DesignProVideo: Flash CS4 105: Encoding Video for Adobe CS4

If you’re making videos for YouTube or any other Flash Video deployment purpose, this tutorial will give you the edge!

Filmed in both Mac OS and Windows Vista, this tutorial shows the correct way to encode video for use in Flash, Dreamweaver, or any other Adobe CS4 application.

Everybody is using Flash video these days, and YouTube is perhaps the best example of what’s possible using this video format. But have you ever noticed how bad YouTube videos typically look? Well there’s no reason for that to happen. If you want to make your YouTube videos look great, you need to watch this tutorial!

This tutorial is produced by Robert Reinhardt, an industry-recognized expert on Flash video production and thee world’s most prolific technical author on this subject. In close to 3 hours of video compression tutorials Robert shows you deep secrets of encoding, along with serious time-tested tips that will make your videos shine.

This tutorial is much more than just a detailed overview of video encoding principles. You’ll begin by learning what tools are available for video compression, how to optimize your source video by removing noise, artifacts, and interlacing (using After Effects), and important techniques for restoring video to create the best source for encoding.

Once your video is polished and ready for compression, you’ll discover deep secrets about how codecs work while exploring bit rates, key frames, audio compression, and all the other intricate settings that are part of compressing video that looks amazing. While most of the work is done in Adobe Media Encoder, you’ll also learn about 3rd party encoding tools so you can make an educated decision on which video compression utility is right for you!

This is a comprehensive tutorial, but you don’t need to watch the entire show. Use the detailed menu system and keyword search features to quickly find topics of interest.

Chapter 1: Video Overview

Section 1: Working with QuickTime

01. Overview
02. Installing QuickTime
03. Updating QuickTime (Mac)
04. Updating QuickTime (Windows)
05. Enabling QuickTime Pro
06. Accessing the Movie Inspector in QuickTime
07. Viewing the Movie Properties
08. Trimming a Video in QuickTime Pro
09. Saving a New Clip in QuickTime Pro
10. A Note About Save As and Export (QuickTime Pro)

Section 2: Other Video Tools

11. Using Adobe Media Player
12. An Overview of MPEG Streamclip
13. The MPEG-2 Playback Component
14. Adobe Media Encoder CS4
15. Other Video Encoders: Sorenson Squeeze, Telestream Episode

Section 3: Encoding Terminology

16. Foundation Encoding Terms Overview
17. The Data Rate or Bitrate of a Video
18. The Frame Rate of a Video
19. The Dimensions of a Video
20. The Activity and Complexity of a Video
21. The Video Codecs Supported by Flash Player
22. Graph of CPU Utilization by Video Codecs
23. Licensing Implications of Video Codecs
24. The Audio Codecs Supported by Flash Player
25. Audio Channels and Audio Sampling Rate
26. Determining a Starting Bitrate for a Web Video

Section 4: Understanding Video

27. Spatial and Temporal Compression
28. Video Frame Types: I, P and B Frames
29. Keyframes and Bit Budgets
30. An Introduction to Keyframe Interval
31. Keyframe Interval Visual Differences
32. An Introduction to CBR and VBR Encoding Methods
33. A CBR and VBR Graph
34. An Introduction to Pixel Aspect Ratio
35. Adjusting Pixel Aspect Correction in After Effects
36. Understanding Interlaced Video and Deinterlacing

Section 5: Restoring Video with Adobe After Effects

37. Identifying Noise in Digital Video Footage
38. Importing Footage into After Effects
39. Creating a Composition (Comp) in After Effects
40. Adjusting the Comp Settings for Desired Output
41. Adding the Remove Grain Filter Effect
42. Setting the Preview Area
43. Working with Noise Reduction
44. Adjusting the Temporal Filtering Settings
45. Adjusting the Sampling Settings
46. Adding the Comp to the Render Queue
47. Reviewing the Render Settings
48. Modifying the Output Module Settings
49. Specifying an Output File and Initiating the Render
50. Comparing the Final Output to the Original

Section 6: Deinterlacing Video

51. Identifying Interlaced Video
52. Importing the Footage and Saving the Project File
53. Creating and Modifying the Composition
54. Enabling Preserve Edges in the Interpret Footage Dialog Box
55. A Note About Frame Blending for Deinterlacing
56. Adding the Comp to the Render Queue
57. Comparing the Deinterlaced Output to the Original Footage

Section 7: Working with Codecs

58. Identifying Specialty or Proprietary Codecs
59. Determining Which Codecs You Have Installed (Mac)
60. Determining Which Codecs You Have Installed (Windows)
61. Exporting Uncompressed Video from QuickTime Pro
62. Apple Compressor

Chapter 2: Encoding Video

Section 8: Encoding Video with Adobe Media Encoder

63. Building Compression Presets
64. Picking a Deployment Method
65. Analyzing the Video Properties
66. Analyzing the Subject Movement and Scene Composition
67. Using the Bitrate Starter App to Start a Preset
68. Adding a Clip to the Job Queue in Adobe Media Encoder
69. The Format Column and the FLV, F4V, and MP4 Extensions
70. Choosing a Preset and Opening the Export Settings
71. Format Tab Settings
72. Video Tab: Size and Frame Rate
73. Video Tab: Profile and Level
74. Video Tab: Bitrate Settings
75. Video Tab: Key Frame Distance Setting
76. Audio Tab Settings
77. Other Tasks: FTP Settings and Saving a Preset
78. Output File Settings and File Naming Conventions
79. Reviewing the Results

Section 9: Encoding Video with Telestream Episode Pro

80. Choosing a Streaming Deployment Method
81. Reviewing the Source Video Properties
82. Determining the Bitrates for the Project
83. Building a 1Mbps Preset
84. Building a 500Kbps Preset
85. Building a 300Kbps Preset
86. Adding a Source File to Episode Pro
87. Adding Presets to the Source File
88. Output Tab Settings
89. Video Tab Settings
90. Adjusting the Profile and Quality Options
91. Reviewing the Advanced Tab for H264
92. Adjusting the Frame Rate, Deinterlace, and Resize Settings
93. Adjusting Audio Settings
94. Creating the 500Kbps Preset
95. Creating the 300Kbps Preset
96. Starting the Batch
97. Reviewing the Results

Section 10: Encoding a Music Video

98. Reviewing the Music Video Clip
99. Building the Preset for 960×540
100. Adjusting the Compression Settings in Adobe Media Encoder
101. Reviewing the Result

Section 11: Working with Alpha Channels

102. An Overview of the Clip
103. Reviewing the Video Properties
104. Watching the Clip
105. Building a Preset for Alpha Channel Video
106. Modifying the Preset in Adobe Media Encoder
107. Reviewing the Result

Section 12: Encoding for YouTube

108. Exporting High Quality Output for YouTube
109. Reviewing the Result
110. Wrap-up and Resources Link