Contents
Share Monitor
66
Droplet Windows
67
About Changing Values and Timecode Entries
67
Keyboard Shortcuts
69
Setting Compressor Preferences
71
Chapter 5
About Compressor Preferences
71
Using Compressor Preferences
74
Importing Source Media Files
77
Chapter 6
About the Batch Window
77
Adding Source Media Files to a Batch to Create Jobs
81
Using the Inspector with Source Media Files
89
Tips on Importing Source Media Files
92
Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings
95
Chapter 7
About the Settings Tab
96
Using the Inspector with Settings
99
Duplicating Settings
100
Creating a Setting from Scratch
102
Searching for a Setting
103
Previewing a Setting
103
Deleting Settings
105
Creating Groups of Settings
106
Distributing and Sharing Settings
107
Example: Creating Custom Groups and Settings for DVD
108
Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches
111
Chapter 8
Assigning Settings
111
Assigning Destinations
116
General Job and Target Information
118
General Batch Information
120
Using Final Cut Pro and Motion with Compressor
127
Using Distributed Processing with Compressor
129
Creating AIFF Files
131
Chapter 9
Creating AIFF Output Files
131
About the AIFF Encoder Pane
132
About the Sound Settings Dialog
132
QuickTime Audio Sample Sizes and Rates
133
Choosing an Audio Codec for Distribution
134
Configuring AIFF Settings
134
4
Contents
Creating Common Audio Format Files
135
Chapter 10
Creating Common Audio Format Files
135
About the Common Audio Formats Pane
136
Configuring Common Audio Formats Settings
136
Creating DV Stream Output Files
139
Chapter 11
About the DV Stream Encoder Pane
139
DV Transcoding Workflow
140
Creating Dolby Digital Professional Output Files
141
Chapter 12
About the Dolby Digital Professional Encoder Pane
142
General Information About Creating Dolby Digital Professional Files
148
Converting Stereo Audio Files to Dolby Digital Professional Format
149
Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels (Manual Method)
150
Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels (Automatic Methods)
153
Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels with Droplets
155
Options for Spatial Mixing
155
Creating H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files
157
Chapter 13
About the H.264 for Apple Devices Encoder Pane
158
Chapter and Podcast Markers for Apple Devices
161
Aspect Ratios for Apple Devices
162
H.264 Workflows for Apple Devices
162
Configuring Settings for H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files
163
Creating H.264 for Blu-ray Disc
165
Chapter 14
About the H.264 for Blu-ray Disc Encoder Pane
166
H.264 Workflows for Optical Disc
168
Creating Image Sequence Files
169
Chapter 15
Creating Image Sequence Output Files
169
About the Image Sequence Encoder Pane
170
Configuring Image Sequence Settings
171
Creating MP3 Output Files
175
Chapter 16
Common Uses for MP3
175
About the MP3 Encoder Pane
176
MP3 Transcoding Workflow
177
Creating MPEG-1 Output Files
179
Chapter 17
Common Uses for MPEG-1
179
MPEG-1 Specifications
180
About the MPEG-1 Encoder Pane
181
5
Contents
About the MPEG-1 Video Tab
182
About the MPEG-1 Audio Tab
183
About System and Elementary Streams
184
MPEG-1 Transcoding Workflow
184
Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for Web Use
185
Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for DVD Use
187
Creating the MPEG-1 Video for DVD Setting
187
Creating the MPEG-1 Audio for DVD Setting
189
Optional—Creating an MPEG-1 for DVD Group and Destination
191
Creating MPEG-2 Output Files
193
Chapter 18
About Standard Definition MPEG-2
193
About High Definition Sources and MPEG-2
194
About Elementary, Transport, and Program Streams
194
About the MPEG-2 Encoder Pane
195
MPEG-2 Reference Information
206
MPEG-2 Transcoding Workflow
210
Example MPEG-2 Settings
216
Creating MPEG-4 Output Files
217
Chapter 19
About MPEG-4 Part 2
217
About the MPEG-4 Part 2 Encoder Pane
218
Using Default MPEG-4 Part 2 Settings
222
Customizing MPEG-4 Part 2 Settings
223
Audio Podcasting Workflow
225
Adding Additional Settings and Presets
228
Creating QuickTime Export Component Files
229
Chapter 20
Creating QuickTime Export Component Output Files
229
Installing QuickTime Export Component Plug-ins
230
About the iPod Plug-in
230
About the QuickTime Export Components Encoder Pane
231
Configuring Export Components Settings
231
Creating QuickTime Movie Output Files
233
Chapter 21
Creating QuickTime Output Files
233
About the QuickTime Movie Encoder Pane
234
QuickTime Transcoding Workflow
240
Understanding Codecs
244
QuickTime Video Codecs
244
QuickTime Audio Codecs
245
Adding Filters to a Setting
247
Chapter 22
Working with Filters
247
6
Contents
About the Filters Pane
249
Video Filters Tab
250
Audio Filters Tab
257
Color Tab
259
Adding Filters to a Setting
260
Working with Frame Controls
263
Chapter 23
About the Frame Controls Pane
263
Adding Frame Controls to a Setting
268
About Deinterlacing
269
About Reverse Telecine
270
Using the Retiming Controls
273
Adding Geometry Settings
277
Chapter 24
Working with Cropping, Scaling, and Padding
277
About the Geometry Pane
279
Making Geometry Adjustments to a Setting
283
Adding Actions
287
Chapter 25
Working with Post-Transcoding Actions
287
Adding Setting Actions
287
Adding Job Actions
289
Using the Preview Window
305
Chapter 26
About the Preview Window
305
Previewing a Clip
311
Transcoding a Portion of the Clip with the Preview Window
316
Working with Markers and Poster Frames
317
About the Preview Window Keyboard Shortcuts
324
Creating and Changing Destinations
325
Chapter 27
About the Destinations Tab
326
Using the Inspector with Destinations
327
Creating a Destination
327
Warning Triangles
329
Deleting and Duplicating a Destination
330
Using Droplets
333
Chapter 28
Creating Droplets
334
About the Droplet Window
336
Checking Droplet Settings
338
Using a Droplet to Transcode Source Media Files
340
Using Droplets to Create Jobs and Settings in Compressor
342
Droplet Tips
343
7
Contents
Apple Qmaster and Distributed Processing
345
Chapter 29
Distributed Processing Basics
345
Basic Components of the Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing System
347
Getting Started Quickly Using This Computer Plus
354
Getting Started Quickly Using QuickClusters
356
The Interfaces in the Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing System
359
Apple Qmaster Sharing Window of Compressor
366
General Information About Clusters
370
Creating Clusters with Apple Qadministrator
381
Setting Up for Part-Time Distributed Processing with Shake
384
Keyboard Shortcuts
387
Appendix A
General Compressor Keyboard Shortcuts
387
Preview Window Keyboard Shortcuts
388
Solving Problems
391
Appendix B
Resources for Solving Problems
391
Solutions to Common Problems
391
Contacting AppleCare Support
393
Using the Command Line
395
Appendix C
Shell Commands for Submitting Compressor Jobs
395
8
Contents
Compressor is an essential part of the video compression process. It makes compression
fast, efficient, and convenient, giving you more options in your choices of compression
settings and output formats.
This preface covers the following:
•
About Compressor
(p. 9)
•
About the Compressor Documentation
(p. 10)
•
Additional Resources
(p. 10)
About Compressor
Compressor is targeted at video postproduction professionals and compressionists who
require high performance and maximum control over the final digital content for DVD
authoring, streaming media servers, and wireless devices.
Compressor gives you resizing, cropping, image processing, encoding, and delivery
options, and offers batch processing, VBR options, and H.264 encoding. You can also use
Droplets and AppleScript, specify and save transcode settings, use filters, specify
destinations, and more. Compressor also provides a variety of output formats for Apple
devices, DVD, web, CD, and kiosk.
Important:
Compressor 4 is designed to work closely with Final Cut Pro X and later and
Motion 5 and later and is required for the Send to Compressor feature. All mentions of
Final Cut Pro and Motion in this document refer to these versions.
9