I don't do much audio or video but aren't most media programs able to handle a pretty broad range of formats by just adding the correct codec file to tell them how to translate the inputs?

I see quite a few places offering "flv codecs," generic ones and ones specific for pretty mundane programs - windows and mac.

A new program might offer some advantages, but if loading a simple "interpreter" makes the program you're familiar with work with the format, it'd save having to learn where all the whiz-bang buttons are in a new program.

(Of course, anything associated with Flash is sort of expected to misbehave, I suppose.)

John