Apple Compressor 4 User Manual

Compressor 4

User Manual

Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement.The owneror authorized user of a valid copy of Compressor software may reproducethis publicationfor thepurpose oflearning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services.

The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo (Shift-Option-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.

Every effort hasbeen madeto ensurethat theinformation in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for printing or clerical errors.

Note: Because Apple frequently releases new versions and updates to its system software, applications, and Internet sites,images shownin thismanual maybe slightly different from what you see on your screen.

Apple 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014 408-996-1010

www.apple.com

Apple, the Apple logo, AppleScript, Apple TV, Bonjour, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, Finder, FireWire, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, Mac, Mac OS, QuickTime, Shake, and Xsan are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

iPad and NetInfo are trademarks of Apple Inc.

AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group.

The YouTube logo is a trademark of Google Inc.

Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.

http://www.jeanpaulbonjour.com

Welcome to Compressor9Preface

About Compressor9 About the Compressor Documentation10 Additional Resources10

Getting Started Quickly11Chapter 1

Terms Used by Compressor11 Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Batch Template Method12 Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Manual Method17 Optional Tasks You Can Perform Before Submitting a Batch24

Ways to Use Compressor27Chapter 2

Typical Compressor Scenarios28 Compressor Features29

The Basic Transcoding Workflow31Chapter 3

Compressor Concepts and Terms31 Preparing Compressor for Transcoding with Custom Settings34 Choosing an Output Format36 Creating a Compressor Batch37 Viewing Transcoding Status39 Optional Compressor Shortcuts39

The Compressor Interface41Chapter 4

Compressor Windows and the Transcoding Workflow42 Creating and Managing Compressor Layouts43 Working with the Compressor Windows46 Batch Window49 Settings Tab52 Destinations Tab53 Inspector Window53 History Window62 Preview Window63 Apple Qmaster Sharing Window65

Share Monitor66 Droplet Windows67 About Changing Values and Timecode Entries67 Keyboard Shortcuts69

Setting Compressor Preferences71Chapter 5

About Compressor Preferences71 Using Compressor Preferences74

Importing Source Media Files77Chapter 6

About the Batch Window77 Adding Source Media Files to a Batch to Create Jobs81 Using the Inspector with Source Media Files89 Tips on Importing Source Media Files92

Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings95Chapter 7

About the Settings Tab96 Using the Inspector with Settings99 Duplicating Settings100 Creating a Setting from Scratch102 Searching for a Setting103 Previewing a Setting103 Deleting Settings105 Creating Groups of Settings106 Distributing and Sharing Settings107 Example: Creating Custom Groups and Settings for DVD108

Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches111Chapter 8

Assigning Settings111 Assigning Destinations116 General Job and Target Information118 General Batch Information120 Using Final Cut Pro and Motion with Compressor127 Using Distributed Processing with Compressor129

Creating AIFF Files131Chapter 9

Creating AIFF Output Files131 About the AIFF Encoder Pane132 About the Sound Settings Dialog132 QuickTime Audio Sample Sizes and Rates133 Choosing an Audio Codec for Distribution134 Configuring AIFF Settings134

4 Contents

Creating Common Audio Format Files135Chapter 10

Creating Common Audio Format Files135 About the Common Audio Formats Pane136 Configuring Common Audio Formats Settings136

Creating DV Stream Output Files139Chapter 11

About the DV Stream Encoder Pane139 DV Transcoding Workflow140

Creating Dolby Digital Professional Output Files141Chapter 12

About the Dolby Digital Professional Encoder Pane142 General Information About Creating Dolby Digital Professional Files148 Converting Stereo Audio Files to Dolby Digital Professional Format149 Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels (Manual Method)150 Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels (Automatic Methods)153 Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels with Droplets155 Options for Spatial Mixing155

Creating H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files157Chapter 13

About the H.264 for Apple Devices Encoder Pane158 Chapter and Podcast Markers for Apple Devices161 Aspect Ratios for Apple Devices162 H.264 Workflows for Apple Devices162 Configuring Settings for H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files163

Creating H.264 for Blu-ray Disc165Chapter 14

About the H.264 for Blu-ray Disc Encoder Pane166 H.264 Workflows for Optical Disc168

