AME CS5, Quicktime & H.264 encoding - very poor

Hi all,
I seem to be stumped on an encoding issue - whenever I encode .mov files with the H.264 codec, they always come out looking like, well like a first generation web video - ie like S$*T.
My best guess is that the profile is preset to use 'baseline' - if so, is there a way to change this? I can't find any options to change to change the profile, or levels, or anything with regards to H.264 - there is a "codec settings" button, but that is grayed out.
Am I just a dummy and missing some key setting in the interface?
If I go back to CS3 and export with the same settings, I get great looking video - but of course since the project was edited in CS5, I can't go backwards.....
If I am a dummy, can anyone point me in the direction on how to get good looking .mov videos out of AME CS5?
Thanks,
~Mike

whenever I encode .mov files with the H.264 codec, they always come out looking like, well like a first generation web video - ie like S$*T.
I did a quick test of an H.264 MOV earlier today for someone else; check it out here. This is PAL DV to H.264, at about 2Mbps; I think it looks OK. I can get much better from the MainConcept H.264 encoder, or an external encoder, but it's usable.
My best guess is that the profile is preset to use 'baseline' - if so, is there a way to change this? I can't find any options to change to change the profile, or levels, or anything with regards to H.264 - there is a "codec settings" button, but that is grayed out.
According to MediaInfo, the H.264 MOV generated by Premiere is actually using the Main profile; the Level varies based on frame size and where you limit the bitrate. You don't have a lot of options here because, well, I don't think Apple's/QuickTime's implementation of H.264 gives you many options. It's a pretty rotten encoder, at least in comparison to some of the other choices out there.
If you want more flexibility in creating an H.264 encode, use the H.264 format; it's in the same list as QuickTime. You'll have much more you can choose from and more flexibility when controlling your encode. It still doesn't give you as much control as, say Sorenson Squeeze (MainConcept codec) or x264 (open source H.264 encoder, which gives you even more than MainConcept), but you can get some decent looking encodes. The video will be put in an MP4 container, which will playback in QuickTime.
Do you need an MOV? If so, check out MPEG Streamclip. I'm assuming you're using Windows, so that's where the link goes; there's a Mac version as well, however. Anyway, MPEG Streamclip is my go-to gadget when I absolutely have to send an H.264 MOV. It's still using Apple's encoder, but it looks better, and you have a little more control. Just spit out an uncompressed file from Premiere (has to be an uncompressed AVI or else any kind of MOV) and encode from Streamclip--works a treat.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I have very poor video quality after transcoding the video file (MPEG) in Adobe Encore CS5.1. Below you see my used settings in my filmproject.
The problem exists after transcoding in Adobe Encore CS5.1. I checked all steps and found out that there is no problem until transcoding. My exported file in MPEG has very good video and audio quality.
Facts:
1. Camcorder: Panasonic AG-AC160AEJ
Operating System : Windows 7, 64 Bit, Ultimate edition
Source files: MTS files
Recording settings (clip settings):
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Pixel Aspect Ratio: 1,0
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Video
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Frame rate: 25
Audio:
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Channels: 2 (stereo)
Frequence: 48 kHz
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I used different transcoding settings such as automatic DVD Transcoding, CBR and VBR.I also set “use maximum render quality”. But all results were always the same: very poor quality.
Why does the encore transcoding cause such bad video quality?
How can I solve this problem?
Please help me soon.
Best regards.

Hi Ann,
1) I did not only „Automatic (based on source)“ options in my tests, but also many other customized options.
The results are very poor. I have done a new test with the following settings. The result is also poor:
Download link: http://www.klavierlehrer-bayern.de/download/test_mpeg2dvd_1.m2v
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Target Bitrate (Mbps): 9
Maximum Bitrate (Mbps): 9
GOP Settings
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N Frames: 12
Use Maximum Render Quality: [active]
Multiplexer: None
2) Why shouldn’t I use the “Match Sequence Settings” in exporting? Because of the big output file size?
I used it and the results are very good as I expected:
Download link: http://www.klavierlehrer-bayern.de/download/test_MatchSequenceSettings.mpeg
Export Settings
Match Sequence Settings [selected]
1920 x 1080, 25 fps, Upper, Quality 50
User Maximum Render Quality: [active]
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The results are also poor.
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Regards

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I would love some input from the community here. Perhaps someone else is having a similar issue.
I've been wanting to make a full switch from CS6 to CC2014, but I am experiencing a host of issues that I don't experience in CS6. For one, when I export my Canon 5DMK3 DSLR timeline using Quicktime (H.264), I get an abrasive global noise all over my rendered video as if I was using a low data rate. I use the same settings in CS6 and experience no issues.
Since YouTube compression hides these artifacts, so please download and view original file: Dropbox - RenderArtifactsQuicktimeH264.mp4
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Issue with Adobe Encore CS5.1 and Matrox MAX H.264 encoding on Windows

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"Issue with Adobe Encore CS5.1 and Matrox MAX H.264 encoding on Windows"

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Hello all,
I'm having a problem.
I'm trying to export a project out of Premiere CS4, as Quicktime H.264.
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Please provide
these details to help us help you.
Cheers
Eddie
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How Much Ram does AME CS5 use for an average HD Encode?

