Attention HorrorFest Windows Users: What are you using to compress your H.264 files?

Ralph Oshiro

Ralph Oshiro

Veteran
Well, I've tried unsuccessfully compressing my HorrorFest .AVI file to an H.264 QuickTime .mov file, using both of Adobe Premiere Pro's built-in methods:

1. Exporting as a "movie" in the H.264 QuickTime file format (file gets too big).
2. Exporting using Adobe Media Encoder. There's no "23.976" frame rate option using this method (only EXACTLY 24), and my file always ends up being only 1K and, upon playback, results in the error message, "cannot find related data file."

So, as a Windows user, using Adobe Premiere Pro, I now need to BUY something to create a high quality H.264 encode for the contest submission--which do you recommend?

1. Apple QuickTime Pro for Windows $29.99.
2. Sorenson Squeeze 4 for Windows $419.00.
3. Main Concept H.264 Encoder V2 for Windows $499.00.
4. Elecard XMuxer Pro v2.0 $95.45 w/ElecardAVC/H.264 Encoder Pack $30.00 [total: $125.45].
5. Sony Vegas+DVD $524.96

Is Sorensen generally considered "the best" compressor for Windows users? "Better" than Main Concept? Should I buy it? Is it worth the investment for future projects to be able to have that industrial-stength "new media" distribution capability? I mean, if the Sorenson or Main Concept apps deliver some sophisticated capability that I'll be able to use on future projects, I'm certainly willing to consider the investment, but is QuickTime Pro all I really need for now? I've heard someone mention some QT Pro encoding issues on Windows platforms--anyone experience those? The Elecard product sounds good, and more affordable, but has anyone used it?

Also, since I'm, planning to switch to Sony Vegas 7 after this project anyway, would I still NEED an expensive, stand-alone compression application if I'm planning to buy Vegas anyway? Isn't Sony Vegas 7 reported to have pretty good built-in "new media" compression capabilities? Does Sony Vegas 6/7 encode a nice efficient H.264 file? Help!
 
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I think Jimerson was saying that he was doing H.264 with premiere pro2 suite, and it was working fine. What version are you using?

Jason
 
I have: Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5.1

1.5.1 must have problems doing a properly efficient H.264 encode or a correct 23.976 encode, and that is probably now one of the upgrade "features" of PP2. I haven't, and don't intend to pay for the Adobe upgrade, since I'm going to switch to Sony Vegas 7 soon.
 
I was using Premiere Pro 1.5 as well, and running into problems. I would select the correct PAR and resolution, but it would render out a 4x3 clip...if I went back and selected a 1.0 PAR, it would render widescreen, but be shrinked. I couldn't figure it out. I ended up going online and buying Quicktime Pro for $30.00.

It worked fine.
 
Ok it's impossible with Prem. Pro. 1.5.
Ive tried every setting. Even rendering uncompressed QT files and M2V. Even with no audio at low bitrates. It isnt gonna happen. Get QTPro.
J
 
I use vegas 6.0d and it works nicely with H.264 encoding.
Rezfactor said:
Also, since I'm, planning to switch to Sony Vegas 7 after this project anyway, would I still NEED an expensive, stand-alone compression application if I'm planning to buy Vegas anyway? Isn't Sony Vegas 7 reported to have pretty good built-in "new media" compression capabilities? Does Sony Vegas 6/7 encode a nice efficient H.264 file? Help!
Click to expand...
 
Since we are on the topic and this is my first fest, when people create the online version do they modify the sound to accomodate pc/mac speakers or just dump it to .mov?
 
webdog said:
I use vegas 6.0d and it works nicely with H.264 encoding.
Click to expand...

I also have vegas 6.0d. Are you using the default settings for .mov generation? Or, something else? I don't want to blow this just because I can't do this correctly. Also, how did you meet the 400w restriction? I shot in squeeze.
 
Brandon Rice said:
Yep, QTPro is worth the expense
Click to expand...
Hey Brandon.

I know you're an AVID user, so do you export in pure DV avi format, then open in quicktime pro and compress? If this is true, could you list your QTPro settings?
 
I use sorenson squeeze for this since I can't find the settings in pro-coder. It works great and has presets to get you started which actually do a good job.
 
I am using vegas 6.0 and I am having trouble figuring out exactly what to do with the h.264 encoding. I figure I should use the .mov, but I am not sure exactly what to do abouit the 400 lines and the 50mb macimum siz e for the file. I do not see any settings for this in the custom menu. I am guessing that the 400 lines means the width, but other than that I am lost. Can any one tell me exactly which of the custom settings if any I should use to meet these secifications?
 
ezexpress said:
I am using vegas 6.0 and I am having trouble figuring out exactly what to do with the h.264 encoding. I figure I should use the .mov, but I am not sure exactly what to do abouit the 400 lines and the 50mb macimum siz e for the file. I do not see any settings for this in the custom menu. I am guessing that the 400 lines means the width, but other than that I am lost. Can any one tell me exactly which of the custom settings if any I should use to meet these secifications?
Click to expand...

Well, a 16:9 file would be 400x225 (width x height). You can experiment to get under the 50MB file limit.
 
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