHOULD I DO THEN?
If you are encoding your videos for your personal enjoyment or to share with a few friends, go ahead and use one of the free encoders. If you are doing this for commercial reasons, expect to shell out some money for a decent encoder like Sorenson Squeeze, Cleaner, or some of the other professional encoders. By the way, Adobe’s Premiere Pro, Flash Professional, and the respective Creative Suites that offer those programs come with the Adobe Media Encoder. It technically can convert almost anything to anything else, and it does use all forms of VC1 (wmv3 /Windows Media 9) and the On2 VP6 codec. When it works it’s excellent. Unfortunately there sometimes are some bugs depending on your source files and hardware, so be prepared to fork out additional cash for supplemental encoders if you are one of the unlucky few to encounter these problems.
Alwasy TRY before you buy. There are lots of variables, particularly in term of your systems’ specs. Make sure your chosen encoder works for you before you commit the funds.
If you need to convert to FLV-only you can get Flix or Flix Pro ($$$) which is made by On2, the company that created the VP6 codec in the first place. Flix Pro is not cheap but an excellent stand-alone converter and if you want to do batch encoding then Pro is your only choice.
MAC VS PC
I’ve tried most commonly known encoders on both Windows and Mac over the years. Virtually all major free ones, and premium professional programs such as Sorenson Squeeze, Cleaner, Episode, Flip4Mac HD, and many others. Mac has the worst selection of them all. For a platform that’s supposedly so media creation oriented it’s astoundingly bad at creating the most basic and widely used forms of media. No-cost simply does not exist on the Mac if you want quality output files. None of the free apps do Windows Media or FLVs right. Even expensive “pro apps” are oddly buggy. I’ve had incredibly bad experiences with Flip4Mac Pro HD, and Episode, but some Mac-loving folks I know swear by it so YMMV.
On the Windows side things are a little better but not much. You might point out that I’ve written about the free SUPER encoder in the past. Frankly, SUPER is fine for personal use, or if you are encoding to a format other than Windows Media, or FLV. It does a good job converting to MPEG1, and various phone formats. Even its MP4/x.264 is okay in many cases, and I love its media info feature. But SUPER is not the way to go if you are encoding to FLV or Windows Media. Oddly enough, earlier this year SUPER supposedly made it possible to convert to Windows Media 9 but I was not able to get it to work properly on any of my workstations. The recent versions are also crashing frequently, especially on Windows 7 64bit.
In short, free converters on Windows usually face the same problems as on the Mac side of things, although a few programs at least do one of the two (WMV, FLV) right. Well, sometimes. Kinda. And that’s where the trouble begins because ‘sometimes’ and ‘kinda’ just doesn’t cut it if you’re trying to create good quality media consistently and under deadlines.
WRAP-UP
For my professional work I always go back to using professional programs because the difference is just too great. Unfortunately, even pro (read: expensive) programs have their problems, as I pointed out earlier. For example, the Adobe Media Encoder does a great job most of the time but I’ve encountered some bugs with it too. Discrete Cleaner is okay on Windows but outdated and slow on the Mac. Squeeze has gotten quite good with its latest version but to me it didn’t feel good enough to replace Adobe Media Encoder. So in short, try them all and see what works best for your particular system and input files. Just make sure your program of choice encodes to Windows Media and FLV files correctly. Windows Media Version 9 (wmv3) and On2 VP6. Keep those two in mind.
I hope this helps someone looking to step up encoding quality, and maybe it’ll cut down on encoding questions I get. ~
NOTE: I’m sure some smart ass is going to say he tried XYZ’s free program and it was great. Someone else is going to point out how one can tweak the heck out of server transcoders and make FLVs created with FFMPEG look good. I don’t care. I’m talking about standalone programs for workstations and desktops, and the fact that virtually all of those supposedly great free programs really are junk when it comes to creating WMVs and FLVs. Especially Mac fanbois tend to take it personally when I point out the flaws and the fact that the Mac, or rather the OS X platform, simply is not nearly as conducive to professional content creation as Apple’s marketing likes to claim. Macboys, I dare you to show me a free app on the Mac that encodes to Windows Media 9 and On2 VP6.
Recently I’ve had the opportunity to go knee-to-knee with Mike Falco, Director of Marketing for mobile porn rising star myiPlayground.com. Mike provides straightforward answers you absolutely cannot miss if you’re at all interested in doing business in the mobile adult content arena, be it as a webmaster or content creator. Mobile industry gold directly from Mike – here it is:
Kroy: Today I’m here with Mike Falco, whose mobile adult content company, myiPlayground.com, has been making some big waves over the past three years.