Hello,
I know this is a tough question but I would like to learn what factors control or limit the performance of AME CS5.
I have 12GB of ram in my Windows 7 64bit system but AME CS5 will only use 3 GB when encoding and HD file to say Mpeg-2.
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Thanks

Thanks for your reply.

Very Slow H.264 Encoding in FCP 10.1.2 and Compressor 4.1 on nMP

I have a fully maxed out 12-core nMP and editing with this machine in FCP 10.1.1 has been a delight. I recently completed a 4K project from footage shot with the Sony AX-100 and then output the project from FCP X using File>Share>Master File to ProRes 422. This operation occurred in about the same length of time as the length of the project (18.5 min.). I then brought this 75 GB ProRes .mov file into Compressor 4.1, and set up Compressor to encode to an H.264 file at 70 Mb/sec. This encode to h.264 is only 1/4 complete at 48 min. and it appears that it will take Compressor about 4 hours to encode this 18 min. project to h.264. Furthermore, I noticed that with the share to a master prores file FCP X was using 50-60% of my total CPU resources while the encode to h.264 in Compressor is using barely 16% of the total CPU. Thus it appears to me that while FCP 10.1.1 is optimized for the nMP, certainly Compressor 4.1, at least for h.264 encoding, is not.
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Russ,
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Here are some thoughts on alternatives that I may try. (1) Take the Pro Res 422 file into Adobe's Media Encoder CC and encode it to high bit rate 4K h.264. (2) Take the Pro Res 422 file into Handbrake and encode to high bitrate 4K h.264. Handbrake does seem to make far more use of the nMP's CPU's than Compressor 4.1. Don't know about Media Encoder since I have not tried any h.264 encoding in Media Encoder.
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Tom

Encore CS5, BluRay H.264 and Profiles

I find in the manual that Encore is only allowing Main profile H.264 files to be used untranscoded. Yet, everywhere I have read and learned about H.264, the ideal way to get the best compression is to use the high profile and a level of 4.1. In fact, this is the most common preset in most encoders for BluRay preset H.264 encoding.
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4tKingAV wrote:
I agree with your comments. Any experience with BDR media and 25m rates on players?
As much of my material is mid-band, or darker...   I am worried about banding that I see in X.264. Also a lot of footage I shoot is interlaced due to the high motion of the event. So, I am in a bad place. I have a lot of mid-band footage that has a lot of motion in it. I could go to 30p, but I don't alway like how it looks when some of the events are fast moving.
I am open to investing in a solid H.264 encoder if it gives me what I want...
Every burn I've done to TDK BD-R50B or Sony BD-RE50 has played fine in my PS3, with rates as high as 40mbit/s (burst for a minute or so, not the entire project). So I can't comment on lower-quality media, because it's all worked for me thus far.
Like I said, I've done interlaced with x264 just fine, but the x264 developers claimed (as of three months ago, anyway) that interlaced encoding was "broken" so you author with such output at your own risk. 1080i @ 29.97 works for me on powerdvd9 and a real PS3, all 60 fields present, using the following batch file:
x264 --crf %3 --preset veryslow --weightp 1 --bframes 3 --nal-hrd vbr --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --level 4.1 --keyint 30 --b-pyramid strict --slices 4 --tff --aud --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --sar 1:1 %1 -o %2
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Magnus is correct - here's the relevant info lifted from the MXO release notes:
Adobe Media Encoder
¦ Note If you’re using Adobe Media Encoder with a Matrox MXO2 product that
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Export to HQ DVD very poor quality

Hi all,
I've been trying to export to an HQ DVD, meaning I've chosen the highest settings, ending up with a 5552Mb File for 75 mn... which I believe would be enough to have a very high "normal"definition .
ok I know it wouldn't fit but I burned 10mn of timeline with these settings, to check, and the quality is very poor. I believe as bad as a VHS second generation copy... My titles appear like a very low photoshop jpg compression, and all lignes and shapes are surrounded by some kind of compression artefacts not acceptable even in normal def. (not mentioning the interlaced lines at the edit point when the clip has been altered in size or color etc...) You get the picture...
I had a look at the calculator, that is not much help finally when exporting from premiere.
What I want to do is export my (xdcam hd 50mbps 1080 50i).mxf timeline to a beatiful dvd that everybody can play....
Should I go for a third party encoder?
Also, It seems that when I export and burn through Encore, I get a slightly vertically stretched frame, that ellipses the perfect circles I have on the timeline. Although I respect the pixel ratio of 1.0, 16.9 screen... wide screen etc... I always get this stretching. (Playing the file from the pc is correct.)
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Glad to help.
I have been using Encore every since it was first released and on many occasions I have pruduced MPG files encoded at different rates so that I can demonstrate to the audience at my presentations how the different settings can affect the end MPG movie
With Encore I have found that the settings I gave you earlier give the best compromise results, in my tests having the max setting at its max position and the target above eight can produce flawed mpeg files. this is not as a resullt of one off encoding but I have repeated it with each version of Encore with varying results, certainly using Encore in my CS5.5 Suite produces softer DVD's than earlier versions, in my opinion that is..
With HD source my Panasonic HMC 150 Encore produces reasonable MPG SD files but the Canon 7 D produces more artifacts.
Enough of a remeniss and ramble, good luck
Addiitonally with the completed DVD there is a distinct difference depending upon which DVD player is used, using the same DVD my Sony 3D bluray player upscales better than my Panasonic Bluray recorder, whereas at a club I go to the Pioneer AV amp upscales the DVD even better, therefore I would conclude that the device playing back the DVD can have a vast effect on what you see.

