Premiere CC/ME poor quality h.256 exports

[Dennis Radeke]

Hi there Nathaniel.

QT is a container that can contain many things including H.264 whereas H.264 itself is a video codec.

In the Premiere Pro export dialog there are several things to look at. First is the format. There you can choose H.264 or QT (or MPEG4). From there, you need to choose a preset or look below and build your own based on the video, audio, multiplexor, etc tabs.

If your source material is HD (e.g 1080) and you choose H.264 as a format, then probably the best thing to try for easy results is the “Match Source – high bit rate” preset which will match the frame size of your original source material and give it a high bit rate.

HTH,
Dennis – Adobe guy

[Jon Barrie]

I just performed a test with a high detailed image (photo) to the setting you specified and didn’t see any degredation.

I was using the H.264 presets (which are mp4 files not QT.mov files)

Matching your settings when using QT.mov and H.264 as the codec in the QT wrapper did result with your findings.

Try to export via the H.264 Format and start with an iPhone preset. I’ve never output Adobe works via QT.mov for H.264 and never had complaints.

You can alter the mp4 extension to be mov if someone complains…

Cheers JB

Jon Barrie
Adobe Video Solutions Consultant ANZ
Jon’s YouTube Tutorial Page
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[Nathan Mcalpine]

Yes, I am having the same problem. If I export an H.264 .mov at 6000 kbps from premiere it looks horrible. The same export from FCP7 or QT Pro looks great. I don’t think I can export a QT Ref from PP (right?). What I’m trying now is to export from Media Encoder.

Open Media Encoder and import your PP sequence. The export options are different so instead of exporting 6000 kbps I did Target Mbps 6 and Max Mbps 12.

Media Encoder allows VBR, 2 pass whereas I cannot find that from PP.

The default is a .mp4 instead of a .mov but that doesn’t really matter so I let it stay a .mp4.

The speed of the export is that of a snail through Media Encoder. Again, I’m not doing an apples to apples export but still… The result is what you would expect of an H.264 though so it is a good option if you have the time.

Nathan McAlpine
FCP and now Premiere Editor