Expert Connections : Compression and Encoding Tips

How To Add a Watermark to your Compressions in Sorenson Squeeze

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Ever need to brand your video? For many reasons we often have a need to make sure the files we produce don't end up being used without our permission. Watermarking is a great way of showing off your video while still maintaining control. Produced by Coby Rich, Product Marketing Manager, Sorenson Squeeze.

The watermarking filter can be applied to any output format within Squeeze 5. There are two ways to do this. First of all, I can edit a filter and click watermark. Choose the position of the watermark. I can preview the filter by using the slider bar above the window. As a default, the Squeeze vise is used, but you can use any JPG, PNG or GIF.

The other way to do it is to create a new filter by clicking on the plus button in the filter presets. I'll title this "Watermark". Now here I can click on watermark and choose the position...I always want it in the bottom right. So that's now my default watermark filter. I can apply this to my file, and there the watermark shows up. But I want to change it, I want to use a different icon than the Squeeze vise. So I'll browse to my computer, find the file that I want to use. Let's use this Sorenson Media JPEG. Doesn't look quite right yet. So I'm going to adjust the opacity and feathering a bit here, just to make sure it looks right on the video and blends in a little bit better. Then click OK. And now once I compress the output, you'll notice the final compressed output has the watermarking in it.

It's really a quick and painless way to make sure your encoded video has your mark. Available in Squeeze 5.

More Squeeze Quick Tips:

If you'd like to learn more, Sorenson Media offers a free weekly training Webinar on Squeeze and general compression techniques.

How To Setup a Watch Folder in Sorenson Squeeze

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMT

To simplify your encoding workflow you can encode multiple videos using watch folders. Here's how Squeeze can do it. Produced by Coby Rich, Product Marketing Manager, Sorenson Squeeze.

In the input window of Squeeze click on the "Watch Folder" icon. Next you'll choose a destination for your watch folder and create a new folder by click on the "New Folder" button. We'll title this "Squeezed Video". Your folder when then appear in the batch tree window in the main interface.

Next, apply a preset or multiple presets to the watch folder you created. After you apply your presets and filters, click the "Squeeze It" button. You'll notice the word "Watching" appears. This means the application is waiting for you to place your videos in the watch folder. Next, just drop your videos in the watch folder, and the encoding begins. Inside the watch folder the output files will be place in a "CompressedOutput" folder and the source files will be placed into a "CompletedSource" folder.

Watch folders are a great timesaver. Especially if you have multiple people needing videos encoded.

More Squeeze Quick Tips:

If you'd like to learn more, Sorenson Media offers a free weekly training Webinar on Squeeze and general compression techniques.

How To Do Multi-Core Compression in Sorenson Squeeze

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Squeeze 5 now has the ability to utilize your computer's multiple core processing power. You can now simultaneously encode up to 1.5 files on each of the computer's cores. Produced by Coby Rich, Product Marketing Manager, Sorenson Squeeze.

To make sure your computer is capable of processing multiple files, open up the Preferences Menu from the Squeeze pull-down menu, or it's the Edit Menu on the PC. Click on the Behavior tab on the right. Squeeze automatically detects how many processing cores you have on this computer, in this case it's two. And as a default it sets the maximum simultaneous compressions to the maximum--which was 1.5 per core--so the maximum is three, but you can change this if you wish to, we'll keep it back at three. Then click OK.

Now, we have the ability to simultaneously encode three files at the same time. So I'll take a couple of different files, open them up. I'll apply my preset, and now all I have to do is click "Squeeze It" and watch Squeeze go to work.

More Squeeze Quick Tips:

If you'd like to learn more, Sorenson Media offers a free weekly training Webinar on Squeeze and general compression techniques.

Avid Editor QuickTime Workflow For Proper Brightness Levels

jkwan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:18:00 GMT

Justin Kwan, Avid Software Engineer, offers insight into his workflow for importing and exporting QuickTime movies to achieve proper brighness levels.
(Reposted from Kwancentral)

There seems to be a decent amount of confusion about which settings should be selected when exporting a video as QuickTime, and then importing the QuickTime movie into an Avid editor. In this article I will describe the proper settings for exporting video out of a third-party application such as Adobe After Effects using the Avid QuickTime DNxHD codec, and then importing the QuickTime DNxHD movie into an editor. Four workflows are shown, one of which is invalid.

This same workflow should hold true for all the Avid QuickTime codecs. It will not apply to non-Avid QuickTime codecs.

Exporting Source Material With RGB Levels

Source media with RGB levels

If you start with source material with RGB levels (0-255), such as the image above, you should select the RGB button in the QuickTime export options shown below. This is because the option in the QuickTime dialog specifies the levels of the source material. However, it isn't a disaster if you don't select the RGB button.

Assume you export two movies. The first has RGB level source material and is exported with the RGB option selected. This is called RGBsource_RGBOption.mov. The second movie has RGB level source material and is exported using the 709 option. This movie is called RGBsource_709Option.mov.

Select the RGB brightness option with RGB source material.

Importing Source Material With RGB Levels

When you import RGBsource_RGBOption.mov into the editor, select the 601/709 option to perform a quick import. Selecting the RGB button will bring the video in at the correct levels, but it will be a slow import. It is OK to select the 601/709 button as the levels within the QuickTime movie were converted to 709 compliant levels when the RGB button was selected on export. Quick import copies the 709 compliant video data from the QuickTime movie to the editor. See the image below for the optimal setting when bringing this movie into the editor.

