9 Replies Latest reply: Oct 20, 2010 6:14 AM by Christopher Duncan RSS

    CS4: YouTube settings

    Christopher Duncan Community Member

      Hey, guys.

       

      Got a nagging little glitch I'm trying to remedy for YouTube uploads. I have SD widescreen content, created using standard sequences from DV-NTSC / Widescreen 48k. If I render using the H.264 YouTube SD Widescreen setting, it defaults to 640x360, which doesn't allow for the 480p setting in YouTube's player (in fact, the upload barks about this). Having googled around, I've learned that the YouTube player uses a 2:1 aspect ratio of 960x480. However, setting the size to this and uploading yields a video that doesn't fill the player. There's about a 10%~20% black bar on all four sides.

       

      If I render to wmv using the "NTSC Widescreen source to high quality download" setting and upload to YouTube, it converts to a video that does in fact fill the screen. Almost. There are very thin black bars (maybe 8 or 10 pixels) on top and bottom. I'm guessing this is due to the fact that I've rendered 16:9 and 2:1 is essentially 16:8, thus the mismatch. Also, this setting uses the pixel aspect ratio for 16:9, wherease the YouTube setting uses square pixels.

       

      I'm sure there's something terribly obvious that I'm overlooking here but I'm just not finding it. My goal is to upload a widescreen video to YouTube that will fill the player without black bars and support both their 360 and 480 player options. Any suggestions you folks might have would be most appreciated. Seems this is a simple task that I'm somehow making difficult.

        • 1. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
          JSS1138 CommunityMVP
          I've learned that the YouTube player uses a 2:1 aspect ratio of 960x480.

           

          I question that.  It appears that the 360 videos are using 640 x 360 dimensions.  480 videos are using 854 x 480 dimensions.  720 videos are using the 1280 x 720, etc.

           

          They all seem to be the correct 16:9 ratio.

          • 2. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
            Christopher Duncan Community Member

            But Jim, I know it's true - I read it on the Internet! 

             

            After much experimentation, I've discovered that if I crop the left and right (or was it top and bottom?) by 8 pixels, I get rid of the slim bars. While I'd love to understand what's going on under the hood, some days you just take the wins that you can get and move along.

            • 3. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
              Community Member

              -----------

              If I render using the H.264 YouTube SD Widescreen setting, it defaults  to 640x360, which doesn't allow for the 480p

              ------------

              Chris, sometimes I use the Quicktime choice using H 264 as the codec choice..  is basically the same as h264 export but in a mov wrapper...( I use cs3 )

              Once you get into your settings for export using the above you can adjust everything to exactly what you have...change dimensions, use square pixels ( no fields ) choose 16:9  etc etc...I use bitrate around 1200kbps but some people use much higher...can test maybe a couple small "work area" exports and upload to youtube and see how THEY handle it... ( as they convert and stuff no matter what you upload )

               

              I've found the the "renderer" chosen in project and on export also effects quality to youtube..what it looks like when you play back

               

              I would maybe try export at your original settings ( 720x480 16:9) and let youtube convert...will have lower res options to play back

               

              ps..I have quicktime pro and I forget if that makes that QT export possible or not...

              • 4. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
                Christopher Duncan Community Member

                Hey, Rod.

                 

                Thanks, I'll play around with that some. I do use QuickTime when I'm rendering output from After Effects for import into a Premiere project, as I've heard others speak well of the quality. Maybe that'll give me better YouTube results as well. I solved the black bar problem with cropping, but of course want to do everything I can to boost the quality of the video itself.

                 

                Do you have a YouTube channel that I can look at? Robo Doggie Door, or something to that effect?

                • 5. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
                  Community Member

                  QT export  h264

                   

                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du7asZYWN4c

                   

                  1280x720p 23.97

                   

                  yours would have the 4:3 or 16:9 option

                   

                  will have low res play options from youtube

                   

                  QT export.jpg

                  • 6. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
                    Christopher Duncan Community Member

                    Thanks for the settings. I'd thought about using the HD upload setting but wondered what it would do quality wise since this stuff is SD 720x480 widescreen.

                     

                    Of course, since you're shooting on a Red, quality is not a problem for you. 

                    • 7. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
                      Community Member

                      noooo, dont do hd for ntsc...that was just what I had as a sample right now to show the other settings...

                      you would use your 720x480 dimensions...or basically whatever your "source" is you duplicate in the "settings"...

                       

                      like my upload to youtube there will be a few different playback dimension options after you upload your test...

                       

                      ps..the settings relevant are 85% quality ( more than that doesnt do much ), etc

                      • 8. Re: CS4: YouTube settings
                        Christopher Duncan Community Member

                        Works for me, and keeps the file size smaller as well!