Exporting To Quicktime at DVinfo.net

Bruce Meyers · February 22nd, 2006, 02:28 AM

I have a 20 minute movie that I shot with the HD100 that I want to export to a small mangeable size for internet transfer... It's taking my comp three hours plus to export this movie to quicktime h.264 codec 480 x 270 bitrate around 100-200 kbps WhY is it taking so long? What's wrong with my computer? Is this normal? Why should I wait 3 hours to export 20 minutes worth of footage? What's the problem, someone please help, deadlines are approaching and jobs are on the line!! Sorry to sound so desperate BUT HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dylan Pank · February 22nd, 2006, 10:15 AM

Yes it's normal, though this depends on the power of your computer. Quicktime is SLOW and h.264 is complex to encode and processor intensive. Does it have to be h.264? Is datarate/resolution that critical?

Sorenson will encode much faster (albeit of a much higher datarate at that res), alternatively you could try encoding to H.264 with FFmpegX or iSquint; these are much faster, but you'd still have to export to another intermediate before hand (and there's also the learning curve to get the best from a new piece of software).

In addition, if this is from a Final Cut timeline, it's also having to render all the effects (FCP renders output file from the original source files via filters afresh in order to cut down the number of recompression passes, but this slows things down for output considerably.)

Sorry to be the bearer of bads news.

Andrew Khalil · February 22nd, 2006, 12:13 PM

yeah, it takes me a long time to export in h.264 as well. However, I have been very happy with the output quality, so I think it's all worth it in the end.

Mark Bournes · February 24th, 2006, 02:58 PM

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it does take that long, in the end you'll be happy with the quality.

February 22nd, 2006, 02:28 AM	#1
Bruce Meyers Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Maldives Posts: 97	Exporting To Quicktime I have a 20 minute movie that I shot with the HD100 that I want to export to a small mangeable size for internet transfer... It's taking my comp three hours plus to export this movie to quicktime h.264 codec 480 x 270 bitrate around 100-200 kbps WhY is it taking so long? What's wrong with my computer? Is this normal? Why should I wait 3 hours to export 20 minutes worth of footage? What's the problem, someone please help, deadlines are approaching and jobs are on the line!! Sorry to sound so desperate BUT HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 22nd, 2006, 10:15 AM	#2
Dylan Pank Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 611	Yes it's normal, though this depends on the power of your computer. Quicktime is SLOW and h.264 is complex to encode and processor intensive. Does it have to be h.264? Is datarate/resolution that critical? Sorenson will encode much faster (albeit of a much higher datarate at that res), alternatively you could try encoding to H.264 with FFmpegX or iSquint; these are much faster, but you'd still have to export to another intermediate before hand (and there's also the learning curve to get the best from a new piece of software). In addition, if this is from a Final Cut timeline, it's also having to render all the effects (FCP renders output file from the original source files via filters afresh in order to cut down the number of recompression passes, but this slows things down for output considerably.) Sorry to be the bearer of bads news.

February 22nd, 2006, 12:13 PM	#3
Andrew Khalil Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 424	yeah, it takes me a long time to export in h.264 as well. However, I have been very happy with the output quality, so I think it's all worth it in the end.

February 24th, 2006, 02:58 PM	#4
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it does take that long, in the end you'll be happy with the quality.