Creating Image Sequence Files169Chapter 15

Creating Image Sequence Output Files169 About the Image Sequence Encoder Pane170 Configuring Image Sequence Settings171

Creating MP3 Output Files175Chapter 16

Common Uses for MP3175 About the MP3 Encoder Pane176 MP3 Transcoding Workflow177

Creating MPEG-1 Output Files179Chapter 17

Common Uses for MPEG-1179 MPEG-1 Specifications180 About the MPEG-1 Encoder Pane181

5Contents

About the MPEG-1 Video Tab182 About the MPEG-1 Audio Tab183 About System and Elementary Streams184 MPEG-1 Transcoding Workflow184 Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for Web Use185 Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for DVD Use187 Creating the MPEG-1 Video for DVD Setting187 Creating the MPEG-1 Audio for DVD Setting189 Optional—Creating an MPEG-1 for DVD Group and Destination191

Creating MPEG-2 Output Files193Chapter 18

About Standard Definition MPEG-2193 About High Definition Sources and MPEG-2194 About Elementary, Transport, and Program Streams194 About the MPEG-2 Encoder Pane195 MPEG-2 Reference Information206 MPEG-2 Transcoding Workflow210 Example MPEG-2 Settings216

Creating MPEG-4 Output Files217Chapter 19

About MPEG-4 Part 2217 About the MPEG-4 Part 2 Encoder Pane218 Using Default MPEG-4 Part 2 Settings222 Customizing MPEG-4 Part 2 Settings223 Audio Podcasting Workflow225 Adding Additional Settings and Presets228

Creating QuickTime Export Component Files229Chapter 20

Creating QuickTime Export Component Output Files229 Installing QuickTime Export Component Plug-ins230 About the iPod Plug-in230 About the QuickTime Export Components Encoder Pane231 Configuring Export Components Settings231

Creating QuickTime Movie Output Files233Chapter 21

Creating QuickTime Output Files233 About the QuickTime Movie Encoder Pane234 QuickTime Transcoding Workflow240 Understanding Codecs244 QuickTime Video Codecs244 QuickTime Audio Codecs245

Adding Filters to a Setting247Chapter 22 Working with Filters247

6 Contents

About the Filters Pane249 Video Filters Tab250 Audio Filters Tab257 Color Tab259 Adding Filters to a Setting260

Working with Frame Controls263Chapter 23

About the Frame Controls Pane263 Adding Frame Controls to a Setting268 About Deinterlacing269 About Reverse Telecine270 Using the Retiming Controls273

Adding Geometry Settings277Chapter 24

Working with Cropping, Scaling, and Padding277 About the Geometry Pane279 Making Geometry Adjustments to a Setting283

Adding Actions287Chapter 25

Working with Post-Transcoding Actions287 Adding Setting Actions287 Adding Job Actions289

Using the Preview Window305Chapter 26

About the Preview Window305 Previewing a Clip311 Transcoding a Portion of the Clip with the Preview Window316 Working with Markers and Poster Frames317 About the Preview Window Keyboard Shortcuts324

Creating and Changing Destinations325Chapter 27

About the Destinations Tab326 Using the Inspector with Destinations327 Creating a Destination327 Warning Triangles329 Deleting and Duplicating a Destination330

Using Droplets333Chapter 28

Creating Droplets334 About the Droplet Window336 Checking Droplet Settings338 Using a Droplet to Transcode Source Media Files340 Using Droplets to Create Jobs and Settings in Compressor342 Droplet Tips343

7Contents

Apple Qmaster and Distributed Processing345Chapter 29

Distributed Processing Basics345 Basic Components of the Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing System347 Getting Started Quickly Using This Computer Plus354 Getting Started Quickly Using QuickClusters356 The Interfaces in the Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing System359 Apple Qmaster Sharing Window of Compressor366 General Information About Clusters370 Creating Clusters with Apple Qadministrator381 Setting Up for Part-Time Distributed Processing with Shake384

Keyboard Shortcuts387Appendix A

General Compressor Keyboard Shortcuts387 Preview Window Keyboard Shortcuts388

Solving Problems391Appendix B

Resources for Solving Problems391 Solutions to Common Problems391 Contacting AppleCare Support393

Using the Command Line395Appendix C Shell Commands for Submitting Compressor Jobs395

8 Contents

Welcome to Compressor

Compressor is an essential part of the video compression process. It makes compression fast, efficient, and convenient, giving you more options in your choices of compression settings and output formats.