Mike, tell everyone a little about yourself…
Mike: We started our little media company three years ago. We were two associates in our late 20s and we were fresh out of school and very interested in the mobile market. Our initial strategy revolved around developing and marketing a series of mobile web portals. As we researched into mobile industry trends, our focus went from mobile portals to mobile porn, as we saw lots of growth potential in this industry. Needless to say, the growth of the mobile industry and mobile porn industry has been staggering. I am sure that you have read at least one news article depicting how the mobile industry is the future.
Kroy: Oh yes. By now most people are aware that the mobile adult market is here to stay and is going to continue to grow, but can you share some specific growth numbers or data for those who need a reminder of how big this thing actually has gotten?
Mike: The first key indicator of industry’s growth stems from what the major industry player are doing and investing in. Google, Apple, Microsoft, RIM and others are all investing HEAVILY into mobile and the mobile market. This info is veryRead the rest of this entry »
Here’s a quick video from the Google Wave development team you should check out. This is geared more toward the average user but keep an open mind and you can see how powerful Wave can be for photographers, videographers, editors, publishers, and really anyone who has stuff that needs to be worked on by others.
One example that comes to mind is a photographer can discuss specific edits he wants his photo editor to do – and give concrete examples on actual photos in real time using Wave.
Or you could collaborate with your web designer on what text or photos you want on that new site she’s designing for you. I also see collaborative blogging become more popular with Wave.
Really anyone who’s doing anything creative (particularly on the web) should become familiar with Wave.
I hope to see future integration with video editing apps, or at least a way to display a movie I’m playing in Windows Media Player or Quicktime on my desktop. Imagine showing rough edits you have sitting on your workstation to your client via Wave.
Google Wave is currently in invite-only Preview (beta) but it’s progressing nicely so I expect this to be available to the public shortly. The more people use Wave the more powerful it becomes (like email did, like fax did before that…).
I’m reading news coverage of a Morgan Stanley analyst (Kathryn Huberty) “predicting” that Apple’s iPhone would do much better without carrier exclusivity, that is, making the iPhone available on wireless provider networks other than AT&T.
The news articles generally make it sound like this is a new idea nobody else had thought of before.
A bunch of online media outlets that are pretending this is news, which makes it look like she’s the only one who has ever thought of it, or that this idea of parting with AT&T for increased iPhone sales is a new one. CNET, The Register, PC World, Business Week…they all want to make this sound like a big, new revelation. (At least CNET recognizes that many, many others have been saying this as well for some time.)
Apple is aware that being tied to AT&T is hampering sales:The web is full of people bitching about AT&T’s wireless service problems and there are more than enough people blatantly saying “I’ll buy the iPhone as soon as it’s not exclusive to AT&T” . I’m one of those by the way.
Those are big, blatant, and unmistakable clues to Apple, and anybody who cares about this sort of stuff as to what to do.
So why is this NOW such a seemingly head-slapping revelation? Because someone at Morgan Stanley said it is?
Another thing that bugs me here has nothing to do with Apple or the iPhone but the fact that investment firm analysts are still considered by many to be the next best thing to a finance Nostradamus. Those folks should be reminded that investment firm analysts had a strong hand in causing the financial mess we’ve all been experiencing for the past year or so. Analysts can be wrong. Analysts sometimes have agendas, like a financial interest in the industries, companies and products they talk about. This sways their expressed opinions on a subject to jive with the outcome they want to see. Please people, quit treating analyst words as gold.
So how does this matter to you?
This whole thing shows how a business, small or large, can spend tons of money and energy on hiring analysts or consultants for basic things the business should (and often does) already know – if it only LISTENED – or, if it does indeed already know, pulled its proverbial head out of its ass and followed through with it, instead of wasting more time and money on having analysts confirm their findings. This is especially true if the findings are so clear, as it is in this case.
While a good consultant can indeed do wonders, a lot of times it’s simply a matter of opening your eyes and ears and really, truly learning about your customers and those who could be.
In some cases this works (again – with the right consultant, for the right things). In many, many others it’s a tremendous waste of money though.
So ask yourself: how can your product/service be adopted by more people?
A simple question for which you should be eager to research the answer to.
