YouTube Specs For Good Quality Videos

[Anthony]

Hello all,

I'm new here and I'm basically new to video editing, even though I took a course in audio/video editing and get an A in it back in 2008.

So anyway I downloaded the free trial of VideoStudio Pro X-3 and it's great. I'm thinking of buying it, but I'm having problems.

While my videos are excellent quality, they lose that quality when YouTube compresses them to heck. My sound is good, but the video is awful. But I've seen some great quality videos on YouTube from regular guys and even Corel's tutorials.

So once I'm finished with my video, what type of VideoStudio Pro X-3 settings and/or requirements and/or specs should I do to make my videos into great quality after they've been uploaded to YouTube. For example, should I make my videos:

mpg4
30 FPS
mp3 sound
640 by 480 resolution

Audience: 225.2 Kbps
Audio codec: Windows Media Audio 9.2
Audio format: 32 kbps, 22 kHz, stereo CBR
Video codec: Windows Media Video V8
Video bit rate: 186.15 Kbps

And as I said, these are just examples I'm throwing out there. I've tried a lot of combos with not very good results. But please let me know what I should be doing so when I upload my videos to YouTube, the video quality is good and not pixelated or blurry.

Thanks for the help,
Anthony

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Anthony

Welcome to the forum

Knowing your source files would help in deciding what frame size you would use.
If you are using HD then 1280 x 720 should produce good results.

You could use Mpeg format and allow youtube to convert.

I have used Flash in the past with good results.

But you would need to use the Custom option or create a template from Make Movie Template Manager.

I have a few test videos, if you can workout how they were created.
Do a search for lynnandtrevor and view the gannets.

[Anthony]

Hello Trevor,

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give them a try and I'll let you know.

Take care,
Anthony

[Anthony]

Hi Trevor,

I did what you suggested and it didn't work out.

Here's the good quality of my video, which I posted on my blog: http://www.whatburnsmybacon.com/old_america.php (And I did that so people could see the good quality of it because I worked so hard on it.)

And here's what YouTube did to it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bJvthVNcek

Actually, I couldn't make the resolution as you suggested because it came out pretty bad on YouTube. (Clearly, not your fault.)

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Anthony

[Clevo]

Howdy,

Nice video BTW. I watched the youtube video and it looks OK to me except I'm not sure if you meant the black border around the whole clip. It look like your video is 4:3 ina 16:9 project; exported to possibly an incorrect output setting

If you didn't:

It's best work practice to set your project settings to match exactly what your video project properties are. This is easy to ensure with a settings check box under preferences. It looks like you are using video fromthe same source you shot yourself. Telling us the make and model of your camera would be of benefit.

These days youtube will accept a wide variety of flavours & formts and my usual rule of thumb is to give youtube the best you can and let it do the conversions. Though with larger projects I'll convery to a wmv file being careful with my frame size settings

It look like your video was shot in 4:3 - worked in a 16:9 project setting then exported to possibly an incorrect output setting.

Some more details from you like Video properties and your project settings...then what you selected when sharing the video file would clarify any further replies

It's usually recommended not to use the straight to youe tube setting but for me this seems to work OK most of the times.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Anthony

Sorry for delay in replying, I seem to have missed the Reply Topic Notification.

Clevo seems to have covered the topic, and I have to agree it looks like a 4:3 inside a 16:9.

I tried to view your blog page but was unable to play the video.
YouTube played ok, there were other videos on you tube that seem to have a similar border problem, in that the video did not fill the frame, whereas the one in your favourites does.

By the way is it the size, the border that’s worrying you or is it the quality of the actual video? I assume it’s the size?

I did ask on an earlier post for the original/source video properties and the properties you used to convert the video.

Can you provide these details?

[Anthony]

Thanks for the help Trevor and Clevo,

For that one video I did make it 4:3 and not 16:9 for a reason. When I made it 16:9 and posted it on YouTube, it was heavily pixelated. I usually go with 16:9 and if you see my other YouTube videos, you'll see what I mean. Such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8px0KW_YMl8 (And thanks for the comments on that video. I'm still learning a lot about this.)

Properties and what I'm using? I hope I'm giving you guys the right info. I'm using a Sony Handycam with a 40 X optical zoom with a hard disk drive. I have it set to 9M high quality mode.

As far as my settings for converting my videos so I can post them to YouTube, to be honest I've been trying a few different methods. Mostly trial and error.

I tried converting my videos to FLA but that was pretty bad. I've tried MPEG-4 and I usually switch it up between that AVI, and Quicktime with different resolutions, from 640 x 480 to about 384 x 288. Sometimes I would go higher than 640 x 480 but I've either gotten the same results or it's more blurry/pixelated. I don't usually compress and I make the frames 30, which is the highest I can go.

