What format for your YouTube videos
- Thread starter Happyflyer
- Start date
YouTube can accept a whole range of formats.
You have to remember that YouTube will recompress your video anyway so don't bother trying to upload a huge uncompressed format.
For YouTube I would usually export using H264 as my codec. This can the be made into either a Quicktime file or a MP4. This is called the wrapper. Most editing software should include some presets for YouTube but depending on how detailed your changeable settings are you may also want to consider things like bitrate too.
You have to remember that YouTube will recompress your video anyway so don't bother trying to upload a huge uncompressed format.
For YouTube I would usually export using H264 as my codec. This can the be made into either a Quicktime file or a MP4. This is called the wrapper. Most editing software should include some presets for YouTube but depending on how detailed your changeable settings are you may also want to consider things like bitrate too.
Joel_t said:
This is bad advice.
For the best quality video you want to feed the Youtube/Vimeo rendering engines the most data possible. Uploading a larger file will result in a better final product after it has been compressed. More data is good.
shrill mute said:
There is no reason to upload uncompressed footage or anything even close. While I do agree that obviously the better quality you give YouTube the better quality it has to work with I have found that the difference you'll see in your end product is very questionable.
Vimeo on the other hand where you also have the option to download original then sure go nuts with your quality but unless you wanna be sitting there all day waiting for it to upload I wouldn't bother going crazy with the file size. A decent quality H264 will be fine. Save the higher quality formats like ProRes and DNxHD for your masters not your deliverables.
Joel_t said:
My experience has been different.
If there is no reason to upload high quality footage then why does YouTube accept video that is 50 Mbps for "creators with enterprise quality internet connections"?
I never said you can't upload 50mbps video and if you really want the very best possible quality YouTube can offer feel free.
I was addressing the OP who is obviously after some basic advice about uploading to YouTube and H264 will be fine. Nothing says you can't make the bitrate 50mbps if you want but my advice would be that is a bit unnecessary. Especially footage from a GoPro which I think for the GoPro 3 Black Edition tops out at 45mbps and thats in ProTune.
But don't go uncompressed (I don't even know if YouTube would accept that)
Let's have a look at a high quality uncompressed file. We'll say 1920 x 1080 at 25fps in a RGB 4:4:4 16 bit colour space.
That file has a bit rate of 2500mbps. Bit of a difference from YouTube's 50mbps.
I was addressing the OP who is obviously after some basic advice about uploading to YouTube and H264 will be fine. Nothing says you can't make the bitrate 50mbps if you want but my advice would be that is a bit unnecessary. Especially footage from a GoPro which I think for the GoPro 3 Black Edition tops out at 45mbps and thats in ProTune.
But don't go uncompressed (I don't even know if YouTube would accept that)
Let's have a look at a high quality uncompressed file. We'll say 1920 x 1080 at 25fps in a RGB 4:4:4 16 bit colour space.
That file has a bit rate of 2500mbps. Bit of a difference from YouTube's 50mbps.
Joel_t said:
That type of high quality uncompressed file is not germane to the discussion. This is a Phantom forum.
GoPro maxes out at 45mbps and if it's converted to a lossless Avi for editing you can crank the bit rate up on your final render.
A larger file will result in a better quality Youtube/Vimeo file being delivered to your viewers.
Simple.
shrill mute said:
I think you're confused as to what uncompressed video is. And of course that type of high quality video is not germane to a Phantom forum, I was just explaining that you don't understand the format. You can not alter bit rate of an uncompressed file.
Increasing the bit rate of your original footage into something better does not improve the quality of that footage. Artefacts caused by compressed footage like banding are not removed by simply converting the video to uncompressed.
A good quality H264 is fine for YouTube
Joel_t said:
I understand perfectly well what uncompressed video is. It is simply not germane to the discussion since the Vision cams and GoPros cannot capture it. Why even mention uncompressed formats on a Phantom forum?
Joel_t said:
I never posted anything of the sort nor do I believe that saving to an uncompressed intermediate codec will improve the quality. it will preserve (big difference) the quality during editing however.
Joel_t said:
Agreed. A 45mbps h264 will yield a better end product than a 5mbps/10mbps/20mbps h264 that is uploaded to Youtube.
shrill mute said:
Your first comment to my original post. It was in direct reply to my comment about not bothering to upload a huge uncompressed format to which you replied "this is bad advice". The fact that neither the vision nor the GoPro shoots uncompressed makes this even more true. I never said don't make the H264 a decent bitrate.
shrill mute said:
This was pretty much my exact post originally. Why argue with that to only agree with it now?
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