"Save for web" gif matte question

I would like a file of mine to have a transparent background, so I know my options are .gif and .png. The file is being imported to Flash, that's why the .png file suits.

In "Save for web", the .png file when viewed as png-24 takes the edges of the image and makes them transparent as they should be, making it a smoother looking image against a transparent background. The problem is the image size though, which is really high.

When viewing as a .gif file the same way, the edges of the image are quite choppy unless I add a matte. The problem is the image hav;ing an outline of the color of the matte. The file size is much more appealing, but unless I place that image on a color that is the same color as the matte it looks pretty ridiculous.

This problem is really only a factor for me when I create banner advertisements, considering most vendors place kb size limits on the ads.

Does anyone know a way around the matte issue with gif so I can keep the file sizes down?

Thanks,

Brian

Depending on how large display wise your image is, you could cut it into smaller pieces making the pieces that don't require transparency a JPG and then the parts that do require a transparency as PNG.

Hope this helps, g'luck.