Macromedia Media Encoder - CS5 Instruction Manual
Using
ADOBE® MEDIA ENCODER CS5 & CS5.5
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Last updated 7/15/2011
Contents
Chapter 1: Encoding quick start and basics
Encoding quick start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About video and audio encoding and compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Compression tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 2: Encoding and exporting
Add and manage items in the encoding queue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
File formats supported for import . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Encode and export video and audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
File formats supported for export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Export settings reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Use preview files from Adobe Premiere Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Working with custom encoding presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Working with cue points for FLV and F4V video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Log files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
The media cache database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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Chapter 1: Encoding quick start and basics
Encoding quick start
To encode a video or audio item, add it to the encoding queue in Adobe Media Encoder, and then select encoding
presets or custom settings. You can instruct the application to start encoding after you add an item to the queue, or
you can tell it to wait until you decide to start encoding.
Add an item to the encoding queue
• Drag video or audio files into the queue in Adobe Media Encoder.
For more information, see “Add and manage items in the encoding queue” on page 7. For a list of supported video and
audio items, see “File formats supported for import” on page 9.
Encode the item using presets
• Select formats and presets from the Format and Presets pop-up menus with the item in the queue.
For more information, see “Encode using presets” on page 11.
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Encode the item using custom settings
• Select the item and select Edit > Export Settings, and then choose your settings.
For more information, see “Encode using custom settings” on page 11.
Start the encoding
• Click the Start Queue button. In CS5.5, click the triangle button on the upper right side of the window.
To start encoding items in the queue automatically (or to turn off the feature), select or deselect the Start Queue
Automatically When Idle For option in the Preferences dialog box. For more information, see
“Preferences” on page 5.
About video and audio encoding and compression
Recording video and audio to a digital format involves balancing quality with file size and bitrate. Most formats use
compression to reduce file size and bitrate by selectively reducing quality. Compression is essential for reducing the
size of movies so that they can be stored, transmitted, and played back effectively.
When exporting a movie file for playback on a specific type of device at a certain bandwidth, you choose an encoder
(codec). Various encoders use various compression schemes to compress the information. Each encoder has a
corresponding decoder that decompresses and interprets the data for playback.
A wide range of codecs is available; no single codec is best for all situations. For example, the best codec for
compressing cartoon animation is generally not efficient for compressing live-action video.
Compression can be lossless (in which no data is discarded from the image) or lossy (in which data is selectively
discarded).
You can control many of the factors that influence compression and other aspects of encoding in the Export Settings
dialog box. See
“Encoding and exporting” on page 7.
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Encoding quick start and basics
John Dickinson provides a video tutorial on the Adobe website that demonstrates the use of Adobe Media Encoder
with After Effects and Premiere Pro.
For more information about encoding and compression options, see this FAQ entry: "FAQ: What is the best format
for rendering and exporting from After Effects?"
Temporal compression and spatial compression
The two general categories of compression for video and audio data are spatial and temporal. Spatial compression is
applied to a single frame of data, independent of any surrounding frames. Spatial compression is often called
intraframe compression.
Temporal compression identifies the differences between frames and stores only those differences, so that frames are
described based on their difference from the preceding frame. Unchanged areas are repeated from the previous frames.
Temporal compression is often called interframe compression.
Bitrate
The bitrate (data rate) affects the quality of a video clip and the audience that can download the file given their
bandwidth constraints.
When you deliver video using the Internet, produce files using lower bitrates. Users with fast Internet connections can
view the files with little or no delay, but dial-up users must wait for files to download. If you anticipate an audience of
dial-up users, make short video clips to keep the download times within acceptable limits.
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Frame rate
Video is a sequence of images that appear on the screen in rapid succession, giving the illusion of motion. The number
of frames that appear every second is known as the frame rate, and it is measured in frames per second (fps). The higher
the frame rate, the more frames per second are used to display the sequence of images, resulting in smoother motion.