Couple of sources on the MS analyst talking about iPhone exclusivity:
I get the occasional email or tweet about which NLE (non-linear editing program) I think is the best, Apple’s Final Cut Pro, AVID’s Media Composer, or Adobe’s Premiere Pro.
That’s like asking which car is the best and the answer is the same: there is no “best” NLE, each one has its pros and cons but, most importantly, they all do pretty much the same in pretty much the same way.
Rammstein’s “Pussy” video has launched and boy…it’s as hardcore as rumors made it out to be. Absolutely not safe for work – Pussy features full on hardcore scenes toward the end. Rammstein cocks in pussies, mouths, and cumshots. Personal verdict: awesome.
The song itself I find to be so-so, not my favorite Rammstein tune. But combining metal and porn is great in my book. Enjoy.
This is how mainstream porn is in Europe: RAMMSTEIN‘s new video for their song “Pussy” premieres on a sex webcam site., Visit-X.net. On September 16th the rumored to be extremely raunchy video will be available to watch at http://www.visit-x.net/rammstein/ .
Imagine Korn’s new video debuting on Camz.com.
Personally I think this crossover promotion is very cool. I don’t see this type of thing happen just yet here in the United States. It’s not a new trend either, many mainstream companies in several European countries, in particular Germany, have been embracing and promoting adult entertainment related services for years. For example, years back I recall finding huge mainstream sites like Deutsche Telekom’s main site linking to adult sites via it’s “erotic section”.
Sexual entertainment is pretty common in German mainstream media (thank goodness!). although I understand this has been toned down in recent years.
Germany’s largest newspaper is Bild Zeitung and for as long as I can remember it featured naked breasts almost daily. As a matter of fact, Bild Zeitung online is doing a feature now on…Rammstein’s “Pussy” video, including sneek peak and sexy pics, polls, and so forth.
The pic to the left here is on its main page right now. Imagine National Enquirer having tits on its front page. Or USA Today. Hmmmm…
Too bad they were blocking the video to viewers in the US the last time I checked.
I’m excited that a major band like Rammstein (one of my favorites since their debut album Herzeleid) is doing this at such a level though. It’ll be huge for Visit-X.net. I hope one day more mainstream outfits in the US will embrace “porn” more. It would benefit everyone involved, if done correctly.
Got some emails and tweets asking me if I’m jumping over to the Mac as my main platform since a lot of my recent posts were Apple/Mac related.
The answer is NO. All my main editing and production equipment is Windows (Windows 7 mostly) based. I do have a Macbook Pro and have made that my mobile admin and communication device, and I use it to troubleshoot some of my client’s Mac systems, and for cross platform compatibility testing.
While I do have Final Cut Pro and Compressor on the Mac I’m not using it other than to help FCP using clients out, or to convert the occasional Apple proprietary footage.
If you’re on Mac OS X Snow Leopard and have Quicktime X as well as the regular free edition of Flip4Mac you might get the error “QuickTime Player Must Be Installed to run this application“.
If so, download and install the free beta version of Flip4Mac for Snow Leopard. That should fix the issue.
NOTE: I’ve decided: I seriously dislike Telestream and its Flip4Mac, and Episode Encoder applications. The latter simply wouldn’t even install properly and just threw up user authentication errors when I tried to make it work on Leopard a few months ago. Their “service” was non-existent. Costly piece of junk. And Flip4Mac Pro HD created horribly choppy, out of sync WMVs, while cheaper solutions such as DV Kitchen worked perfectly using the same source files and settings. I actually tried it on two different Macs, just to make sure I’m not crazy. For $179 you’d expect software (sorry…”app”) to at least work. And now Telestream can’t even get a fully working version of Flip4Mac out to Snow Leopard users. It’s the only way to play WMVs on a Mac so it’s a pretty important piece of software. You’d think making it work with Snow Leopard would have priority, and the free version (the one EVERYONE downloads) would have been fixed by launch date. No, you have to figure this shit out for yourself. Like Snow Leopard’s release just snuck up on Telestream. Incompetent and overpriced. I’m done with ‘em.
VIDEO ENCODING – WMV and FLASH
Recently I’ve had the opportunity to go knee-to-knee with Mike Falco, Director of Marketing for mobile porn rising star 
Germany’s largest newspaper is Bild Zeitung and for as long as I can remember it featured naked breasts almost daily. As a matter of fact, 