Where, if at all, can I find a free H.264 codec (mp4 part 10)? Preferably not one coupled with other codecs, but if that is all that is out there it is acceptable. I want to try it out with programs such as procoder or premiere.

Thanks

mainconcept.com has some eval stuff that you can download and check out... also google the codec name and see what else you can come up with.

overall, tho, windows media 9 is about the best internet codec there is, and part of what makes it so good is that the player has better market penetration than just about anything else on the internet... and it's free.

Yes, but Apple's open standard H.264/AVC stands to dominate. It's already ratified as part of the new HD DVD spec. Tiger will come bundled with it.

windows media 9 is one of three version 1.0 physical specs for hd-dvd read-only discs... apple has no advantage there over microsoft that i can see.

one huge advantage for wm9 is that it's been on the market for quite awhile now, and it's free... by comparison, where can dwight go for a free download of the apple h.264 codec? where are the encoders that will support the format?

currently www.videosoftinc.com is selling for very cheap a h264 codec that you can use in any video for windows compatible application.
the problem being not to encode, but to decode.
most current players are not reading h264.
it is like quicktime and real video, i am very reluctant to install a full application just to read media files, when the codec for windows are good, free, and self installables.

Here are links for various mp4 tools
http://www.rarewares.org/mp4.html
http://www.mpeg4.net
google is your friend

ffdshow decodes H.264, and and upcoming version of Nero Recode will encode H.264.