Compression Settings for Quicktime .mov

[gohiking26]

Anybody have a recommendation for a quicktime .mov compression setting that results in good quality and a manageable file size?
Pro X3
Windows Vista

I'm doing a video and the client requested the final product as a quicktime file. I've had good results with creating .wmv files but haven't had much luck with .mp4 or .mov files. Using the "custom" option under "create video file" I select "Quicktime Movie Files" as the type. Every compression option I choose comes out crappy and a very small file size. When I select "no compression" the video looks great, but it's almost 2 gigs (the video is only about a minute long). The client will be uploading this video to a product page on Amazon and I think they have a maximum file size, probably around 500 MB.

I hope to convince the client to just accept a .wmv or maybe even a .flv file instead since I think Amazon accepts both of those. But in an effort to give them what they want, I hope to deliver in a .mov format.

Any thoughts or inputs are appreciated. I've been lurking this board a lot the last several weeks and have been very impressed with the amount of feedback and detailed responses that people post. It's been very helpful for me.

[Ron P.]

What sort of video file are you starting with? There are several of the codecs for QT MOV files in VS that don't do a good job. The better ones seem to be Motion JPEG A, and Sorenson 3.

I'd say if your client is adamant about it having to be a MOV file, you may need to pickup QuickTime Pro. I think the codecs would be much better in it.

[Black Lab]

What I would do is give the client the best quality .mov file that fits the size restriction. I would also include .wmv and .flv files. That way you have met your obligation, but then you can let the client decide which is best.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I would try Mov using Mpeg 4 Visual basic.

There are many compression types to choose from, your original videos frame size may influence which you choose.

As you are uploading to the product page on Amazon I assume you don’t need a full sized video, again the final size will influence your choice.

[gohiking26]

The Sorenson 3 did a pretty good job. There's some blotchy transitions toward the end but they look alright in the version I uploaded to youtube. I think that file was a little over 200 MB which is reasonable. I do plan to provide a few different formats to let the client choose, since .wmv seems to be the best quality at a decent file size. I do have Quicktime Pro. I haven't played with it much, but I may export a .mov from Videostudio with no compression, open it in QT Pro and see if there are any good compression options from there.

The Amazon media viewer has a full screen option, so I would want the video to look decent if someone viewed it that way. I'm starting with video captured from a digial MinDV tape. Not sure if that means the files are DV-NTSC, or AVI or what.

I'll play with QT Pro when I get home and see what I can do.
Thanks all for the input!

[Black Lab]

I'm starting with video captured from a digial MinDV tape. Not sure if that means the files are DV-NTSC, or AVI or what.

Depends on your capture settings. You should have captured to DV-AVI.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Mini DV Tape.

Capture to DV format, connected via firewire will produce a video at 13 Gb per hour.
Known as DV-Avi. It’s the best format from this type of camera and easily editable by Video Studio.

[teknisyan]

Hello gohiking26,

Another thing that you can do, if the wmv file is good for you, then just use a file converter to create the necessary format that you want. If the batch convert for the VS does not meet your needs, then you can use the SUPER from erightsoft, here's the direct download linkfor the converter.

[Ken Berry]

Sorry Abiel, but your link takes you to a page which only has a download of the FLAC audio converter. Admittedly, it is difficult to find a direct link to the SUPER download, but if you go to this page http://www.erightsoft.com/S6Kg1.html and then go right to the bottom of that page, you will find the final link. IGNORE the download link at the top as it leads to yet another converter!

[gohiking26]

Thanks everyone. I'll check my capture settings, but I assume it was DV-AVI. I use a firewire cable.

A main problem I have is that it's a widescreen video, but Amazon's media player is 4:3. I was trying to use QuickTIme Pro to add the letterbox but haven't had any luck with quality exports. Same thing, the file's either high quality and huge, or crappy and small - nothing in between. I really wish VS Pro X3 would let you add a letterbox to make the video fit a 4:3 format. I have found compression settings in VS Pro X3 that export a nice .mov file but now QT Pro has thrown another wrench into the system. Standalone converters haven't proven very helpful either (to convert avi or wmv to .mov). I haven't tried the SUPER; I'll look for that when I get home.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi
16:9 or 4:3

Change your project properties to use 4:3 aspect.

Your widescreen will sit in the middle with black bars top and bottom.

Use the Distort function from the attributes tab will allow you to stretch the video to 4:3, but you will lose some details.

When you say the files are huge, just how big is huge.?
How long is the videos compared to the huge size.?

So what frame size, file size and duration is suitable for your video

There are loads of formats to choose from Avi, Mpeg2, Flash, Mp4, Mov
Each having a variety of compressions.

[gohiking26]

My video was captured in AVI, but my video files were being edited as mpeg (per the project properties box). Anytime I edited a clip and dragged it to my library it looks like it became a mpeg. These mpeg files can't handle changing the aspect ratio to 4:3 even if I try to reconfigure them (fit to screen/keep aspect ratio) whereas the avi files kept their widescreen look with letterboxing.

So far so good. When starting with and working with AVI files, I'm able to create an uncompressed .mov file that is the correct aspect ratio (1.5 minute video is 2 gigs) with the letterboxing. I use QuickTime Pro to compress with H.264 which reduces the file size to 50 MB or so. There are some bugs with a few QT codecs (H.264 and maybe mpeg-4 I think), so this video is now washed out, but there is a workaround for it. The final .mov file looks good and is around 50MB which is very acceptable. Thanks to all for the inputs!

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi gohiking

There is some confusion going on here…….
Please read my Quick Guide to Avi

My video was captured in AVI, but my video files were being edited as mpeg (per the project properties box). No—Your video is Dv-Avi, right click a clip and select properties, what are they?
The thumbnail/video clip is a representation of the video saved to your hard drive, you are editing a DV-Avi.
The project properties can be changed to Avi to match the video clip.
Anytime I edited a clip and dragged it to my library it looks like it became a mpeg. These mpeg files can't handle changing the aspect ratio to 4:3 even if I try to reconfigure them (fit to screen/keep aspect ratio) whereas the avi files kept their widescreen look with letterboxing. again you are not working with mpeg. The aspect ratio should be the same for Mpeg as for Avi files.

So far so good. When starting with and working with AVI files, I'm able to create an uncompressed .mov file that is the correct aspect ratio (1.5 minute video is 2 gigs)Wow that is big with the letterboxing. I use QuickTime Pro to compress with H.264 which reduces the file size to 50 MB or so. There are some bugs with a few QT codecs (H.264 and maybe mpeg-4 I think), so this video is now washed out, but there is a workaround for it. The final .mov file looks good and is around 50MB which is very acceptable. I am please you have created a suitable video fileThanks to all for the inputs!

After completing your editing create a Dv-Avi file, Share Create video File – Same as First Clip. A thumbnail will be placed in the library, please right click and select properties, what are they.?
Now use this file in a new project to convert to another format of your choice, what do you actually wish to create?