This preface covers the following:

• About Compressor (p. 9)

• About the Compressor Documentation (p. 10)

• Additional Resources (p. 10)

About Compressor

Compressor is targeted at video postproduction professionals and compressionists who require high performance and maximum control over the final digital content for DVD authoring, streaming media servers, and wireless devices.

Preface

Compressor gives you resizing, cropping, image processing, encoding, and delivery options, and offers batch processing, VBR options, and H.264 encoding. You can also use Droplets and AppleScript, specify and save transcode settings, use filters, specify destinations, and more. Compressor also provides a variety of output formats for Apple devices, DVD, web, CD, and kiosk.

Important: Compressor 4 is designed to work closely with Final Cut Pro X and later and

Motion 5 and later and is required for the Send to Compressor feature. All mentions of Final Cut Pro and Motion in this document refer to these versions.

About the Compressor Documentation

Compressor comes with various documents that will help you get started as well as provide detailed information about the application. (To access onscreen help for Compressor, open Compressor and choose Help > Compressor Help.)

• Compressor User Manual: This comprehensive document describes the Compressor interface, commands, and menus and gives step-by-step instructions for using Compressor and accomplishing specific tasks. It also contains information for configuring an Apple Qmaster distributed processing system for more efficient transcoding and rendering. It is written for users of all levels of experience.

• Apple Qadministrator User Manual: This document explains how to manually set up and manage clusters for use in an Apple Qmaster distributed processing system.

• Apple Qmaster User Manual: This document explains how to use Apple Qmaster as a client for submitting rendering jobs from Shake, Maya, and other applications, to a distributed processing system.

• Share Monitor User Manual: This brief document describes how to use Share Monitor to monitor the transcoding progress of batches and jobs.

Additional Resources

Along with the documentation that comes with Compressor, there are a variety of other resources you can use to find out more about Compressor.

Compressor Website

For general information and updates, as well as the latest news on Compressor, go to:

• http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/compressor

Apple Service and Support Websites

For software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple products, go to the general Apple Support web page. You’ll also have access to product specifications, reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles.

• http://www.apple.com/support

For software updates, documentation, discussion forums, and answers to the most frequently asked questions for Compressor, go to:

• http://www.apple.com/support/compressor

10 Preface Welcome to Compressor

Getting Started Quickly

Compressor contains a number of predefined settings that allow you to start transcoding immediately. You can begin transcoding media files as soon as you install Compressor if you have one or more source media files and the preexisting Compressor batch templates or settings and destinations suit your transcoding needs.

This chapter covers the following:

• Terms Used by Compressor (p. 11)

• Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Batch Template Method (p. 12)

• Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Manual Method (p. 17)

• Optional Tasks You Can Perform Before Submitting a Batch (p. 24)

Terms Used by Compressor

There are a few terms used by Compressor that you should feel comfortable with before you begin using it.

A batch is the heart of the transcode process. It contains one or more source media files, which are the files you want to convert, or transcode, to another format. Each source media file creates its own job. This means that a batch can contain multiple jobs, with each job based on its own source media file.

Each job also has at least one target. The targets define what sort of output file should be created by the transcoding process and where it should be placed. You can have multiple targets assigned to a job, which means that you can easily create multiple output files, each with a different format.

Each target has three parts.

• The setting: The setting part of a target defines the transcoding process, including the encoder format that is used as well as a variety of filters and geometry attributes.

• The destination: The destination part of a target defines where the output file is saved. It also defines the rules that are usedto create the output filename. Compressor includes a preference setting that allows you to specify a default destination.

• The output filename: You can edit the output filename part of the target if for some reason you do not want to use the name generated based on the destination.

Note: You can transcode a job only after it has at least one setting assigned to it.

If you need to create your own settings, or modify those that come with Compressor, see

The Basic Transcoding Workflow and Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings.

Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Batch Template Method

Batch templates simplifyand accelerate your transcoding workflow. The following workflow shows you a quick and easy way to use Compressor with batch templates.

• Stage 1: Choosing a Batch Template

• Stage 2: Adding a Source Media File

• Stage 3: Submitting the Batch

• Stage 4: Using Post-Transcoding Actions

• Stage 5: Saving Custom Batch Templates—Optional

Stage 1: Choosing a Batch Template

To use Compressor with this workflow, you must choose a batch template.

To open Compressor and choose a batch template

1 Double-click the Compressor icon in the Applications folder.

Compressor opens with the Batch Template Chooser and an empty untitled batch with a placeholder job.

12 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

Note: The Batch Template Chooser does not appear if you have previously selected the “Don’t show this dialog again” checkbox, or, in Compressor preferences, selected Use Blank Template. Select Show Template Chooser in Compressor preferences to have the Batch Template Chooser appear when you are creating new batches. Alternatively, you can choose File > New Batch From Template to create a new batch and have the Batch Template Chooser appear.

The Batch Template Chooser contains options for the standard Apple batch templates (described in step 2).

You can also add custom batch templates. For more information, see Creating a Custom

Batch Template.

Note: To see the Compressor interface configured similarly to what is shown in this document, choose a Standard layout from the Layouts submenu of the Window menu.

13Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

2 Click one of the options in the Batch Template Chooser to select it.

The standard Apple batch templates are listed below.

• Create Audio Podcast: Use this template to create an AAC audio file suitable for podcasting and add it to the iTunes library.

• Create Blu-ray disc: Use this template to create BD H.264 video and Dolby Digital Professional (.ac3) audio files and automatically burn them to a Blu-ray disc or an AVCHD disc (AVCHD discs can be played in Blu-ray Disc players that are compatible with the AVCHD format).

• Create DVD: Use this template to create a standard definition DVD using MPEG-2(.m2v) video and Dolby Digital Professional (.ac3) audio and automatically burn it to a disc.

• HTTP Live Streaming: Use this template to create a set of files you can use to stream a movie to iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac, using an ordinary server.

• Publish to Apple TV: Use this template to create a video file suitable for viewing on Apple TV and add it to the iTunes library.

• Publish to YouTube: Use this template to create a video file suitable for viewing on YouTube and upload it to a YouTube account.

Note: Your choice of a template should be based on the intended use of the output media file you are creating. If there is no obvious template for your intended workflow, you may want to try the manual method. For more information, see Quick and Easy

Compressor Workflow: Manual Method. For information about creating custom templates,

see Creating a Custom Batch Template.

3 Click Choose.

14 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

Compressor applies a target to the placeholder job. The target contains the appropriate transcoding setting (based on the template you chose), the default destination (Source), and a suggested output filename, based on the source filename and the name of the applied setting.

By default, the batch templates use Source (the same folder as the source media files originated from) as the destination for the encoded files. For information about choosing other destinations, see Creating and Changing Destinations.

Stage 2: Adding a Source Media File

Drag a source file from the Finder or the desktop to the placeholder job in the Batch window.

Note: You can drag in only one source file because batch templates contain only one job. If you drag multiple files to the job, only the last file is added to this job and all other files are ignored.

Stage 3: Submitting the Batch

Once the job includes a source media file, a setting, a destination, and an output filename, it is ready for processing.

To submit the batch for processing

Click the Submit button to submit the batch containing your job.

15Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

A dialog appears where you can name this submission, choose whether to use distributed processing, and set the priority of this submission. In most cases you can leave the settings as they are and just click Submit.

For more details about this Submit dialog, see Submitting a Batch.

After you submit a batch, you can open the Compressor History window or the Share Monitor application so you can monitor the transcoding progress of your batch. You can also set Compressor preferences to open Share Monitor automatically.

Stage 4: Using Post-Transcoding Actions

Almost every batch template includes an automatic post-transcoding action. When Compressor has completed transcoding one of these batch template jobs to an output media file, it will execute a corresponding automatic action, such as uploading the file to a YouTube account, running an Automator workflow, or burning a DVD.

For more information about job actions such as these, see Job Action Tab and Adding

Actions.

