AppleTV and Compressor

[Gary Adcock]

[Max Kaiser] “Hello – does anyone know the correct settings for using compressor to make content for AppleTV.”

Compressor has not been updated to include those settings

Try using QT
File > Export > Apple TV (1080 content will be scaled to 720)

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Captain Mench]

Hmmm… I heard that 1080 gets scaled to 540p… and 720p stays.

Can you confirm, Gary?

CaptM

[Scott Robinson]

QT Pro has an export setting in there specifically for Apple TV now, with the 7.1.5 update.

Scott Robinson
President
Take 2 Productions, Inc.

Multimedia Instructor
Ohio Institute of Photography & Technology

[Jeff Carpenter]

Use that QT Pro setting to make a test file. Then open the file in Quicktime and press Apple-J on the keyboard.

You should be able to find the info you need to re-create that setting Compressor.

[Matt Larson]

Not an expert on this, but I think @TV needs a new profile level for encoded video. When they added 640×480 support for iPod Video the encoding profile changed from “baseline 1” to “baseline 3”, so even if your video had all the correct bit rate, size, etc. if it didn’t have the correct profile it would get rejected by the iPod.

Again, similarily, the first software to encode it properly was Quicktime’s mysterious “Encode for iPod” setting. Once people started to figure out what changed, the new profile was updated in other software and then EVENTUALLY Compressor got updated. I think it took a while for that upgrade to come out. Check out ffMPEGX and VisualHub to see if they support it yet.

This is from the manual:
Video formats supported
H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps)

So it looks like the CAVLC is the new profile that needs to be supported.

Also note that 720p24 is supported, but NOT higher framerates. If you want to encode 29.97 video you are limited to SD….for now

[Max Kaiser]

Matt,

What you say sounds correct. I tried the “Get Info” and recreate method but it always gets rejected even when I match the specs exactly (1280×720, H.264, 24fps, AAC music LC) no good.

Also, the export from QTPro is okay and looks pretty good, but it does seem to cut off my bottom and top by around 50 pixels for some reason. Kind of stinks for my commercials since I often use that are for text, etc.

Not sure about the 1080p going down to 720 or 540, will check, but I think it is only on the 29.97 stuff that it goes to SD.

Thanks!
max

[Gary Adcock]

[Matt Larson] “Not an expert on this, but I think @TV needs a new profile level for encoded video. “

I am sure they will when they update the app the next time,

[CaptM ]

your guess was correct, 720p stuff stays as is however,
ALL of my 1080 QT files all encode into 1280 x 720 when using the Quicktime > File > Export > Apple Tv

there are no options for apple tv available.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

[Tom Wolsky]

30p material compress down to 960×540 it seems. The tech spec says: H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps). Curious why you’re getting 1080 out from this.

All the best,

Tom

Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop” Class on Demand “Complete Training for FCP5” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy” DVDs

[Gary Adcock]

[Tom Wolsky] “0p material compress down to 960×540 it seems…. Curious why you’re getting 1080 out from this.”

half rez, just like the ipod videos.

“maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps)”

Guess from this you can tell I was working with my normal progressive content for my tests
So it is smart enough to understand the difference between interlaced and progressive content during the encode.

nice.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows