Choosing Media Settings

If you are creating media that is destined to air on television, you should consider the resolution, color depth, and frame rates that will produce results that are acceptable for broadcast. On the other hand, if you are working on streaming video for the web, you can save processing and rendering time by working at smaller resolutions or frame rates.

Remember that to batch render for different outputs, you need to work with media that matches the highest required output settings.

Another thing to consider is pixel aspect ratio. If you are mixing footage with different pixel aspect ratios, you need to specify the proper values for each one. Otherwise, you could end up with distorted images.

Also, make sure composite settings match the footage settings and rendering settings. For instance, if you are working on film, make sure the frame rate for the composite is properly set to 24 fps. For more information, see About Composite Settings.

The best way to ensure good results is to create and output a composite, then view it using the same type of viewer that the intended audience will use.

Depending on the media you plan on creating, keep the following issues mind.

Videotape

If you are outputting to video, take note of the video format (NTSC or PAL), and keep your colors within the legal limits for broadcasting. Also, watch out for degradation of image quality due to generation loss and compression.

Streaming Web Video

When creating streaming video, there is a limit to how fast most viewers can stream the file (this depends on the speed of their modems). If you know your viewers have high-speed Internet access, you can use higher image resolutions and frame rates than if they were accessing the file using a 28.8 Kbps modem. In most cases, however, you cannot exceed 10-15 fps. Also, the codec you use to compress the video is important in determining the final file size.

For information, see Video Output Options.

Video-on-Demand

With video-on-demand, viewers download the entire video file onto their hard drive and play it back locally. Although this removes some bandwidth limitations, you do not want to create files that take too long to download. As such, try finding a happy medium between frame size/playback rate and image quality.

Film

With film, you need to consider whether the footage was captured with a telecine, in which case you may need to remove 3:2 pulldown for footage used in a composite. For more information on 3:2 pulldown, see Removing 3:2 Pulldown.

With film, also, make sure you use the proper frame aspect ratio and playback rate.

CD-ROMs

The most important thing to consider when creating media for CD-ROM playback is whether the viewer's computer is fast enough to sustain the necessary data rate. As such, you should limit the playback rate as much as possible without making the video appear jerky. Also, the codec used to render the video is important in determining file size.

For information, see Video Output Options.