Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video at DVinfo.net

Jerry Neal · September 21st, 2011, 11:50 AM

Hello,

A client of mine is providing me with footage they shot on HD Panasonic P2 media. I need to take this and edit it, and then provide their IT staff with a file to be converted to Flash for their website.

What format should I provide to their IT person to provide the best quality for Flash delivery? This will be delivered on the web.

Please provide specific setting (bitrates, etc.) if I need to dial up any custom settings.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.

Jerry Neal · September 21st, 2011, 01:07 PM

I just determined that my client wants the file in either uncompressed AVI or .mp4. I don't see a way to render to "uncompressed" .mp4. What settings would give me the best quality .mp4 for conversion to flash?

Thanks, and my apologies if this is a dumb question. Greatly appreciate your feedback and suggestions.

Adam Stanislav · September 21st, 2011, 03:12 PM

MP4 is always compressed.

Rob Robertson · September 21st, 2011, 04:46 PM

First off, you will need Raylight Ultra to edit the P2 .mxf clips natively in Vegas. You can then render uncompressed .avi (huge file size) to send to client or .mp4 (smaller file size but compressed). I use Adobe Media Encoder to transcode to flash from P2 generated .avi's without a problem.

Jerry Neal · September 21st, 2011, 06:19 PM

So to clarify, I cannot edit P2 media files in Sony Vegas? I don't need to do anything major other than some minor color correction to an interview. Thanks.

Edward Troxel · September 22nd, 2011, 06:30 AM

Jerry, to clarify - you CAN edit those files in Vegas - it just requires RayLight to do so.

Jerry Neal · September 22nd, 2011, 08:24 AM

Just out of curiousity, why doesn't Vegas play well with Panasonic P2? One of the biggest advantages with using Vegas is that it normally doesn't care what you put on the timeline. It's just a bit of a bummer having to spend another $200 to edit P2, which is a fairly common format. Unlike Red, which Vegas does edit but is a more obsure format. Is this because you essentially have two camera manufactures that don't particularly like each other? ;)

Edward Troxel · September 22nd, 2011, 08:41 AM

ding, ding, ding, ding.... yes it's a licensing issue.

Jerry Neal · September 22nd, 2011, 11:51 AM

Ed,

Thanks for the confirmation. I purchased Raylight and I'm up and running.

Going back to my first question, what would be the best format to provide my clients IT staff for them to convert the file to flash? I'm looking for a decent compromise between file size and quality.

Thanks,

Jerry

Don Bloom · September 22nd, 2011, 01:14 PM

For about $30 you can get ON-Flix (Flix Standard) and convert to FLV yourself) then FTP the files to them in finsihed form. I do it all the time and it works great plus the FLV files are a lot smaller then an AVI which IMO is the best way to convert to FLV so you're not taking up a lot of bandwidth and waiting for a long period of time to FTP to them.
Works for me. Simple fast and clean.

Jerry Amende · September 22nd, 2011, 03:36 PM

I don't know much about Panasonic P2 media, but it sounds like others have posted the Raylight solution.

As far as Flash based web posting, I'd recommend using Handbrake to produce mp4 videos. Here's a tutorial on the full procedure.

The tutorial is somewhat focused on posting to YouTube & Vimeo, but the procedure is identical for locally hosted flash players (e.g. JW Player). Here's an example of using this procedure to for JW Player (Flash) viewing: HD Video for the Web - Guide for Vegas Users

...Jerry

Rob Robertson · September 23rd, 2011, 02:52 PM

I agree with Don. If you can get them to provide final spec's for the .flv then you are better off doing the conversion yourself and posting the finished flash files. Unless you plan on shipping the client a hard drive, you are never going to accommodate electronic transfer of uncompressed .avi's.

