Dawdling over the dumb spreadsheet you need to finish for a client? I'll bet you're wondering if there's something more important to do. I know--figure out why the video your buddy e-mailed you won't play.

Videos are a pain in the patootie because every company seems to have its own format. I know of at least six, each with its own endearing abbreviation or acronym: ASF, AVI, MPEG, QT, MOV, and RA.

A quick quiz before I move on: When the kids at Microsoft refer to a TLA or an FLA, do you know what they're talking about? I'll tell you at the bottom of this newsletter, and I promise, you'll groan.

Video Primer

As you might have guessed, each video format needs its own player (and yes, if you're going to be picky, there's some overlap). For the nitty-gritty about videos, read my article "Get the Picture: PC Video Untangled."

And while you're here, dig into Scott Spanbauer's "Capture Video Streams Into Files, Then Onto CDs." Scott's Internet Tips will beef up your knowledge of MPEG and Real Video, and it'll reveal Scott's real age too.

A Great Tutorial

Then spend 20 minutes with David Jung's terrific PC Video Tutorial. He explains video file formats, downloading and streaming-video differences, and plenty more, enough to keep you away from that annoying spreadsheet. (Using Internet Explorer? You may be asked to download Vector Graphics Rendering (VML). No harm--and useful in the future for viewing other pages.)

Codecs, the code that compresses and decompresses videos, add to the quagmire, so learn more about them from The Almost Definitive FOURCC Definition List.

Dig this: If you're viewing videos, say, on a plane, and you want privacy, here's something you'll like. A $40 hood for your notebook. Stop laughing. You get seclusion and it blocks out light, making for a brighter image. See what it looks like.

More Developments

DivX is a relatively new codec that can compress gigantic video files to make them faster to download. But there's a catch: DivX is currently under legal assault. Critics claim that DivX is the video equivalent of MP3. As a result, the video industry fears that the technology could lead to widespread piracy of movies. Read "DivX: From Underground to Living Room."

If you've never seen 405: The Movie, an utterly amazing video, it'll knock your socks off. And the ending will make you laugh out loud.

To view 405: The Movie, you'll also need the DivX codec.

And you might as well learn more about DivX, so read the DivX Digest.

Don't Stop Now

Pick up the current players and codecs you need to bring your PC up to speed:

• Microsoft Windows Media Player
  
  
• Apple's QuickTime
  
  

Dig this: Are you ignoring my advice above to grab the latest Microsoft Windows Media Player? Try playing Aliensong, a hilarious video parody of a famous disco anthem. If it doesn't play, it means your Windows Media Player isn't up-to-date.

Something Hot

Interested in viewing some great videos? How can you stand not to?

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace Trailer: It's luscious and gives you a chance to make sure your Apple QuickTime player is in working order.

George Lucas in Love: A wonderful parody about a certain someone trying to write a movie but stuck with writer's block.

I almost forgot--the Microsoft acronyms. Easy once you know. TLA stands for "three letter acronym" and FLA is--well, do the math, folks. Groaning yet?

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