The following list indicates the default post-transcoding job action for each Compressor batch template.

• Create Audio Podcast: Add to iTunes Library.

• Create Blu-ray disc: Create Blu-ray disc.

• Create DVD: Create DVD.

• HTTP Live Streaming: Prepare for HTTP Live Streaming.

• Publish to Apple TV: Add to iTunes Library.

• Publish to YouTube: Publish to YouTube.

Stage 5: Saving Custom Batch Templates—Optional

For information about the optional step of creating custom templates, see Creating a

Custom Batch Template.

16 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Manual Method

The following workflow shows you an easy way to manually build and process a batch in Compressor.

• Stage 1: Adding Source Media Files

• Stage 2: Assigning Settings and Destinations

• Stage 3: Submitting the Batch

Stage 1: Adding Source Media Files

To use Compressor, you must first add source media files to the Batch window.

To open Compressor and add source media files to the Batch window

1 Double-click the Compressor icon in the Applications folder.

Compressor opens with the Batch Template Chooser and an empty untitled batch with a placeholder job.

2 Since this workflow is focused on the manual method rather than the batch template

method, click Cancel in the Batch Template Chooser to close it.

To prevent the Batch Template Chooser from opening in the future, select “Don’t show this dialog again,” or, in Compressor preferences, select Use Blank Template.

For information about the batch template method, see Quick and Easy Compressor

Workflow: Batch Template Method.

17Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

The figure below shows the remaining windows in the Compressor interface.

Note: To see the Compressor interface configured similarly to what is shown above, choose a Standard layout from the Layouts submenu of the Window menu.

3 Drag one or more source files from the Finder or the desktop to an empty area in the

Batch window (in this example, just below the empty job).

Note: If you drag multiple files to the empty job, only the last file is added to this job and all other files are ignored.

18 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

New jobs are created for each source file you dragged to the batch.

Each source file creates a job in the batch.

Target area (empty in this case) of a job

See About the Batch Window for more information about the controls in the Batch window.

Stage 2: Assigning Settings and Destinations

You need to assign at least one setting to each source media file job before you can submit the batch for processing, but you can also add multiple settings to the same job to transcode multiple versions of the media file. Each setting-destination pair is known in Compressor as a target.

19Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

To assign a setting and a destination to a job

Select one or more (two in this case) settings to apply to the job.

A job with a source media file in the Batch window

1 Choose a setting for your source media file jobs in any of the following ways.

• To assign different settings to different jobs: Drag settings from the Settings tab to individual jobs in the Batch window.

• To assign a single setting to multiple selected jobs: Select the jobs (source media files) in the Batch window and choose Target > New Target With Setting. This opens a settings selection dialog over the Batch window.

20 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

Click Add to assign the settings to the selected jobs.

Select the settings to apply to the selected jobs.

Select the jobs in the Batch window.

New targets are added for each setting you drag to the job.

Choose one or more settings, using the disclosure triangles to reveal individual settings, and click Add. The chosen settings are assigned to all the selected jobs.

You can also choose Edit > Select All to select all the jobs before applying the settings. See Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings for more information on settings, and Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches for more information about working with jobs and targets.

The next step is to set the destination. By default, the destination is set to Source,which writes the output files to the same folder as the source files originated from. You can change the destination for organization purposes or to take advantage of larger and faster hard disks.

Note: You can choose a default destination from the Compressor Preferences window. See Setting Compressor Preferences for more information.

You can set the destination for each individual target or for a selected group of targets.

21Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

2 Choose a destination for your job’s targets in one of the following ways.

Use the target’s shortcut menu to change the destination for the selected targets.

• Do nothing: Accept the default destination Source (the same folder as the source media files originated from) specified in the Destination column.

• Use the target’s shortcut menu to change one setting at a time: Control-click the target you want to change and then choose any of the preexisting destinations available to you from the Destination submenu.

You can also choose Other from the shortcut menu to open a dialog to choose any location available to your computer as the destination.

Note: Choosing Other allows you to choose any location currently accessible from your desktop, including a mounted open volume. However, this volume must remain open until the batch has been transcoded.

You can select multiple targets and change all their destinations at once using the same method. You can also use the Destination submenu of the target’s shortcut menu to choose a destination, or drag a destination from the Destinations tab to the target.