The trade-off for higher quality, however, is that higher frame rates require a larger amount of data, which uses more
bandwidth.
When working with digitally compressed video, the higher the frame rate, the larger the file size. To reduce the file size,
lower either the frame rate or the bitrate. If you lower the bitrate and leave the frame rate unchanged, the image quality
is reduced.
Because video looks much better at native frame rates (the frame rate at which the video was originally recorded),
Adobe recommends leaving the frame rate high if your delivery channels and playback platforms allow it. For fullmotion NTSC video, use 29.97 fps; for PAL video, use 25 fps. If you lower the frame rate, Adobe Media Encoder drops
frames at a linear rate. However, if you must reduce the frame rate, the best results come from dividing evenly. For
example, if your source has a frame rate of 24 fps, then reduce the frame rate to 12 fps, 8 fps, 6 fps, 4 fps, 3 fps, or 2 fps.
For mobile devices, use the device-specific encoding presets. You can also use Adobe Device Central to determine the
appropriate settings for many specific mobile devices. For information about Device Central, see Device Central Help.
Note: If you are creating a SWF file with embedded video, the frame rate of the video clip and the SWF file must be the
same. If you use different frame rates for the SWF file and the embedded video clip, playback is inconsistent.
Key frames
Key frames are complete video frames (or images) that are inserted at consistent intervals in a video clip. The frames
between the key frames contain information on changes that occurs between key frames.
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Encoding quick start and basics
Note: Key frames are not the same as keyframes, the markers that define animation properties at specific times.
By default, Adobe Media Encoder automatically determines the key frame interval (key frame distance) to use based
on the frame rate of the video clip. The key frame distance value tells the encoder how often to re-evaluate the video
image and record a full frame, or key frame, into a file.
If your footage has a lot of scene changes or rapidly moving motion or animation, then the overall image quality may
benefit from a lower key frame distance. A smaller key frame distance corresponds to a larger output file.
The key frame distance affects the ability of Flash Player to seek (fast-forward or rewind) through an FLV or F4V file.
Flash Player can only advance from key frame to key frame. So, if you want to skip to different places and pause the
frames, use a lower key frame distance value.
When you reduce the key frame distance value, raise the bitrate for the video file to maintain comparable image
quality.
Image aspect ratio and frame size
As with the frame rate, the frame size for your file is important for producing high-quality video. At a specific bitrate,
increasing the frame size results in decreased video quality.
The image aspect ratio is the ratio of the width of an image to its height. The most common image aspect ratios are 4:3
(standard television), and 16:9 (widescreen and high-definition television).
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Pixel aspect ratio
Most computer graphics use square pixels, which have a width-to-height pixel aspect ratio of 1:1.
In some digital video formats, pixels aren’t square. For example, standard NTSC digital video (DV), has a frame size
of 720x480 pixels, and it’s displayed at an aspect ratio of 4:3. This means that each pixel is non-square, with a pixel
aspect ratio (PAR) of 0.91 (a tall, narrow pixel).
Interlaced versus noninterlaced video
Interlaced video consists of two fields that make up each video frame. Each field contains half the number of horizontal
lines in the frame; the upper field (Field 1) contains all of the odd-numbered lines, and the lower field (Field 2) contains
all of the even-numbered lines. An interlaced video monitor (such as a television) displays each frame by first drawing
all of the lines in one field and then drawing all of the lines in the other field. Field order specifies which field is drawn
first. In NTSC video, new fields are drawn to the screen 59.94 times per second, which corresponds to a frame rate of
29.97 frames per second.
Noninterlaced video frames are not separated into fields. A progressive-scan monitor (such as a computer monitor)
displays a noninterlaced video frame by drawing all of the horizontal lines, from top to bottom, in one pass.
Adobe Media Encoder deinterlaces video before encoding whenever you choose to encode an interlaced source to a
noninterlaced output.
FLV and F4V video formats for Flash Player
The FLV and F4V formats are container formats, each of which is associated with a set of video and audio formats.
