• Avid Media Composer

  Avid Codec Size and Quality

  Posted by Max Grater on October 6, 2008 at 5:22 pm

  I need to export Quicktime cuts out of the avid for internet upload/web streaming with minimal loss of quality, quick export time, and small file size. The animation codec produces the highest quality image but also the largest file size – it also takes the least amount of time to export out of Avid. Sorensen 3 on the other hand produces the smallest file size – with minimal reduction in quality – but takes incredibly long to export out of avid (4-6 hours for a 1/2 hour cut!). I’m wondering where I can find more/better information on the different codecs and what I am should expect out of each. Currently my best solution is to use the AVID DV codec, 44.1 uncompressed audio – which produces a 5 gig file (1/2 hour show) in about 20 minutes. This then needs to be squeezed before internet upload (which often takes another hour). h.264 codec produces a small file size, but takes forever. Also, I am never sure how mucgh scrolling the quality bar from ‘least’ to ‘best’ will effect the picture quality – as all the codecs seems to react differently. Are there any internet resources about the different codecs and what they offer?

  …the only way i know how…

  Justin Gray replied 17 years, 7 months ago 4 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  Mark

  October 6, 2008 at 5:32 pm

  I use Sorenson Video3 in QT, but I let Sorenson squeeze do all of my compressing for QT. I usually send a reference QT out of Avid, then open that in Sorenson and let Squeeze handle the compression. If I need a WMV file, then I send an uncompressed AVI out of Avid and use the windows media encoder (free download from Microsoft). I find most NLE’s will export a decent file, but not as good as the compression programs.

  Regards

  Mark

  Mark Harvey
  Senior Editor
  Le Réseau des sports
• 

  Michael Hancock

  October 6, 2008 at 5:42 pm

  I’m with Mark on using Sorenson via a quicktime reference from Avid.

  If you have Sorenson installed on your Avid (or another compression program), the quicktime reference shouldn’t take more than a few seconds to export (it points to the original Avid media, but in a Quicktime wrapper so programs like Sorenson can read it).

  For compression techiniques, check the Cow’s Compression Techniques forum:

  https://forums.creativecow.net/forum/compressiontechniques

  Michael.
• 

  Justin Gray

  October 6, 2008 at 10:10 pm

  Also, be sure to deinterlace your video upon export as computers are not field dominant. If you are using Sorenson Squeeze, then often the best bang for your buck is going to be to encode your files with one of the On2VP6 flash presents.

  – Justin Gray
  KLTV Promotions

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