Help Please: Best Format to Save a Video In?

Is there any info on BHW about the best format to save a video in or would someone please give me a quick tutorial?

I need to know the difference between AVI, WMV, FLV, MOV any any others.
I know what the initials stand for, I need to know when to use which format.

Can Mac users view a WMV video?
What format do I need for both Windows & Mac users?

I'm using Camtasia to record screen captures.
What is the best format to save it in for YouTube?
Best format if I want to save it to my blog?
Best format if I want to save it to my Amazon S3 acct?
Best format if I want to save it and show it on an html page?

Which format will produce it in the smallest size possible to make for quick downloads by customers?

What I really want to do is record screen capture tutorials, save them in a
small size format, upload them to a hosting acct. or Amazon S3 and sell
them or give them away via a download link.

How do you guys do this?

Thanks!

to me mp4 is or Hd but i dont use camtasia so i dont know which format is best for it.

Yes . . . For Youtube, use the MP4 Format. 30 Frames-Per-Second

Cheers! - "Wiz"

MP4 probably

I use MP4. I bought Quicktime Pro (It's cheap) open video and export as .mp4. Use high Datarate I use 1200+kbs for youtube and lower it to 300-500 for streaming on website.

For streaming on Websites I upload the videos to S3 and use either S3FlowShield or S3 Media Vault. That way I ensure no one can access my S3 bucket as no one has permission to watch them apart from embedded in a webpage.

.mov

HD and small file size.


also dont buy quicktime pro, google for a serial code, theirs 10000's out there.

MP4 is universal on all video sites, use that.

Thanks for all the great answers and Merry Christmas!

I'm using Camtasia 3 (the ancient version) and it doesn't have the option of saving in MP4.

Guess I should upgrade it.

I've been doing some research and found that SWF is good for short, low-
motion video and FLV is good for longer, high-motion videos YouTube recognizes WMV & AVI files.

Lots to learn in the world of video.