Best format/render to post to Youtube? 2010

[David Ruhland]

I have searched and searched and can not find any recent info on posting to Youtube. I am specifically looking for files from my Hi Def Canon. HD vs HQ

Is there a preferred format, bitrate, interpolation, pixel aspect ratio, etc? I am hoping someone will give us the updated 2010 version.

Thanks..

[Gerald Webb]

I upload a fair bit of stuff, so Ill put 2 things out there.
For high quality its pretty obvious
H264, square pixel, 720p (1080p really is a waste as youtube crushes it so much anyway) 6-9Mbps, progressive.
But,
Ive been playing around at the other end, how low can you go, and have a watchable picture.
again, H264, square pixel, 640x360 (youtube native, its what they convert it to) progressive, 1-1.5Mbps.
eg. YouTube - SHORT STACK- Caralyn.
Just mention this because if you have average internet, the lower end is far more relevant and useful.

[Milt Lee]

So when I look for h264 to render something into, it doesn't SEEM to be an option - clearly I don't know what Vegas refers to when you want to render something as an H.264 file.

I see lots of formats - main concept MPEG, main concept AVC etc etc.

Could you direct me to the right format?

The other thing that I'm curious about is that the original footage is shot with my Xacti and it starts out as a hd h.264 file, so I wonder how I can render it exactly the same thing that I start out with.

Thanks for any help!
Milt

[Bruce Phung]

Render to mainConcept AVC that is H.264 codec. MP4

[Gene Gajewski]

YouTube really likes Sony AVC.

Use the Internet (1280x740) preset. Your videos will be instantly available since YouTube appears to like the file as-is without recompressing it.

[Milt Lee]

cool - that's great to know.

[Gerald Webb]

Originally Posted by Gene Gajewski

YouTube really likes Sony AVC.

Use the Internet (1280x740) preset. Your videos will be instantly available since YouTube appears to like the file as-is without recompressing it.

Im sorry but this is incorrect.
I gather you mean the 1280x720 pre set. but that is neither here nor there.
If you have a download manager, download your own clip, it will always be a smaller size than what you put up. Youtube always uses re compression, especially on the larger clips.
I read somewhere that if you uploaded a 640x360 f4v file, if it was the right bit rate, they dont re- compress, but I dont seem to be able to find the right "magical" bit rate that allows this to happen.
If you dont want your clip to be altered, use Vimeo.

[David Ruhland]

so what is suggested render frame rate? 1280x720?

[David Ruhland]

What am i doing wrong?

YouTube - Cheryl Roberts from Lexington KY sings with Neil McCoy GIE 2010 why does it look so poor? Rendered at 6mps, 1280x720? H264

[Gerald Webb]

Looks fine to me.
You are waiting for Youtube to finish encoding, about 30 mins after upload, yeah?
It always looks horrible at first.
Framerate can be whatever, it doesnt matter to Youtube what frame rate you use.

[David Ruhland]

Yes Gerald you were correct.... I was looking immediately after loading.. I think im getting the hang of things..

Thanks to everyone for thier help!

[Federico Perale]

strange experience: I uploaded a raw file shot with my Sony EX1r (hence mpeg 2 in a mpeg4 container) shot 1920*1080 50i, and although it was accepted, the results are not fantastic at all

how is this possible?

[Craig Longman]

First off, YouTube simply cuts a 1080 in half, taking every second scanline before it even starts converting the file. So it was only 540 lines that were converted. Then, perhaps YouTube just doesn't convert from 50i very well?

Also, as pointed out, did you wait for a while? It can take a bit before the best quality is available.

[Federico Perale]

Originally Posted by Craig Longman

First off, YouTube simply cuts a 1080 in half, taking every second scanline before it even starts converting the file. So it was only 540 lines that were converted. Then, perhaps YouTube just doesn't convert from 50i very well?

Also, as pointed out, did you wait for a while? It can take a bit before the best quality is available.

yes thanks
I have waited a lot...it's now a few days old
my comparison was with an MTS file uploaded that I shot with a much inferior comsumer camcorder (a Panasonic HDC TM300)...
well the Panny footage is simply much nicer on youtube....but I wonder if it's AVCHD that's better received?

obviously the Panny was set at full HD as well

[David Ruhland]

I just wanted to pop in and say thanks.. I am getting the hang of the you tube thing. I was suprised to find an email from a country music singers media manager asking for a copy of my video. I am honored esp since this video was shot hand held on my Canon HF-200 after having several beers!

I sure wish I would have been able to plug into thier audio.

YouTube - Candy Coburn Performs at GIE Show -Louisville, KY Oct 28, 2010