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Codecs and video file formats

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Codecs and video file formats

Postby Steve Grisetti » Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:24 am

Here's a great primer from Videomaker magazine on video file formats and codecs.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLlkgTRZSzc#t=44[/youtube]
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby TreeTopsRanch » Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:58 pm

Thanks for posting that Steve. Very helpful.
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Peru » Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:37 pm

...and explained very well :tup: .
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby momoffduty » Sun Nov 03, 2013 7:47 pm

Explained in a nut shell. Good find!
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby sidd finch » Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:59 am

This was really helpfuland easy to understand. Thanks Steve

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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Kent Frost » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:48 pm

I wanted to ask Steve Grisetti a question about this, actually. I almost created a new thread, but found this one and figured it would fit nicely.

Steve, for your own personal video collection, such as family events and whatnot, what container/codec do you prefer for your final master files?
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Steve Grisetti » Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:23 pm

It all depends on what I'm creating those files for, Kent. In most cases, my final, finished video is a DVD -- and those DVD files serve as my final archived project.

But I was going to use my finished video in another video project, I'd output it as an AVCHD M2T for hi-def or an DV-AVI for standard def video.

I also started shooting tapeless for the first time this year. So I've got a whole drawer full of outtakes and original footage on the original tapes I can draw back on. Since I've started shooting tapeless, however, I'm not quite sure if I should be saving my original raw footage or only the finished piece. Saving hours and hours of raw footage would mean lots of hard drive space!
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Kent Frost » Mon Dec 23, 2013 11:46 pm

Steve Grisetti wrote:Saving hours and hours of raw footage would mean lots of hard drive space!

That's something I've been dealing with when archiving things like family footage. I've just been taking the footage and making videos for each day. I generally create master files using Quicktime .MOV containers with Photo JPEG-B codec. But that creates for some monster files at 40-50 Mbps (around 2GB per 5 minutes). But as for something more space-conserving for archival purposes, how do you feel about h.264 in a .MP4 container? And do you have any advice for settings for SD and HD?
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Steve Grisetti » Tue Dec 24, 2013 8:29 am

For saving video in high def, I'd use AVCHD with the M2T 1920x1080 preset and for standard def, I'd use AVI (or MOV) with the DV codec. Unfortunately, as you say, that makes for a pretty hefty file. About 12 gigs per hour or about a gig for every couple of minutes. That saves each at editable quality.

Unfortunately, if you're shooting video daily, that makes for a lot of storage space!

So either we'll have to do some triage and only save the best stuff, or we'll need to have some pretty big backup drives.

Does anybody else have an any ideas?
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby TreeTopsRanch » Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:16 pm

Your idea is a good one Steve. I would also recommend to just use hard drives to back up the important stuff. They are getting a little cheaper now. I am finding that over the years, nobody wants to see those videos over and over and they just sit on the hard drive never to played again anyway. Methinks that we are saving too much stuff. Maybe it's all the hard work we do to make these vids and we want to preserve our efforts. I am finding that most family members just don't care.
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Chris B » Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:52 pm

I believe that the spinning rust is the way the pros go. And in these days of USB3 and ESATA and Gigabit Ethernet external enclosures the transfer rate is not much different to a drive in the machine. Hard drive prices are now below $0.05 per gigabyte - doesn't seem a lot to save video.

As a side comment I heard a comment recently from a film-maker that they prefer using film - because it is such an expensive and limited quantity that it forces you to know the scenes you want to shoot rather than taking everything - However planning scenes is not a luxury most of us have!
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Peru » Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:04 pm

I'm saving everything onto hard drives. One day, new miracle software will salvage my barely usable footage. :fg:

And then I'll be the only one who wants to watch the video. img0370
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby JmOMP » Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:42 pm

Great overview!! I've been looking for this exact description. I now need to go deeper and hope you can answer or send me to some good sources. I'm ABSOLUTELY new to video -- but have fairly extensive photo editing experience (Photoshop). And I like to know the 'whys' I so can make better informed decisions and problem solve. So video beginner, but technical explanations are good.

I am having old 8mm and super 8mm as well as VHS tapes (starting 26 years ago) and Hi8 tapes converted to digital by a service -- not having DVD's created, just the data files (can't call the service to find out exactly what they usually provide until Monday but I am anxious to know). I just got Premiere/Photoshop Elements 12. What CONTAINER/CODEC/Compression amount might be the best for each type of original input without compromising the quality of each. I want to do a lot of editing -- especially color correction, tone shifts, etc on the VHS tape input, which contain very high contrast scenes (dance recitals -- yikes;-) and some very low, incadescent lighting with lots of grain and artifacts. There sometimes is very little data in places such as the faces, and don't want to lose any (from the VHS) thru compression. That way I can take my time and do the best job I can. (Storage space is not too much of an issue as these are very important files -- and there is not a hugh amount of film from the 60's and 70's.) Will probably not do much editing on the film input -- just trimming and compiling together. My experience of editing RAW files vs. jpgs files down at pixel level makes me want to make good decisions on the digital conversion.

Thanks for your help and/or reference to good articles/sites.
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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby momoffduty » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:26 pm

Hi Barbara and welcome to Muvipix! If the company is creating data files for you then most likely uncompressed AVI files. Are they saving to a hard drive?

There are many members here that edit old family tapes. I've transferred VHS tapes for my family. The old stuff is priceless. Not sure how much enhancing can be done though.

You've come to the right place to learn video editing, a friendly forum. I like to know the "whys" too.

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Re: Codecs and video file formats

Postby Steve Grisetti » Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:53 pm

Welcome to Muvipix, Barbara!

I'd recommend you download G Spot or Media Info and open one of your video files in it. It will tell you the video file's resolution, frame rate and, above all, audio and video codecs.
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

Knowing that information will help us make recommendations for you. Ideally your analog video captured as standard definition DV-AVIs or MPEGs. (VHS and 8mm are of lower resolution than even standard DV, so there's no point in working with hi-def video captures of your analog files.)
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