The compression thing is killing me!..few questions.

[Richard J. Johnson]

I used the HVX200 720/24p, edited in 24p timeline. When I export the video to try to get down to 50 MB it is very pixelated and does not look anywhere near HD.

1. Does changing the KB per second affect quality or is it the size? Should I not be using The apple QT compressor at all?

2. Should I use Compressor? or MPEG stream clip (which I'm not sure if it would compress a 1 gig QT down to 50MB and still retain the quality)

I tried using the similar settings that I used for my DVX but it looked bad. I did manage to get the 5 gig file down to 1 gig but that is far away from 50MB.

Any Help with settings or what programs I could use would be apprecitated.
Compression is the worst for me. I read and read, but It just won't sink in.:crybaby:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

I only use Quicktime Pro myself. I can easily get >1GB files down to 50MB and still have them look pretty good.

Maybe DVXuser will open a Vimeo account and we can all go HD this Fest! :)

[Richard J. Johnson]

is it free? Vimeo acct. would be nice.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

QT Pro is about $30.00

Vimeo is free.

[Zim]

We all can't go HD.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

We all can't go HD.True. But you could still upload an SD file WITHOUT compression.
It will look the best it can look and that's the point. :beer:

[Richard J. Johnson]

I have stuff up on Vimeo. Mostly family practice. What settings do you use for QT7?

And what exactly affects the quality. I went to 970 KB/sec and left the size default. It was 48mb but looked horrible. Then I changed the size and 850kb and it looked about the same. When I left it all at default, It looked great but was 1 gig.

[Chris Messineo]

Compressor is not the fastest solution, but I find it does the best job getting me small file sizes that look good.

[Richard J. Johnson]

I just got FCS2 and Compressor is not the same. I went to use it yesterday and was like "What in the hell is this"

If anyone with shooting HD and using FCP could post some settings I will dance at your wedding.:beer:

[Will Clegg]

Hi, this should help:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=138020&highlight=compression

Maybe that thread should become a sticky for each fest?

[Richard J. Johnson]

Hi, this should help:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=138020&highlight=compression

Maybe that thread should become a sticky for each fest?

Thank you Mr. Clegg. That helped tremendously. and it should be a sticky for sure.

[Morox]

I use Vegas and my Quicktime won't open any of the rendered .avi files from Vegas. When I try and render it as a .mov and bring it into Quicktime to compress it, I get am error. I don't know what the hell to do. Any suggestions?

[Richard J. Johnson]

I wish I could help you that one. But, No matter what I try it is not coming out as sharp as it is in FCP. I got it crystal clear using Compressor but there was no audio. If I could add an audio track to the 42MB QT pro file I would be in business. Compression is a different monster and it would not be so bad if it didn't take forever each time you try something new.

[Tim Joy]

I usually try a small test clip first, then once I'm satisfied with the quality I'll do the whole thing.

Have you tried using MPEG Streamclip?

[Richard J. Johnson]

I usually try a small test clip first, then once I'm satisfied with the quality I'll do the whole thing.

Have you tried using MPEG Streamclip?

I have stream clip as well. But It has sooo many options most of which I have no idea what they do in terms of image quality.

do you have any settings that you could recommend to get a 6 minute HD 2 gig file down to 50 MB is streamclip because QTpro is not giving me what I want?

And should I export a h.264 HD QT file first then drag it into Streamclip? Then export to another QT file?

Compressor gave me what I was looking for but no audio.

[Dick Campbell]

This is not that difficult. There was another thread that gave a recipe. Mine is similar. I presume you are using FCP:

1. Export from FCP using QT compressor.
2. Select Broadband HIGH (or medium, size will vary)
3. Use h264
4. in Options, set a "Custom" aspect ratio, I use 480x270 for 16:9, you can also go bigger.

I'm writing this from memory but that's basically it. My Twilightfest entry "The Gift" was shot in 1080/24Pa and reduced to 46MB this way. You can take a look and see what you think.

[Morox]

How do you guys compress after rendering with Vegas? What type of file are you rendering it as? I was playing around with it last night for a few hours and couldn't find a sweet spot if you know what I mean.

[Richard J. Johnson]

This is not that difficult. There was another thread that gave a recipe. Mine is similar. I presume you are using FCP:

1. Export from FCP using QT compressor.
2. Select Broadband HIGH (or medium, size will vary)
3. Use h264
4. in Options, set a "Custom" aspect ratio, I use 480x270 for 16:9, you can also go bigger.

I'm writing this from memory but that's basically it. My Twilightfest entry "The Gift" was shot in 1080/24Pa and reduced to 46MB this way. You can take a look and see what you think.

I'm trying this now. I got few down but it's just not the sweet spot as Morox mentioned

[bosindy]

This is what I have done in the past.

to save yourself a ton of time and headaches, export a self contained quicktime movie and use that to import into compressor. exporting every time out of FCP adds time and inconsistency to the file size.

once in compressor:

use the configurable h.264 quicktime settings in the formats -> Quciktime folder
in the video settings click on the automatic key frames
Move the slider as needed from high to medium (this will be the only thing you use to adjust your file size)
leave everything else alone

in the audio settings go to Format and select ACC
Change the data rate to 32 kHz

Go to dimension, choose custom (16:9)
You should be able to get 720x405 or at least 640x360

[Morox]

I tried rendering it through Vegas as a .mov and opened it in Quicktime and when I tried exporting it, I would get an error.

