Tech Review: 有什么新鲜事 in Windows Media Encoder 7
Microsoft's recent release of Windows Media Encoder 7.0 contains impressive administration and stability upgrades, 新的编解码器特性, 最值得注意的是, 灵活的用户界面. 简而言之，从版本4免费升级.值得你花时间.
有什么新鲜事?
The most conspicuous 改变 is a complete user interface overhaul, improving upon v4.1 -- which operated like a shareware utility designed by a bored developer locked in a broom closet. Codecs were not identifiable by their characteristics, saved preferences only represented a partial set of encoder settings, ,偶尔, one would select the wrong option and receive a never-ending chain of warning dialog boxes.
在版本7中.0, the opening screen prompts the user to choose a pre-made wizard or a custom set of preferences. 在这个版本中, preferences include everything necessary to reproduce the encode: where the media is coming from, 编码器用它做什么(i.e. codec settings and metadata), and where the encoded output should go. Only relevant codec choices are shown and the interface is consistent with other Windows applications.
The settings are saved as Windows Media Encoder (.wme) session files, which are not compatible with past ASF Stream Descriptor (.asd) files, so preferences will need to be re-created. 在很多情况下, 巫师们非常强大, 如果需要定制会话, 选项对话框简洁明了, 上下文敏感的帮助.
控制台
Central to the new interface is an 信息al console that, 尤其是在全屏模式下, looks more like the next hot 3D adventure game than a streaming tool. 除了布局, the console summarizes current encodes (including the estimated time remaining), and displays the remaining time the machine can keep encoding without running out of disk space, and the number of servers/users connected to the encoder. In fact, in another tab, each connection is shown individually.
稳定
The new release also seems to have tamed many stability gremlins found in the previous version. v4的用户.1 may be familiar with occasional encoder lockups, 特别是在启动等操作过程中, 停止, 和储蓄. v4中一个特别令人讨厌的bug.1, which caused the encoder to freeze after saving encoded files to the hard drive, 在v7中没有重现.0. 在测试过程中, 新版本确实有一次没有响应, but it recovered independently and did not interrupt the stream. 这比v4有了很大的改进.1.
政府
Microsoft's much-touted remote administration capability is very similar to that available with the Windows Media Server. 远程配置以前的编码器, the administrator was forced to use remote-console software like VNC or pcAnywhere. While not the most straightforward option to set up, 一旦配置完成, 管理工具的工作原理与宣传的一样. Note: It does require either Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) Web server software or a custom distributed COM object.
改进
Codec improvements come mostly in the form of new features, not quality leaps. 其中最有趣的是时间压缩, which lets the encoder convert a one-hour source clip into a 30-minute compressed file. 用于监测, 突出显示, 以及类似的应用, time compression could save users from having to seek to the action.
It's also now possible to capture raw, uncompressed video. Used in tandem with NTFS support for files larger than 2 GB, the opportunity for archival quality streaming content exists. Microsoft says the file size limit is "over 30 GB," without an exact ceiling. Of course, a fast machine with plenty of storage is still necessary for raw capture.
Rounding out the codec improvements is the ability to transcode from MPEG-1 source files and to perform inverse telecine -- eliminating extra frames from sources that were converted from film to video. One notable new feature is comprehensive screen capture support, 具有20k和128k的开箱即用支持.
少了什么?
带有v4的旧帽子.1 may miss a few features, or at least need to transition from them. The Media Streaming Broadcast Distribution (MSBD) protocol has disappeared. 7.0编码器不再支持它，也不支持7.0的球员. In its place, HTTP is used for communication between the encoder and servers or clients. 这两种协议都基于tcp, 所以，虽然质量不应该受到影响, it will require migrating URLs and potentially a 防火墙配置 改变.
Also deprecated, although not as harshly, is the .asf(活动流媒体格式)扩展. 取而代之的是 .wmv (Windows Media Video)和 .wma (Windows Media Audio). 而 .asf extension is not mentioned anywhere in the new encoder, the legacy extension is fully inter改变able with the new naming convention and nothing needs to be renamed. The severed extensions allow audio-only software to play only audio files and won't interfere with video playback.
Finally, third-party codec and M-JPEG capture card support is still absent.
整体, the new encoder reinforces what has traditionally been a weak spot in the Windows Media arsenal. Even content creators who are satisfied with older encoder releases are likely to find enough timesavers in version 7 to make the upgrade worthwhile.