Video Encoding Overview
Video Workflow
Encoding video for the web is a 3 step process:
- Capture the video from you camcorder
- Edit the video to trip clips or add titles and credits
- Export the video in a format that works with Adobe Flash
Capturing Video
Nearly all modern computers are capable of capturing video with standard hardware such as USB or FireWire. For the best results use a camcorder that films in the DV (Digital Video) format.
You can easily capture DV using software that is bundled with your computer like Apple iMovie or Windows Movie Maker. You can also use programs such as Adobe Premier (Windows or Mac) and Final Cut (Mac only).
When capturing video, avoid introducing any compression or loss of quality. If you have a DV camcorder, you should always capture video in the raw DV format. Your video will get compressed during export.
Editing Video
Editing can be as simple as trimming off some unwanted clips or as complex as making a Hollywood movie. Keep it simple. Here are a few tips:
- Add a title and date to the video so it can be identified after it has been downloaded.
- Stay away from flashy transitions between scenes. A cross-dissolve is all you really need.
Exporting Video
After editing, you must convert your video to a format that Directra understands. Since Directra uses Adobe Flash to play videos on the web, you are limited to the formats supported by Flash.
This conversion process takes place when you export the video. During export, the original DV video must be encoded in one of these formats:
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| FLV | Flash Video is a proprietary format that was originally supported in Flash 6. Adobe is moving away from this format in favor of h.264. FLV uses a constant bit rate (CBR) and produces much larger files than variable bit rate (VBR) methods like h.264. |
| h.264 | h.264 is an open standardized format that is part of the MPG-4 specification. h.264 provides the optimum balance between compression and quality. Adobe added support for h.264 in Flash 9. Companies like Google, Sony, and Apple have also standardized on h.264. |
In Flash 9, Adobe also added support for Progressive Download, a feature that allows standard web servers to stream video without a high-end media server.