HDV footage to YouTube, what is best PRE output format?

[Ron Hunter]

Hello all! I have captured HDV footage with my HV30 and have created a PRE7 project with it. (NTSC, 1440x1080 30 I think.) My goal is to produce an 11min high quality product training video that can be uploaded to YouTube.

My question is...what is the best PRE output format to allow this to happen? I can't find any guidance on YouTube other than a comment that says they accept a wide range of video formats. I would like the best possible video quality on YouTube.

Thanks!

[Steve Grisetti]

Here's what most people use. It seems to survive YouTube's re-encoding the best:

From the Share tab, choose Personal Computer and then QuickTime. Choose the Cable Modem, DSL preset and then click the Advanced button.

In the settings window, do the following:

b Video Tab
*Video Codec: H.264
*Quality: 100
*Frame Wdith: 1280
*Frame Height: 720
*Frame Rate: 29.97
*Field Order: None
*Pixel Aspect Ratio: square
*Set Bitrate: checked
*Bitrate: 8000 kbps

b Audio Tab
*Audio Code: AAC
*Output Channels: Stereo
*Frequency: 44kHz

That should generate a .mov file that Youtube will handle correctly. You can modulate that Bitrate to reduce the amount of data size, and you can modulate the Quality number to reduce the encoding time. I wouldn't go lower than 3000 kbps for a bitrate or below 50 on Quality.

[Ron Hunter]

Thanks a bunch Steve! I'll give it a shot and let you know how it works out.

[Ron Hunter]

Steve, those settings worked perfectly on YouTube. Thanks again!

[Steve Grisetti]

Excellent news, Ron!