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Web Compression
all right this is going to be a total noob question but i still need help. Basically i’d like to know what’s the best way to compress video for the web. All my video experience has been for broadcast or dvd but im starting to move this way and want to do it right.
Generally what ive been doing is using export using quicktime conversion, dsl-high setting, and clicking fast start-compressed header. The quality is fine but won;t play until the entire clip is loaded, i want it to buffer first and then play catch up.
Also, should i use compressor for this? It seems overly geared for dvdstudiopro for which ive had no problems but i am unsure of how to configure for the web.
anyway, my apologies again but i appreciate any and all responses
-scott -
2 Replies
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You don’t specify whether you’re saving for long form or short form content. I do it for commercials, so this is my workflow.
Because some folks at home don’t have the latest version of QT, and because some are even on computers with the monitor resolution set too low (800×600), I build my settings like this.
Video: QT Sorenson 3, MEDIUM quality, 400×300, enable fast start,
Audio, ulaw 2:1, 44khz StereoThese settings will create about a 9 meg clip per 30 seconds.
I then upload that file to a server, have a simple template web page on a PC, go into a website design APP (I use FrontPage because it’s easy and it’s WYSIWYG – but only works on PC), click on the plugin in the design page, relink to the new file uploading on my mac, rename the page, save, and it’s done.
I’m sure other folks have better workflows. Some people tend to send out an FTP link to a web folder, I prefer to build a webpage so you can view it before it’s finished downloading.
in a few moths h264 will change this anyways…. It just takes a while for everybody to get it…..
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I use roughly the same process for sorensen 3. But use 15fps (you didn’t specify) which cuts the size in half) and I use 320×240, which to me looks sharper because it’s essentially removing every other pixel, instead of interpolating to 400 pixels. It’s also smaller in file size. I also use mp3 as the audio compression, and frequently make it mono or 32khz to make it smaller.
Yields file sizes much smaller, and very acceptable quality. About 1.5 megs per 30 seconds. Smaller frame size, and smaller frame rate are key for me.
But I really like the h264 stuff. But yeah, many people may not have latest qt. But the compressor setting for 300mega bits a sec (my above example was 500mb/sec) looks even better. I had been using cleaner for creating, but soon enough h264 will be ok and I can just switch to compressor.
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