H.264 encoding tremendously slow. Any advice.

I've got some DV footage I want to put online using he H.264 codec, but compressor is treachorously slow. It took 41 hours to compress a 25 minute video.
I am tempted to just go to mp4 compression, but I prefer H.264.
Here's the compressor 2 settings I used:
Name: H.264 700Kbps Streaming @.50
Description: H.264 for high-bandwidth streaming
File Extension: mov
Audio Encoder
AAC, Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz
Video Encoder
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Width: 320
Height: 240
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Frame Controls:
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Adaptive Details: On
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Spatial quality: 75
Min. Spatial quality: 50
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Temporal quality: 50
Min. temporal quality: 50
Data rate: 0.586 (Mbps)
Fast Start: on
Compressed header
requires QuickTime 3 Minimum
I am using:
G5 Dual 2/ 4 GB RAM/ Compressor 2// ATI Radeon 9600 XT

Yes, H.264 is very slow to encode. That's how they get the great quality out of it.
The preset you have is fine, but as was mentioned, the frame controls for resizing, deinterlacing and retiming will slow things down exponentially if you increase them.
Only advice to give. Get a faster Mac.

HD Export to Quicktime H.264 quits after approx. 14 minutes

How can I enable Quicktime h.264 to accept video exported from my Avid editor longer than around 14 minutes ? The HD 720p video sequence is 40 minutes in length. Quicktime quits at around 14 minutes. Thanks.

Well I didn't end up doing that, since it was going to be so time
consuming
Well, proper conversion will be time consuming. That is unavoidable. I showed you a bunch of options that can drastically speed it up, but it is always a tradeoff of time vs. quality. There is no "perfect" method of doing these conversions.
and my client wanted a compressed format anyway. So I
thought it would save time to convert straight from the PAL QT file to
h.264, as well as being higher quality.
Yes, but by converting it "straight" to h.264, you will be using the crappier deinterlacing of AME or ProCoder, thus lowering the perceived quality regardless of output format. Also: if you use a lossless or uncompressed AVI intermediary, there will be no loss of quality.
I don't have an uncompressed NTSC Quicktime file. Is there a way to do that?
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Open Adobe Media Encoder
Drag the AVI file into Media Encoder's Queue
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Downsample RED 4k footage to SD DVD - very poor results.

I want to make SD DVD from 4K RED footage.
I have tried different settings but the results are very poor.
Dynamic link from Premiere to Encore gives errors and I am running short of time to figure out reasons for this error.
I would rather use export - media adn then burn the resulting file into DVD using Encore.
Using CS5 on Mac.
The footage is about 2 1/2 hours, at 24 fps.
The full length does not need to fit on 1 DVD - I can break it to fit into as many DVDs as needed.
Any pointers to optimum settings to get decent results for a downsample fo $K to SD, would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
RV

You didn't give any details on what your sequence settings are. I'd suggest embedding (nesting) your existing sequence into a 24 fps SD sequence, and export that instead - then you can preview what it will look like, and get a feel for what the downscale quality will be beforehand. That will probably also translate better over in terms of rendering - your output will be precomposed to an SD resolution as it comes over to Encore, which will be much less memory intensive (which may be why you're getting the encode failed error).

AME CS5 Prores support?

I noticed that AME CS5 does not support Prores or quicktime. I also noticed that the Video codec settings is limited only to MainConcept H.264 Video so I can't even output to other file formats. Does AME CS6 support Prores and other output formats?
Thanks

Thanks Todd,
I already have FCP intstalled and the Quictime and Prores components from Apple. However, my version of AME CS5 only gives me the following options:
Format options are limited to H.264 or FLV / F4V
Basic video settings limited to MainConcept H.264 Video
I suspect I need to upgrade to CS6 Version for more Format and Video settings options?
Thanks for your help.

AME CS5, Quicktime & H.264 encoding - very poor

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