trying to get the best compression

[Charles Simonson]

I would suggest the Flip4Mac forum for your query ( https://www.flip4mac.com/fusetalk/forum/ ). I haven’t had the issue you speak of with the F4M encoder (it usually does a pretty good job of achieving its targeted bitrates). And in my experience, Sorenson 4.1 and F4M Pro 1.0.5 work pretty well once you get everything rolling smoothly (admittedly, that can take some tinkering).

Oh, wait, let me guess, you are using QT to tell you what the datarate is, aren’t you? You actually can’t trust that number. Take a look at the actual encoded file-size through the Finder, and then do the appropriate math. I doubt the file is really that far off the target.

As far as Mulit-bitrate encoding, the only way to do that natively on the mac is with Popwire Compression Master 3.1.

[Arty Gold]

thanks…

the thing that really throws me off…is in squeeze it still allows you to choose all the options even though with the standard version of f4m you can’t do a 2-pass…

but if you choose any of those options (even by accident) it locks up the program…

sigh

thanks anyway

[Craig Seeman]

If you have Flip4Mac Studio Pro you can do 2 Pass CBR and 2 Pass VBR.

The presets are really just starting points or something to use if you don’t know where you’re headed. They’ve given you targets though (56k, DSL, LAN). Bit rates MIGHT be (there are variables even with these targets depending on source and actual conditions) 32kbps/s, 400kbps/s, 1400kbps/s – these are just ballparks to try – your needs may vary.

MBR with Flip4Mac and Squeeze is not yet working.

[Craig Seeman]

[Arty] “the thing that really throws me off…is in squeeze it still allows you to choose all the options even though with the standard version of f4m you can’t do a 2-pass…

but if you choose any of those options (even by accident) it locks up the program…”

Yup, it’s a Squeeze “issue” and the folks at Telestream/Flip4Mac have reported it to them. For the time being avoid MBR, WMV7, WMV8 for example. I suspect Squeeze simply including all the Windows settings in the Mac version of the program even though these settings are not yet supported.

[Arty Gold]

thanks very much
i already have made much progress…

although not a compression whiz…

my best bet has been to just keep playing with the numbers and get them to where i need them…

you’ve been very helpful

[Ben Waggoner]

On the specific point of multi-bitrate encoding, Compression Master 3.1 is the only Mac tool that can encode to “Intelligent Streaming” so far.

My Book: https://www.benwaggoner.com/books.htm
Squeeze and ProCoder tutorials: https://www.classondemand.net/benwaggoner/
Compression Class at Stanford: https://www.digitalmediaacademy.org/compression.html

[Craig Seeman]

and to add to Ben’s comments on MBR on the Mac . . .

If you have Squeeze 4.1 for the Mac. The manual mentions MBR. You can even control click on Window Media Video Format and set up an MBR encode. The results of that encode though is not MBR. The “powers that be” are aware and hope that changes in the near future.