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Working in 32bpc and exporting to 8Bit for Youtube
Hey guys,
I have the following problem. I am working on a little logo animation and for the sake of good quality and more freedom in compositing I am working in 32bpc color space.
I want to publish the animation on youtube so I already exported multiple tests to see, what the result could look like. Sadly I had to find out that the quality after uploading suffers a lot. More than it usually does with the regular youtube compression on top.
Since this is the first time I am using so much color depth in a Project, I guess that I am actually doing something wrong within my production Pipeline.
So let me break this down.
Project Settings:
The project is set to: 32bpc and linearize work space enabled. ColorSpace ist: sRGB – 2.1Export Settings:
I tried multiple1. Apple Pro Res 444
Container Format: QuickTime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIW-COP7KxQ&feature=youtu.be2. H.264
Container Format: QuickTime
H.264, probably the most common Codec when it comes to encode videos for the web use
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SijQ46JQ5Hk&feature=youtu.be3. H.264
Container Format: MP4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crV4as_WLxIThe first two options look very smooth if I watch the video locally, but they really suck after uploading to youtube.
The third one is also pretty messy but actually comes most close to the exported version.I am really stuck here and hope some of you have some advice for me to improve the quality.
Thanks in Advance
MartenScreen Designer/ Front-End Developer at Slim Interactive GmbH
http//www.weareslim.de -
9 Replies
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H.264 uses chroma sub-sampling, which means that color information is encoded at lower resolution than brightness information.
When you have a sharp transition from one color to another, like your magenta ring to your purple background, this lower-resolution color encoding causes some blocking artifacts. A softer ring of a darker magenta behind your bright magenta ring might help clear that up.
Also, H.264 likes to throw away information in an attempt to reduce file size/bandwidth. When it sees large areas that are almost the same, it tries to eliminate as much detail as possible to conserve bits. Increase your bit rate and adding some grain in these areas may help force the compressor to encode them more faithfully.
Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive | RenderBreak [blog] | Profile [LinkedIn] -
here’s what youtube recommends.
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171?hl=enalso, there’s a rumour that uploading a slightly higher resolution file to YouTube grants a higher bitrate when it encodes for web.
don’t forget color management as the wrong 16-235 or 0-255 will shift the gamma and show ugly macro-blocks.
Another option that works well is DnxHD as it will keep perfect color management throughout the pipeline.
you can use DnxHd or another codec and use AE’s utility profile converter to burn in rec. 709. It will pre-darken up youtube
because youtube lightens video after conversion.I get a lot of likes on this tip so I recommend trying it.
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Hey Walter,
Thanks for all the interesting meta information about H.264. The additional Grain you mentioned was already added before exporting, because it blends things pretty well.If I understand you right, the problem I am suffering from has nothing to do with the fact that I am working in 32bit and export it to the 8Bit Format but more with the bitrate I encode the video?
Screen Designer/ Front-End Developer at Slim Interactive GmbH
http//www.weareslim.de -
When you say Color Managment, do you mean the ColorManagement Settings for Output?
In case you do, I already have that set up to be sRGB 2.1 (none linear).DnxHD, I never heard of that Codec before. Do you have some Resource for me where I can read more about the workflow with the utility profile converter (also never heard of that before).
Thanks in advance for all that information!
Screen Designer/ Front-End Developer at Slim Interactive GmbH
http//www.weareslim.de -
I tried exporting as DNxHD now. This is the Outcome:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpM329cGco8
It’s okay but not that much better actually…
Screen Designer/ Front-End Developer at Slim Interactive GmbH
http//www.weareslim.de -
[Marten Zander] “If I understand you right, the problem I am suffering from has nothing to do with the fact that I am working in 32bit and export it to the 8Bit Format but more with the bitrate I encode the video?”
The problem you have has nothing to do with working at 32bpc and rendering to 8bpc. Your problem comes from compression artifacts.
Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive | RenderBreak [blog] | Profile [LinkedIn] -
But the actual exported Video looks pretty good. Only after upload to Youtube it messes up…
Screen Designer/ Front-End Developer at Slim Interactive GmbH
http//www.weareslim.de -
YouTube is re-encoding and compounding the compression artifacts.
Does it still suffer like this if you use one of AME’s YouTube presets?
Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive | RenderBreak [blog] | Profile [LinkedIn] -
I haven’t tried yet. I will test as soon as I am home and let you know.
Screen Designer/ Front-End Developer at Slim Interactive GmbH
http//www.weareslim.de
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