Watch this Adobe Max 2009 presentation by video encoding expert Fabio Sonnati on encoding best practices for H.264 video. Learn the secrets of H.264 video encoding and how to leverage your encoding software to encode high quality video for the web.
You can view a PDF of the presentation slides here
Fabio’s Flash Video Encoding Blog
YouTube Video Formats
Different formats are created depending on the dimensions of your source videos. Here is a comparison of what versions you can expect when you upload your videos. Other formats may be created as well, but at the time of this post, these are the ones you are most likely to encounter. Once you upload your video and wait for all the versions to be encoded, you can force YouTube to show you the different versions by appending fmt= and the format number. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf_PtJeTbuI&fmt=22) The technique for embedding players with different formats is explained further in this post.
High Definition (16:9) e.g. Upload a 1280×720 or 1920×1080 video
Notes:
The full HD fmt=22 version is one of the best video formats seen on the web. Unfortunately YouTube does not have a option to display it at the actual 1280×720 dimensions.
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When I wrote my first YouTube post 4 months ago entitled “How to Encode Your Videos for YouTube’s New High Quality Option” , I would never have thought YouTube would make the move to HD resolution so quickly. They went from a maximum resolution of 480×270 directly to 1280×720! I’m sure this change has caught many off guard and everyone is now scrambling to get their videos converted to HD to take advantage of the awesome new quality settings being offered. Many users that are new to HD or encoding for YouTube are probably wondering where to begin. This guide will attempt to explain the new changes in detail and show you how to encode your videos for YouTube HD.
YouTube HD Specs
I downloaded a few YouTube HD videos (Using the Firefox extension DownloadHelper) and used MediaInfo to peek under the hood to find out all the juicy technical details. I have seen many sites speculate on the data rates and resolution of the new format but few are reporting accurate information.
Video
Audio
So yes, for everyone wondering, YouTube is really in HD. Next I will show you how to encode your files…
Now that YouTube has started offering higher quality videos, the old settings for encoding your videos should be tossed out the window. This tutorial will walk you through the steps required to encode your video for YouTube using the free SUPER Video Encoder . If you are using a professional software like Sorenson Squeeze or Apple Compressor, or even the inexpensive QuickTime Pro Player, many of the same settings will be available. Additionally, if your editing software supports H.264 (as either MP4 or MOV) encoding, you may be able to skip the reencoding process and export directly for upload to YouTube using the compression settings below. If you are unsure of the equivalent setting or would like me to include specific instructions for your application, please leave a note in the comments.
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UPDATE 12/6/2008
If you are producing HD (16:9) videos for YouTube, you should refer to my latest post on how to encode for YouTube HD format located at:
http://webvideotechniques.com/123/bigger-and-better-encoding-for-youtube-hd
UPDATE 5/30/09
The default QuickTime H.264 export only supports up to 2Mbps as it uses the Baseline profile. You may want to use SUPER, Handbrake or a professional encoding software like Squeeze or Episode Pro to compress your video.
This guide recommends SUPER, but I now prefer and recommend the free and open source encoder Handbrake (http://handbrake.fr/)
The Complete Guide To Video Blogging
Have you ever thought about starting your own Video Blog? Video is taking the internets by storm, but video blogging is still just a small niche. With inexpensive equipment and software, free distribution channels like Vimeo and YouTube and tons of online resources, there has never been a better time to get started in video blogging.
Mashable just published a informative guide by Leah Betancourt that explains video blogging and how to create and distribute your own video blog.
Mashable: The complete guide to video blogging
For more information about video blogging, here are some noteworthy resources: