Encoding for the Web at DVinfo.net

Clint Comer · April 26th, 2005, 01:56 AM

Ok, I was wonding what people were using for settings when encoding a video for the web. The clips will be around 30 mins in length, they will be streamed from the server so they need to be under 100 megs. Windows media is the prefered player. Now in the past I never played with the quality, bit rate, non of it. I just chose the size and the codec and rendered. But I need to stick to these specs for now. As usual any and all help is welcome.

Rob Lohman · April 26th, 2005, 05:34 AM

As always, the best advice I can give you is to do some trial and testing
yourself. It is a far better approach since you learn how your product
operates and what works and does not work with the product/footage.

Having said that, the question really is impossible to answer if you are not
telling us which exact encoder you are using. Each has different templates,
presets, options and quality levels etc.

Patrick King · April 26th, 2005, 05:45 AM

Clint,
We just last week had to cross that very bridge: an editied church broadcast of 30 min for web-delivery.

We posted three links, a 56k Windows Media Video for dial-up users (though they'd still have to have monumental patience to download it), and two 'broadband' files. We selected 100k and 256k at 18mb and 56mb respectively. These are rendered directly out of Vegas using established settings for wmv files. Results were satisfactory.

Dan Euritt · April 26th, 2005, 04:34 PM

since you want it to be streaming, with no breaks during playback, also look at things like using mono audio for both streams... the less bitrate the better... streaming video will probably have to be cbr if you are playing it back from a real windows media streaming server.

Clint Comer · April 26th, 2005, 11:50 PM

Another question.... When people render out for the web, say like trailers, are they are full frame rates or are they at something way lower? I'm thinking that's where I am bulking up my file size.

Craig Seeman · April 27th, 2005, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Comer

Another question.... When people render out for the web, say like trailers, are they are full frame rates or are they at something way lower? I'm thinking that's where I am bulking up my file size.

I like to use full frame rate for best looking motion. Not as critical for talking head stuff but important for trailers. You don't save as much as you'd think by cutting the frame rate in half. You might save 20-30% depending on the variables.

In layperson terms, encoders are looking to eliminate parts that don't change much from frame to frame. By lowering the frame rate you're actually creating GREATER difference from frame to frame (objects move more from one frame to another at 15fps for example). For that reason you're not reducing the file size as much as some would expect.

Dan Euritt · April 27th, 2005, 06:26 PM

one factor is also how sophisticated the media player is at filling in for a lower framerate, to make it look more natural... you'd have to test-code your footage in different media formats to see what works best, but wmp gets the nod there from what i've seen.

frame size is another factor for trailers that must have the best quality, it's more efficient to keep the 720x480, just use the 640x480 square pixel size for broadband clips.

Clint Comer · April 30th, 2005, 06:41 PM

Ok I have got a few nice renderes out but now I am curious on what format you guys render to? Quicktime, windows, real? What are the pros and cons of each?

Rob Lohman · May 1st, 2005, 06:08 AM

A lot of people (still) seem to dislike the Real player. I don't have it installed
(neither will it be) and I know lots of others with that feeling.

Personally I would stick with both a QuickTime and Windows Media version of
your movies. That way everybody should be able to view your movies and
get the format they want to view it in. I personally like it if people include
a download link so I can download the movie to my harddisk and watch it at
200% (which I almost ALWAYS do with web movies, also due to my screen
resolution: 1680 x 1050) and keep it in my archive of web movies I really
enjoyed.

With QuickTime a lot of people seem to be using either Sorenson or the MPEG-4
codec. Windows Media comes with its own codecs which are pretty good as well.

April 26th, 2005, 01:56 AM	#1
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	Encoding for the Web Ok, I was wonding what people were using for settings when encoding a video for the web. The clips will be around 30 mins in length, they will be streamed from the server so they need to be under 100 megs. Windows media is the prefered player. Now in the past I never played with the quality, bit rate, non of it. I just chose the size and the codec and rendered. But I need to stick to these specs for now. As usual any and all help is welcome. __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

April 26th, 2005, 05:34 AM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	As always, the best advice I can give you is to do some trial and testing yourself. It is a far better approach since you learn how your product operates and what works and does not work with the product/footage. Having said that, the question really is impossible to answer if you are not telling us which exact encoder you are using. Each has different templates, presets, options and quality levels etc. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

April 26th, 2005, 05:45 AM	#3
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Clint, We just last week had to cross that very bridge: an editied church broadcast of 30 min for web-delivery. We posted three links, a 56k Windows Media Video for dial-up users (though they'd still have to have monumental patience to download it), and two 'broadband' files. We selected 100k and 256k at 18mb and 56mb respectively. These are rendered directly out of Vegas using established settings for wmv files. Results were satisfactory. __________________ Fear No Weevil!

April 26th, 2005, 11:50 PM	#5
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	Another question.... When people render out for the web, say like trailers, are they are full frame rates or are they at something way lower? I'm thinking that's where I am bulking up my file size. __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

April 30th, 2005, 06:41 PM	#8
Clint Comer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 144	Ok I have got a few nice renderes out but now I am curious on what format you guys render to? Quicktime, windows, real? What are the pros and cons of each? __________________ Vlog On! http://youtube.com/clintus

April 26th, 2005, 04:34 PM	#4
Dan Euritt Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Carlsbad CA Posts: 1,132	since you want it to be streaming, with no breaks during playback, also look at things like using mono audio for both streams... the less bitrate the better... streaming video will probably have to be cbr if you are playing it back from a real windows media streaming server.

April 27th, 2005, 06:26 PM	#7
Dan Euritt Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Carlsbad CA Posts: 1,132	one factor is also how sophisticated the media player is at filling in for a lower framerate, to make it look more natural... you'd have to test-code your footage in different media formats to see what works best, but wmp gets the nod there from what i've seen. frame size is another factor for trailers that must have the best quality, it's more efficient to keep the 720x480, just use the 640x480 square pixel size for broadband clips.

May 1st, 2005, 06:08 AM	#9
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	A lot of people (still) seem to dislike the Real player. I don't have it installed (neither will it be) and I know lots of others with that feeling. Personally I would stick with both a QuickTime and Windows Media version of your movies. That way everybody should be able to view your movies and get the format they want to view it in. I personally like it if people include a download link so I can download the movie to my harddisk and watch it at 200% (which I almost ALWAYS do with web movies, also due to my screen resolution: 1680 x 1050) and keep it in my archive of web movies I really enjoyed. With QuickTime a lot of people seem to be using either Sorenson or the MPEG-4 codec. Windows Media comes with its own codecs which are pretty good as well. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors