MPEG-4 encoding help!

eL ProduceR

eL ProduceR

Well-known member
Hello everyone, I have been asked to encode a video using MPEG-4 at 25mbps; now any way I've tried it, QT, FCP or Compresor, MPEG-4 goes only as high as 15+-mbps.

I have suggested a different delivery format, XDCAM 422 or EX as I'm not able to achieve the requested bit rate.

My guess is either there is more information missing or they do not know what codec the station wants and came up with "their own" flavor, but before I send any e-mails I need your expertise on this :)

Thanks
 
You said "station"? Does that mean "TV Station"? What TV station uses MPEG-4? Also what is your resolution? 25Mbps of almost anything is overkill. My 13 Mbps h.264 1080p files look amazing. I am not on my Mac right now but the 15 limit seems to be a profile limit and you might have to adjust your profile to get above 15.
 
Thanks for your reply kgimedia, the station is in TX, they just switched file transfer for their promos and commercials, and according to the client the station asked them to deliver MPEG-4 at 24mbps. I agree, for broadcast 15mbps is perfect, but the client wants to go with the the station is asking.

Now, I have been upping all the settings in both FCP and QT and the highest I could go is still 15mbps...
 
You're going to need to get a high end software encoder that supports higher bitrates. On the Mac, the easy route is to buy Episode Pro. If you don't mind using bootcamp, there are free tools in windows that will generate these deliverables as well. (MeGui is one I personally use)

13Mbps may not be enough for HD content, if they are requesting CBR only, alot of stations broadcast h.264 in CBR only, so those high efficency 8mbps VBR files that peak at 20Mbps at certain points will not do.
 
Hello Demistate. They are not broadcasting HD, but they are requesting the files to have CBR. I'm glad to know that you can defenitely go higher on bitrate, I will definitely try the MeGui.

Thanks a lot.
 
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