Select the 601/709 option for import of RGB source material.

If you look at the levels while in color correction mode, you can see that the darkest black is 16 and the brightest white is 235 as shown in the image below. The left side of the color picker represents the darkest black value and the right side of the color picker represents the brightest white value. The levels of the imported media are correct.

RGB source material imported into the editor

When you import RGBsource_709Option.mov, you must select the RGB button in the editor import dialog as shown below. Selecting the 601/709 option will cause the video to come in at RGB levels.

Select the RGB button for import of RGB material exported with 709 option selected.

Exporting Source Material With 709 Levels

Source media with 709 compliant levels.

When you export source material that is already 709 level compliant, as shown above, the 709 button should be selected in the QuickTime dialog options as shown below. The RGB button should never be selected in this scenario, as this will not import into the editor with 709 compliant levels. Assume you export two movies. The first contains 709 level compliant source material and is exported using the 709 option. This movie is called 709Source_709Option.mov. The second movie contains 709 compliant source levels and is exported improperly using the RGB option. This movie is called 709Source_RGBOption.mov.

Select the 709 button for 709 compliant source material.

Importing Source Material With 709 Levels

Import 709Source_709Option.mov using the 601/709 option. This is the only option that can be selected for proper import of this movie.

Now, import 709Source_RGBOption.mov. No matter whether you select the RGB import option or the 601/709 option, the imported levels will be incorrect as shown below.

Media imported into the editor when 709 material is exported using the RGB option.

Post by Justin Kwan

How To Constrain File Sizes with Sorenson Squeeze

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Have you ever needed to limit your output file size to a specified amount? Using our constrain file size preset option can help. Produced by Coby Rich, Product Marketing Manager, Sorenson Squeeze.

The constrain file size option can be found in the upper right-hand corner of the compression settings once you've applied a compression setting to your file.

The key to using this feature to the best of its abilities is to use it as a basic guide. When you type in the file size limit you need you'll notice the audio and video data rate updates, so check the box for "Constrain File Size", type in the desired value and then uncheck the "Constrain File Size" box. You know have a base data rate that should put you close to your mark. This now gives you the added ability to tweak the data rates as you desire, with the knowledge of what your overall data rate should stay at.

More Squeeze Quick Tips:

If you'd like to learn more, Sorenson Media offers a free weekly training Webinar on Squeeze and general compression techniques.

How To Add Chapter Markers in Sorenson Squeeze

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:20:00 GMT

Squeeze versions 4.3 and later allow you to add chapter markers to your compressed video output. Produced by Coby Rich, Product Marketing Manager, Sorenson Squeeze.

You can use chapter markers for a variety of reasons for both Flash and MPEG-2 outputs. First, simply input a file into the Job pane. Next, you'll notice to the right of the player controls there is a marker button. In Squeeze you can add both Chapter Markers and Key Frame Markers so make sure your marker type is set to "Chapter". With the playhead marker at the beginning of the clip, click the "Add Marker" button.

Next, if you want to scroll or drag your playhead to the next frame that you want to use as a chapter marker you can finesse it by clicking the left and right arrow keys to find the exact frame that you're looking for. I'll click the "Add Chapter Marker" button again.

When you're finished with all your markers, you can go into the Edit Markers and name each chapter if you wish. Chapter Markers are a great tool to allow you to navigate your Flash video or DVD.

More Squeeze Quick Tips:

If you'd like to learn more, Sorenson Media offers a free weekly training Webinar on Squeeze and general compression techniques.

Quick Tips for Creating Flash Video with Sorenson Squeeze

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:22:00 GMT

In this video we will go over Robert Reinhardt's Top 5 Do's and Don'ts for encoding flash video. Produced by Coby Rich, Product Marketing Manager, Sorenson Squeeze

Tip #1
Do determine a proper bit rate or data rate for your flash video content. Squeeze includes several presets for flash video to get you started. If you need a wide range of data rates for your deployment, encode several FLV files by applying multiple presets to the same source file.

Tip #2
Don't be tempted to change the image Quality Settings in your compression presets. Especially if you'll be deploying to a flash video with a streaming service such as Akamai, Limelight or a flash media server hosting company like Influxis.com. The image quality setting will override the bit rate value you've specified for the preset or alter the frame rate if you elected to drop frames to maintain image quality. Neither of these outcomes is desirable.

Tip #3
Do use Squeeze presets found in the streaming folder of the "Workflow Sort" if you're deploying your content with a flash streaming service. These presets use CBR or "constant bit rate" encoding. Presets for download, found in the "Download" folder use VBR or "variable bit rate" encoding which should be used for FLV file content deployed solely to HTTP servers or local media like CD or DVD-ROM.

Tip #4
Don't adjust pixel aspect ratios in your compression preset. For example, Squeeze automatically detects non-square pixel aspect ratios with DV source files and outputs to a proper 4:3 aspect ratio for your content. 320x240 is the proper reduced sized for 720x480 DV footage. In other words, don't force 360x240 size for DV footage.

Tip #5
Do deinterlace your source video if necessary. Squeeze automatically applies deinterlacing to source files that have a standard NTSC frame size such as 640x480 or 720x480. If you deinterlaced your footage prior to importing into Squeeze, make sure to open up the filter applied and uncheck the deinterlacing option. Otherwise, Squeeze might reduce the overall image quality by trying to remove non-existent fields.

More Squeeze Quick Tips:

If you'd like to learn more, Sorenson Media offers a free weekly training Webinar on Squeeze and general compression techniques.