Advanced Clarification on Export options & Advanced Exporting advice needed

In Quicktime when exporting you can choose how to export your video in the first drop-down window. (ex. Movie to iPod, Movie to MPEG-4, Movie to QuickTime Movie).

After making that selection you can now click on 'options' and mess with the 'settings'.

Using identical bitrates/size/filters/etc. -- Is there a difference between between (for example) exporting:

"Movie to MPEG-4 > and changing the setting to H.264"
and
"Movie to QuickTime Movie > and using H.264 video compression setting"

That is just one example. I ask because I find it very confusing that Quicktime offers all these possible export options when really some are redundant in that they can be achieved using a different export option and changing the settings.

In my efforts finding the best way to export I find the needless addition of possibilities overwhelming when perhaps there really are less. I don't know if I should export as Quicktime using a particular setting, or Movie to iPhone.... the differences between .mp4 & .m4v and when to use each one!!? It's overwhelming.

I don't want a lesson on the differences because I've read it 100x over (although I am begging for help). I need to know when to use what. But again, I don't want lessons on how it depends on bitrate and such. I know all that. Just when do you use each format extension!? Are certain formats completely interchangable and all you have to do is change the extension!!?!--in which case I would have wasted hours re-exporting an .m4v file as a .mp4 file or a H.264 file!! Are these the same except for the extension!!?

As far as when to use each extension, it depends you say?-- okay... I edit on FCP. I output my ProRes422 files for my master. If I want a high quality version for my desktop I export a H.264 file. If I want to make a DVD, well let's not get into it but as a videographer I've done that many times and understand that.

Now I'm entering a new realm. I'm trying to build a website and need to find best ways to upload video. ALL my research has show the most agreed upon best way is H.264 in a Flash wrapper. So as far as that's concerned unless you need to make a DVD or something, aside from the master, it doesn't make sense to export in any other format than that. But can I do this in Quicktime or do I need a Flash encoder like Flash Media Encoder (in CS4). Because it seems to take MUCH longer in Flash Media Encoder to output a .mp4 file then in Quicktime exporting a .mp4 file.

QuickTime offers their Export for Web but having messed with that for days I've learned I've wasted all that time because it's not the flash that I want. Or is it? Do all I have to do is change the file extension? Using Export for Web you can't change the settings. Is it doing anything special or could I achieve the same results manually exporting?

These are the questions I have. Does anyone feel my pain (if you could make it through this long rant)? I would greatly appreciate any advice.

Thank you

 

thanks

I also use compressor, I just didn't want to bring that up and make my question even more complicated. In the end compressor is the more professional program, I guess, so I shouldn't let Quicktime Conversions confuse me. But still, as someone experimenting trying to find the best possible outcome, those many options QuickTime presents add to the confusion as what is best.

We both agree H.264 is better but specifically I want to view that in Flash. Does this require me to export/create the video file in a flash encoder (Flash Media Encoder) or can I use the H.264 output from compressor or QuickTime?--which lead to the earlier qustion in QuickTime is there a dfference between the many different ways to go about creating a H.264 file. Further confusing me it can save as .mov, .mp4, .m4v depending on which option in QuickTime and does it not matter-- are they the same (given you selected h.264 compression setting in Mpeg-4 option). Because I tried importing a .mov file into flash media composer but it was unrecognized.

Encoding in flash media encoder takes so long compared to compressor! Is there a reason for this?