F4V files generally contain video data that is encoded using the H.264 video codec and the AAC audio codec. These
files can be played by Flash Player 9.0.r115 and later. The H.264 video codec is also referred to as MPEG-4 AVC
(Advanced Video Coding). The H.264 video codec provides higher quality video at lower bitrates than the On2 VP6
video codec.
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In addition to the F4V container format, Flash Player 9.0.115.0 and later versions support file formats derived from
the standard MPEG-4 container format. These file formats include MP4, M4A, MOV, MP4V, 3GP, and 3G2, if they
contain H.264 video or HE-AAC v2 encoded audio, or both.
FLV files generally contain video data that is encoded using the On2 VP6 or Sorenson Spark codec and audio data
encoded using an MP3 audio codec. These files can be played by Flash Player 8 and later. Adobe Media Encoder CS5
can import and encode FLV files using the On2 VP6 video codec, not the Sorenson Spark codec.
Note: Video encoded with the On2 VP6 codec in an FLV container can contain an 8-bit alpha channel (representing
transparency) to enable compositing of video. Video encoded with the H.264 codec in an F4V container does not include
an alpha channel.
H.264 and On2 VP6 use both temporal and spatial compression.
For more information about FLV and F4V formats and the H.264 and On2 VP6 encoders, see “Video formats and
Flash” in Using Flash Professional CS5.
Fabio Sonnati provides recommendations for settings for H.264 (F4V) movies for mobile devices on the Adobe
website.
High-definition (HD) video
High-definition (HD) video refers to any video format with pixel dimensions greater than those of standard-definition
(SD) video formats. Typically, standard-definition refers to digital formats with pixel dimensions close to those of
analog TV standards, such as NTSC and PAL (around 480 or 576 vertical lines, respectively). The most common HD
formats have pixel dimensions of 1280x720 or 1920x1080, with an image aspect ratio of 16:9.
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HD video formats include interlaced and noninterlaced varieties. Typically, the highest-resolution formats are
interlaced at the higher frame rates, because noninterlaced video at these pixel dimensions would require a
prohibitively high data rate.
HD video formats are designated by their vertical pixel dimensions, scan mode, and frame or field rate (depending on
the scan mode). For example, 1080i60 denotes interlaced scanning of 60 interlaced 1920x1080 fields per second,
whereas 720p30 denotes progressive scanning of 30 noninterlaced 1280x720 frames per second. In both cases, the
frame rate is approximately 30 frames per second.
Trish and Chris Meyer provide tips for planning and delivering high-definition and widescreen work in articles on the
ProVideo Coalition website:
• The High-Def Checklist
• Open Wide: Creating That Widescreen Look
Compression tips
Compression tips for video
Work with video in the native format of your project until your final output
footage that is available to you. Each time that you compress video using a lossy encoder, you reduce the quality of the
video. Though one generation of quality loss is often acceptable, re-encoding and recompressing already compressed
video can degrade the quality beyond what is acceptable. Also, video that has already been encoded and compressed may
contain noise and artifacts that make the next encoding and compression step take more time or produce a larger file.
Use raw footage or the least compressed
Make your video as short as possible Trim the beginning and end of your video, and edit your video to remove any
unnecessary content. See
“Crop and trim source before encoding” on page 15.
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Adjust your compression settings If you compress footage and it looks great, try changing your settings to reduce the
file size. Test your footage, and modify compression settings until you find the best setting possible for the video you
are compressing. All video has varying attributes that affect compression and file size; each video needs its own setting
for the best results. See
Limit rapid movement Limit movement if you are concerned about file size. Any movement increases file size. Shaky
camera work, rolls, and zooms are particularly bad in this regard. You can use motion stabilization features in After
Effects to remove extraneous movement.
Choose appropriate dimensions See “Image aspect ratio and frame size” on page 3.
Select an appropriate frame rate See “Frame rate” on page 2.