September 21st, 2011, 11:50 AM	#1
Jerry Neal Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 121	Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video Hello, A client of mine is providing me with footage they shot on HD Panasonic P2 media. I need to take this and edit it, and then provide their IT staff with a file to be converted to Flash for their website. What format should I provide to their IT person to provide the best quality for Flash delivery? This will be delivered on the web. Please provide specific setting (bitrates, etc.) if I need to dial up any custom settings. Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.

September 21st, 2011, 01:07 PM	#2
Jerry Neal Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 121	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video I just determined that my client wants the file in either uncompressed AVI or .mp4. I don't see a way to render to "uncompressed" .mp4. What settings would give me the best quality .mp4 for conversion to flash? Thanks, and my apologies if this is a dumb question. Greatly appreciate your feedback and suggestions.

September 21st, 2011, 03:12 PM	#3
Adam Stanislav Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Rhinelander, WI Posts: 1,258	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video MP4 is always compressed.

September 21st, 2011, 04:46 PM	#4
Rob Robertson New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: La Mesa, CA Posts: 8	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video First off, you will need Raylight Ultra to edit the P2 .mxf clips natively in Vegas. You can then render uncompressed .avi (huge file size) to send to client or .mp4 (smaller file size but compressed). I use Adobe Media Encoder to transcode to flash from P2 generated .avi's without a problem.

September 21st, 2011, 06:19 PM	#5
Jerry Neal Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 121	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video So to clarify, I cannot edit P2 media files in Sony Vegas? I don't need to do anything major other than some minor color correction to an interview. Thanks.

September 22nd, 2011, 06:30 AM	#6
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video Jerry, to clarify - you CAN edit those files in Vegas - it just requires RayLight to do so. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

September 22nd, 2011, 08:24 AM	#7
Jerry Neal Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 121	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video Just out of curiousity, why doesn't Vegas play well with Panasonic P2? One of the biggest advantages with using Vegas is that it normally doesn't care what you put on the timeline. It's just a bit of a bummer having to spend another $200 to edit P2, which is a fairly common format. Unlike Red, which Vegas does edit but is a more obsure format. Is this because you essentially have two camera manufactures that don't particularly like each other? ;)

September 22nd, 2011, 08:41 AM	#8
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video ding, ding, ding, ding.... yes it's a licensing issue. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

September 22nd, 2011, 11:51 AM	#9
Jerry Neal Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 121	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video Ed, Thanks for the confirmation. I purchased Raylight and I'm up and running. Going back to my first question, what would be the best format to provide my clients IT staff for them to convert the file to flash? I'm looking for a decent compromise between file size and quality. Thanks, Jerry

September 22nd, 2011, 01:14 PM	#10
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video For about $30 you can get ON-Flix (Flix Standard) and convert to FLV yourself) then FTP the files to them in finsihed form. I do it all the time and it works great plus the FLV files are a lot smaller then an AVI which IMO is the best way to convert to FLV so you're not taking up a lot of bandwidth and waiting for a long period of time to FTP to them. Works for me. Simple fast and clean. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

September 22nd, 2011, 03:36 PM	#11
Jerry Amende Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Wilmington, DE Posts: 129	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video I don't know much about Panasonic P2 media, but it sounds like others have posted the Raylight solution. As far as Flash based web posting, I'd recommend using Handbrake to produce mp4 videos. Here's a tutorial on the full procedure. Vegas-to-Vimeo Tutorial - A Better Method on Vimeo The tutorial is somewhat focused on posting to YouTube & Vimeo, but the procedure is identical for locally hosted flash players (e.g. JW Player). Here's an example of using this procedure to for JW Player (Flash) viewing: HD Video for the Web - Guide for Vegas Users ...Jerry

September 23rd, 2011, 02:52 PM	#12
Rob Robertson New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: La Mesa, CA Posts: 8	Re: Best Render Format to Convert to Flash Video I agree with Don. If you can get them to provide final spec's for the .flv then you are better off doing the conversion yourself and posting the finished flash files. Unless you plan on shipping the client a hard drive, you are never going to accommodate electronic transfer of uncompressed .avi's.