See Creating and Changing Destinations for more information on destinations.

3 You can name the batch, and save it, by choosing File > Save.

Stage 3: Submitting the Batch

Once each media file has at least one setting and destination associated with it, it becomes a job, and your batch is ready to be submitted.

To submit a batch for processing

Click Submit.

22 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

For more details about this Submit dialog, see Submitting a Batch.

After you submit a batch, you can open Share Monitor so you can monitor the transcoding progress of your batch. You can also set Share Monitor to automatically open in the Compressor Preferences window.

Note: You can always open Share Monitor by double-clicking the Share Monitor icon in the Dock or by clicking its icon in the Batch window.

23Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

You can also monitor the encoding progress in the History window.

See Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches for more information on jobs and batches.

Optional Tasks You Can Perform Before Submitting a Batch

The three stages described in the previous section show you the fastest way to transcode media files. Although you can modify your preexisting settings using this method, you can’t preview your files or fine-tune any settings.

The following chapters describe additional steps that can be performed on the setting of any job before it is submitted:

• Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings

• Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches

• Adding Filters to a Setting

• Working with Frame Controls

• Adding Geometry Settings

• Adding Actions

• Using the Preview Window

• Creating and Changing Destinations

The following chapters give a more detailed look at output format settings and various transcoding options:

• Creating AIFF Files

• Creating Common Audio Format Files

• Creating DV Stream Output Files

• Creating Dolby Digital Professional Output Files

• Creating H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files

• Creating H.264 for Blu-ray Disc

• Creating Image Sequence Files

• Creating MP3 Output Files

• Creating MPEG-1 Output Files

24 Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

• Creating MPEG-2 Output Files

• Creating MPEG-4 Output Files

• Creating QuickTime Export Component Files

• Creating QuickTime Movie Output Files

25Chapter 1 Getting Started Quickly

Ways to Use Compressor

Compressor is a powerful and flexible tool that can be used in many different ways to achieve the results you want.

This chapter covers the following:

• Typical Compressor Scenarios (p. 28)

• Compressor Features (p. 29)

Typical Compressor Scenarios

CD-ROM

DVD video

Apple TV

iPhone

iPad iPod

iTunes

H.264

MP3 AC-3

MP3 MPEG-1 MPEG-4

QuickTime

AC-3 AIFF

H.264 MPEG-1 MPEG-2

AIFF MP3

QuickTime

Blu-ray Disc

H.264

AC-3

Source media or

Final Cut Pro project

To web

QuickTime

movie

(for broadband

and lowband)

The following are typical Compressor scenarios.

• Converting source mediato oneor moredifferent output formats: You can use Compressor to convert one or more media files to one or more different media file output formats. See Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Manual Method for more information.

• Exporting sequences or clips to one or more formats directly from other applications: You can use Compressor to convert sequences or clips to one or more file formats from within other applications, such as Final Cut Pro. This workflow is the same as described in detail in Submitting a Project for Transcoding.

This integration with Final Cut Pro and Motion makes transcoding (the process of converting files from their original format into output files ready for distribution in another format) faster and more convenient. Integration also saves hard disk space by eliminating the need to export intermediate media files before processing them. It also leverages the video processing technology of the other applications to do much of the work (therefore maximizing the quality of images that are encoded), and avoids

28 Chapter 2 Ways to Use Compressor

degradation that can occur from multiple compression and decompression steps.

• Creating DVD compliant files: Before you can convert your existing media files into a DVD project, you must convert the video into MPEG-1 (SD projects only), MPEG-2 (SD and HD projects), or H.264 (HD projects only) files. Compressor can encode audio in the Dolby Digital Professional format (also known as AC-3). Dolby Digital Professional is a very common compressed audio format for DVD-Video discs. Compressor also supports two specialized situations:

• For those situations in which you are editing high definition (HD) sources in

Final Cut Pro and want to create a standard definition (SD) DVD from them, Compressor includes a high-quality down conversion capability. HD sources using 1080i or 720p resolutions use a high-quality transcoding process to create SD MPEG-2 video output files.

