best file format for web?

robertwerden

robertwerden

Well-known member
Im a PC user, and although my vegas can output to MOV which seems to be the most popular, I noticed the file size is quite large when compared to WMV or AVI.

What file format is the best to use if you want the video to stream fast and smooth, yet still maintain the high quality image the HVX produces?
 
All three of those (MOV, WMV, AVI) are container formats that can use different codecs and codec settings, so to say that WMV and AVI are always smaller than MOV is an oversimplification.

QuickTime 7 Pro (which is the paid upgrade of QuickTime) on the PC supports H.264, which is excellent for web delivery. If you combine that with a compressed audio format like AAC or MACE, you'll get total file sizes / bandwidths that are similar to WMV.

In order to get decent file sizes with AVI files, you'll wind up having to use DivX/XviD, which many people don't have.
 
sorenson and flash are two of the more platform independent formats. but h264 is in my opinion the best quality/size ratio. AND with itunes for windows growing in use. ive found that about 70% of windows users can see them just fine.

so, to answer your question - there is no "BEST" it depends on your audience and your goals...
 
I have a pretty golden h.264 set up that i use out of FCP - its a great web delivery codec. Deliver about twice the quality (subjective call i know) as a wmv file at the same size.

I'm usually compressing a Pal Dv 16:9 timeline - with TONS of motion - watersports , handheld footage, panning tripods, helishots etc.

h.264 video - set bit rate anywhere between 1500 kbs and 500
key frame every 250 frames (this might be every 300 if you are in ntsc)
Set frame size to 480 x 270

make sure you deinterlace (its offered as an option as part of the QT conversion process) as this will be seen on a computer screen

Sound - use aac at around 80 - 96 kbs -set to mono if you really want to reduce your file size a bit more. Leave if the sound is really important to the piece!

These settings Give great quality at between 15 and 7 mB files (depending on the kb/s setting you went for) for a 90 second clip

Send via FTP - i like yousendit.com - but there are many - to your clients email address. Broadband will pick this up in less than 5 minutes - probably alot quicker!

Do a bit of trial and error to find your own preferred quality / file size trade offs. H.264 is THE best way right now to preserve all that beautiful color , lighting and timing you worked so hard to achieve!
 
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