Best "out-of-the-box" codec for a video?

[pes2013]

Im making a video with Camtasia Studio and Im wondering what is the best codec for use out of the box (without installing other codecs) on at least Windows XP and above.

Thanks!

[TPreston]

MP4 AVC AAC (if you dump XP) otherwise youll be stuck with MPEG2 video

[pes2013]

MPEG2 video

Whats the best way to install a encoder for MPEG2 video that works with Camtasia Studio?

[TPreston]

AFIK you don't need to, export to avi.

[Hum]

I'm converting a video now, into MP2 -- hope the audio sync turns out right. :laugh:

[pes2013]

AFIK you don't need to, export to avi.

What do I select in the Video Compression option?

[Xoligy]

Not a fan of Camtasia i just install Camstudio if its for windows recording as its free, lightweight and easy as hell to use!

If its game recording then i install Playclaw.

As for codecs ive always had to search hard for one that i really like as in quality and compression rate think the one i normally end up with is FFDShow Mpeg4 but i could be wrong as for Windows XP and Mpeg 2 i have no idea thats a little too dated now :/

[TPreston]

What do I select in the Video Compression option?

Divx or xvid.

[LaP]

Why don't you make a mp4 or mkv avc aac using avidmux and then use mpc home cinema to read it. No need to install any codec and you got the best quality.

[remixedcat]

Handbrake for conversion software.

[pes2013]

Why don't you make a mp4 or mkv avc aac using avidmux and then use mpc home cinema to read it. No need to install any codec and you got the best quality.

No. Has to be a codec that is built into Windows since at least XP.....

[hckngrtfakt]

Im making a video with Camtasia Studio and Im wondering what is the best codec for use out of the box (without installing other codecs) on at least Windows XP and above.

Thanks!

WMV which will play in technically any version of windows.

or MKV/MP4 (based off the H.264 encoding) wich is very standard and plays well even on Macs

(except for the MKV)

[Linkinfamous]

Windows XP doesn't come with a H.264 decoder. It's olllld.

[LaP]

No. Has to be a codec that is built into Windows since at least XP.....

But why does it have to be built inside windows ?

MPCHC is a nice video player. Better than wmp imo as a video player.

[Shadrack]

MP4 H.264 seems like it is support best on everything other than Windows XP.

iPhone, Windows Phone, Android, Mac, Linux, XBox360, Apple TV, PS3 it works on all of those...

xvid/divx are not as universally supported and require the user to install codecs. I don't encode in those anymore.