Choose an appropriate number of key frames See “Key frames” on page 2.
Reduce noise and grain Noise and grain in source images increase the size of encoded files. Ideally, use utilities in
Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects to reduce noise and grain. You can also use the Gaussian blur filter in Adobe
Media Encoder to help reduce noise, at the expense of image quality. See
Compression tips for audio
The same considerations exist for audio production as for video production. To achieve good audio compression, you
must begin with an audio file that is free of distortion and audible artifacts introduced from the source recording.
“Encoding and exporting” on page 7.
“Filters export settings” on page 18.
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If you are encoding material from a CD, try to record the file using direct digital transfer rather than the analog input
of a sound card. The sound card introduces an unnecessary digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversion that can
create noise in your transferred audio. Direct digital transfer tools are available for both Windows and Mac OS. If you
must record from an analog source, use the highest quality sound card available.
Note: If your source audio file is monaural (mono), it is recommended that you encode in mono for use with Flash. If you
are encoding with Adobe Media Encoder, and using an encoding preset, be sure to check if the preset encodes in stereo or
mono, and select mono if necessary.
Preferences
• To open the Preferences dialog box, choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Adobe Media Encoder > Preferences
(Mac OS).
• To restore default preference settings, hold Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS)
while the application is starting.
General
Increment Output File Name If The File With The Same Name Exists By default, if you tell Adobe Media Encoder to
create an output file with the same name as an existing file in the same location, Adobe Media Encoder will increment
the name of the new file. For example, if you encode a video clip and create the output file video.flv, and then re-encode
the same file without first deleting video.flv, Adobe Media Encoder names the next file video_1.flv.
Important: To prevent the overwriting of files, name your files in such a way that they don’t inadvertently overwrite one
another.
Remove Completed Files From Queue On Exit Removes any encoded items from the encoding queue when you quit
the application.
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Warn On Stop Queue Or Remove File By default, Adobe Media Encoder prompts you with a warning if you attempt to
stop encoding, remove a file, or move watch folders during the encoding process.
Play Chime When Finished Encoding In Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5, a chime plays when encoding is done.
Start Queue Automatically When Idle For The encoding process begins automatically within the specified time after an
item has been added to the queue. The countdown timer is reset when you interact with the application. Deselect this
option to disable this automatic starting. This preference is switched off by default in Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5.
Show Queue Elapsed Encoding Time Shows the amount of time that has elapsed since the encoding has started in
Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5.
Preview While Encoding Videos are shown as they are being encoded in the Current Encode section. For best
performance, uncheck the preference.
Place Output Files In By default, Adobe Media Encoder places exported files in the same folder as the source video clip.
To choose a different destination folder in which to place encoded media clips, select Place Output Files In option, and
click Browse.
Language The language to use with Adobe Media Encoder. For Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5, this preference is
located in the Appearance category.
Display Format The format and time base to use for time displays. For Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5, this preference
is located in the Appearance category.
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User Interface Brightness Brightness of Adobe Media Encoder interface. For Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5, this
preference is located in the Appearance category.
Media
See “The media cache database” on page 27.
Metadata
Write XMP ID To Files On Import Writes unique identifier to imported files that don’t already contain one.
For information about other n in the Metadata category, see “Export and thin XMP metadata” on page 20.
Memory
RAM Reserved For Other Applications Adobe Media Encoder shares a memory pool with Adobe Premiere Pro, After
Effects, and Encore. The RAM Available For value in Adobe Media Encoder CS5 (called “RAM Shared By” in Adobe
Media Encoder CS5.5) indicates how much memory is in this memory pool. You can affect this value by giving more
or less RAM to other applications (and the operating system). Give more RAM to the applications that share the
memory pool by decreasing the RAM Reserved For Other Applications value.
Important: Don’t set RAM Reserved For Other Applications to be very low. Depriving the operating system and other
applications of memory can cause poor performance.
Last updated 7/15/2011
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