• For those situations in which you must fit the maximum video onto a DVD and do

not require broadcast quality, Compressor includes the ability to export DVD-Video-compatible MPEG-1 format files.

Compressor Features

Compressor can work as a standalone application or be integrated into the workflow of other applications, such as Final Cut Pro. To this end, Compressor accepts the same full range of source media file types that Final Cut Pro accepts. Compressor offers the following features.

• Batch processing: This streamlined process allows you to create multiple output files from single source media files.

• VBR options: Using the MPEG-2 encoder, you can set either asingle- or dual-pass variable bit rate (VBR) for your output files, a setting that affects the video file image quality.

• H.264 encoding: H.264 produces higher quality video at lower data rates for everything from mobile phones to High Definition (HD). H.264 works especially well with the Apple QuickTime media player. Compressor includes H.264 formats that specifically target Blu-ray discs, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Apple TV.

• Droplets: These standalone applications can be used for drag-and-drop transcoding operations straight from your desktop. Once created, Droplets simplify and automate the transcoding process and can be used even without opening Compressor.

• Settings: Settings contain all necessary file format, filter,and geometry settings needed for transcoding. You can customize and modify the Apple-supplied settings or create new ones, making it possible to create a library of specialized settings that can be reused.

29Chapter 2 Ways to Use Compressor

• Filters: The selection of available Compressor filters gives you dynamic artistic control while you convert your source media to other formats and allows you to create a final product to your precise specifications. A selection of the available filters includes fade in/fade out, timecode overlays, gamma correction, noise removal, letterbox, watermark, color adjustment, and others. Additionally, there are audio filters for controlling dynamic range, peak levels, equalization, and fade in/fade out.

• Previewing: You can preview your filter settings in real time using the Preview window as you adjust them in the Inspector window. This lets you tweak the settings to your satisfaction, before transcoding the source media file.

• Destinations: Youcan create and save destinations for your output files, which can then be assigned to each output file’s target. You can even include FTP and iDisk locations. A destination can also specify the filenaming convention to use.

• Geometry: You can adjust your frame size using the geometry Inspector window controls and graphical controls in the Preview window. These features allow you to crop unwanted image areas of your source media file and reduce file size. Compressor also allows you to resize your image to other aspect ratios such as 4:3, 16:9, and 2.35:1 for delivery onto other platforms, such as DVD or iPod.

• Publishing: You can use Compressor to upload output files to a QuickTime Streaming Server or other locations for DVD authoring.

• AppleScript usage: You can add specialized AppleScript information to any output file, which givesyou the flexibility to automate and customize any post-encoding operations.

• Interoperability: Compressor is an integral component of other Apple professional video applications such as Final Cut Pro and Motion. For example, you can export sequences directly from Final Cut Pro into Compressor for transcoding.

• Transcoding activity in the background: Compressor lets you begin transcoding a batch and then continues processing in the background, allowing you to perform other tasks at the same time.

• Email notification: You can set up Compressor to send an email notification to any location to notify you when the batch transcode is complete.

• Distributed processing: Compressor offers distributed processing, distributing the work to multiple computers that have been chosen to provide more processing power. The distributed processing feature is limited to computers that have Compressor installed. For more details, see Apple Qmaster and Distributed Processing.

• Command-Line Features: Compressor has a number of command-line options for submitting jobs, enabling and disabling service node and cluster-controlling services, and monitoring batches. For more information, see Using the Command Line.

30 Chapter 2 Ways to Use Compressor

+ 370 hidden pages

Apple Compressor 4 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Welcome to Compressor

About Compressor

About the Compressor Documentation

Additional Resources

Getting Started Quickly

Terms Used by Compressor

Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Batch Template Method

• Stage 1: Choosing a Batch Template

Stage 2: Adding a Source Media File

Stage 3: Submitting the Batch

Stage 4: Using Post-Transcoding Actions

Stage 5: Saving Custom Batch Templates—Optional

Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Manual Method

• Stage 1: Adding Source Media Files

Stage 2: Assigning Settings and Destinations

Stage 3: Submitting the Batch

Optional Tasks You Can Perform Before Submitting a Batch

Ways to Use Compressor

Typical Compressor Scenarios

Compressor Features