I've tried wmv, but it's still blurry and to be honest, VideoStudio Pro X-3 give so many options for profiles that I stopped using it. I'm afraid of missing it up and I'm not sure which ones to use.

Thanks for the help you guys and I really appreciate it. I've tried sending messages to Corel's help desk and my first two replies from them were automatic and the replies just had tutorials that had nothing to do with my problem and by the third time I was so frustrated that I wrote to them that I just want them to give me a real reply from the guy or woman who makes their videos and post them on YouTube with excellent quality and give me that specs that they use. I haven't heard from them yet and I usually gotten a reply from them by now.

I'm hoping that if I put in the real info when I convert and use the right format (wmv, avi, etc., resolution, compression and all that goodness) my videos will be better on YouTube. Please let me know if you need any more info from me.

Thanks again,
Anthony

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Anthony

Can you give details regarding your video files properties, Knowing these may help in deciding what settings to use when converting the video for youtube.

With one of the original videos in the timeline/library, right click and select properties.
What are they?

Now can you tell us what model of Sony Handycam you are using, there are many types. If it’s a HD model then you should get very good quality on You Tube.

By the way, have you tried uploading the original video format to You Tube.?

[Anthony]

Hi Trevo,

Ok, now I got it. Sorry, still a bit new to video editing. I didn't even know you can go into the timeline and get properties like that. Here's what I got for my latest video:

File:

File format: NTSC DVD
File size: 182,976 KB
Duration: 164.164 seconds

Video:

Video type: MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First
Total frames 4,920 frame(s)
Attributes: 24 bits, 720 x 480, 4:3
Frame rate: 29.970 frames/sec
Data rate: Variable bit rate [Max. 9100 kbps]

Audio:
Audio type: Dolby Digital Audio
Total samples: 7,879,880 Samples
Attributes: 48000 Hz
Layer: None
Bit rate: 256 kbps

My Handycam is a DCR-SR42. I thought I put that in earlier.

Now I'll admit, I didn't think of uploading the original file format because I didn't think YouTube would accept it a .VSP but I'll give it a try.

Thanks!

Anthony

[Anthony]

P.S. Apparently YouTube doesn't accept .VSP. It suggested I go with .wmv.

[Clevo]

OK...your original video is shot in 4:3 so there will be no point in embedding that in a 16:9 project you'll end up with pillar bozes. So, your project settings should be the same as your video properties.

then Share (export) your video using the same properties:

Video type: MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First
Total frames 4,920 frame(s)
Attributes: 24 bits, 720 x 480, 4:3
Frame rate: 29.970 frames/sec
Data rate: Variable bit rate [Max. 9100 kbps]

or sinply creat the video file using "Same as project settings"


If your final video file is less than the limit youtube accept you should be fine to upload. If not...use the wmv

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Anthony
Just to add to Clevo’s advice

A VSP is not a video file, it’s a Video Studio Project, a small file containing details of your timeline content.

To convert your Project (VSP) in to a video file you use the option Share - Create Video File. Now you have several options in choosing a template.

Same as Project Settings:-
Is appropriate providing they match the video file, (by default they won’t)
A Create Video File window opens--view the details in the properties box, are they the same as your video file.

Same as First Video Clip:-
May be the best option, again view the details in the properties box.

A new video file will be made using the same settings (Mpeg2) as your original video. The quality should be good.

You could of course create your own template, useful if you have to change any settings.
From Settings—Make Movie Template Manager use the Add function.
Need help--View my guide to Make Movie Manager from the link below.

YouTube has a maximum upload size of 2 Gb
Your video needs to be less than 30 minutes (approximately)

How’s the quality now.

[Anthony]

Thanks for the suggestions, Clevo and Trevor,

As soon as my deadlines are over with I want to give them a try. I'm looking forward to them.

And color me stupid, I had no idea that my videos were 4:3 until I saw the properties. But I'm learning as I'm going along, right?

Thanks again,
Anthony

[rguthrie]

Have you tried using the Upload to YouTube option under Share? These setting are good, and when you upload, there's no/less wait time for the conversion process. Also, see http://www.google.com/support/youtube/b ... opic=16560 for good information directly from the source on YouTube videos.

[Anthony]

Hello gang,

First, great mind thinks alike, Trevor. I started created templates from day one and they've been a huge help. Normally, my vlogs are only about 2 minutes long and I've found that templates are helpful.

I've tried yours and Clevo's suggestions and I've found the video quality to be about the same and the audio a bit off. Here's my latest vlog:

http://www.whatburnsmybacon.com/illegal_memo.php

Rguthrie, I'm going to try your suggestion next time. And with deadlines this week at work, I doubt I won't have much time fooling around with any new videos, sadly.

Thanks again,
Anthony