[Richard J. Johnson]

Thanks bosindy. I will try it that way as well. Compression itself is not that difficult. Fine tuning it to get it exactly how see it in my NLE is proving to be a pain in the ass.

[Richard J. Johnson]

This is not that difficult. There was another thread that gave a recipe. Mine is similar. I presume you are using FCP:

1. Export from FCP using QT compressor.
2. Select Broadband HIGH (or medium, size will vary)
3. Use h264
4. in Options, set a "Custom" aspect ratio, I use 480x270 for 16:9, you can also go bigger.

I'm writing this from memory but that's basically it. My Twilightfest entry "The Gift" was shot in 1080/24Pa and reduced to 46MB this way. You can take a look and see what you think.

This is the one! Thank you DC. I used 640x480 to make it bigger but it looks great here and came it under 50MB

[Lawsuit_Boy]

I only use Quicktime Pro myself. I can easily get >1GB files down to 50MB and still have them look pretty good.

Maybe DVXuser will open a Vimeo account and we can all go HD this Fest! :)

This would be fantastic. I use vimeo frequently, and I actually had someone on there buy me a Vimeo Plus+ account as a gift! How cool is that?

[Lawsuit_Boy]

True. But you could still upload an SD file WITHOUT compression.
It will look the best it can look and that's the point. :beer:

I render my stuff from a dvx out to 1280 x 720 and upload to Vimeo (from Vegas) and get fantastic results.

You should try it, Zim.

[Richard J. Johnson]

MPEG stream clip is giving me the sharpest image and getting the file down to size. It is a great tool to have in the box

The Problem I am having now is that the damn audio is out of sync by a few milliseconds. Is AAC 44.1 128 correct? If I slide the audio to compensate either direction it makes it worse. I am totally confused by this one.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

compressor
Internet pressettibngs:LAN
double pass
720X405
compress. check file size. play with the kbps between 900 and 1300

if you can't get under 50mb that way, drop the dimensions to 480 X 270 and repeat.

The most important thing to know about compression is that someone else's movie always looks better than yours. When you see there movie you're seeing the general lighting, composition, getting lost in the story for the first time, have never seen it in a less compressed format, are not obsessing over the jagged edges along the actors face a certain shot in freeze frame because you are not looking for jagged edges in their movie only in yours. You PM this individual asking how they got their compression to look so good only to discover a PM from them in your inbox when you hit send asking the same thing. Surprised since theirs looks so much better than yours in your opinion, you shrug and send them your recipe anyway, only to get a PM back from the other guy saying that's exactly what he was doing too.

[Richard J. Johnson]

well said Jack, Well said.

[preston]

quick question - does anyone know how to prevent quicktime pro from adding the frame of white to the very end of the file? i want my film to end on the credits, but after compresssion, the .mov ends in white, after the credits.

anyone else have this issue, or know how to fix it? thanks...

[Richard J. Johnson]

never heard of that one. QT pro was giving me so many issues as well. Try Streamclip, it's free and for me it worked and looked better than QTpro.

[preston]

i'm giving that a try, thank you.

anyone else getting a frame of white from quicktime pro?

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

i'm giving that a try, thank you.

anyone else getting a frame of white from quicktime pro?I've used it for a long time now. Never came across any issues like that.

Mike

[ZazaCast]

This has happen to me before, but only when exporting from Vegas. All I had to do was add about 6 frames past the end of the film, but still on the ending credits....that way the movie ends on the credits.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Preston, what are you using with QT Pro?
I use Premiere Pro. No issues.

Are you using Vegas as mentioned above?

[preston]

premiere pro 2.0 - the .avi ends with credits, but QT-pro ends in white, instead of the last rfame. i don't think it's actually adding another frame, it just won't stop on the last one (like it should).

[preston]

Streamclip worked! amazing how it can make a Quicktime .mov better than Quicktime Pro. can i get a refund?

haha anyway, thanks again!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

premiere pro 2.0 - the .avi ends with credits, but QT-pro ends in white, instead of the last rfame. i don't think it's actually adding another frame, it just won't stop on the last one (like it should).
Glad you got it worked out but I bet it's an issue on your end. I've used everything from PP1.5 to CS3 and have never had that issue with QT Pro.

Sounds like something else is conflicting with it.

Can't wait to see how it looks either way.

MAH

[singleframe]

i finally got mine down to 47 mb using Compressor -- just weird seeing all my hours of work dwindle down to that small file size. my movie looks fine, but you have to watch it in such a small screen (600 X 337). full screen just didn't look all that great. i did get a solid looking version at around 100 mb. maybe we can up it next time?? ;)

okay, good night...err morning.
E