How Do I Post AVCHD Video To The Web?

Question

I have a video recorded on the SDHC card in my Panasonic HDC-SD1 AVCHD. Once I get the import into iMovie 08 fixed (please see my 2/18/08 post), I need the fewest conversions possible (hopefully none or only 1) to retain as high as quality as possible to get the video to an "Internet-friendly" format so I can post it to my website (not .mac account, utube, etc..just regular web site).
What is the best way? For example, can I just import into iMovie08 and export to some mpeg format? BTW, by "Internet-friendly", I specifically mean one of these formats: avi, mpg, mpeg, asf, mov, mp4, or wmv.
I tried export to iTunes, but in iTunes the resolution was horrible (unless someone knows of specific settings). iTunes would be a good way, if the resolution is high-quality, as both Mac and PC users will need to see the video.
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Meanwhile, let me ask it this way: for an AVCHD video sitting on an SDHC card on my Panasonic SD1, what's the best combination of highest quality resolution, to put on the web?
I personally would stick with 1280x720, 640x360, or 320x180 for general use depending on the target audience, their ISP bandwidth, your personal idea of what constitutes "minimum acceptable quality," how much time and effort you are willing to invest in your project, etc, etc., etc. I often deal with clips 40, 50, 60, or 70 plus years old. My idea of "minimum acceptable quality" is rather liberal. I also don't care if others view my work or not since most of it is either for my own use (iPhone, iPod, and TV) or for use by my family members and so I don't cater to the codecs in which others want to see my content.
For example, which format would be the best one to use on the web?
As previously stated, I prefer H.264/AAC as having the widest range of uses. Rather than attempting to say the same thing in different words, why don't you use the QT Player "Open URL..." option to paste the URL of the referenced QT HD trailer which I have re-exported at the same dimensions but using lower settings more compatible with high-speed ISP access. The data rate is about 1.6 Mbps and is borderline on my ISP. (I.e., It plays fine when internet traffic is light but lags a bit during the evening hours.) In any event, take a look at it and see if it is what you would call minimally acceptable. If not then you may wish to use smaller display dimensions but keep similar data rates for enhanced quality. (I.e., this is as large as I would dare to go on the internet.)
http://homepage.mac.com/jrwalker4/.Public/Shrek The Third.mp4
You specified how AVI is an antique, so what would be the best, keeping good resolution? I agree that I'd like to see something come directly from H264 as source format, but what about final desitination? WMV? MPG, MPEG, MOV, MP4, etc?
There still seems to be a bit of misunderstanding between us. Your AVCHD starts as an AVC/AC3 file encapsulated in an MPEG-2 container. Basically, you can't do anything with it in this form. Therefore you must convert it to a "conversion and edit compatible" compression format like AIC/AIFF which Voltaic, iMovie '08, FCE, or Studio can do. Once in that format, you have the option of converting it directly to a web compatible format or edit it in any of the mentioned video editors and then converting it to your target web compatible compression format.
In my case, I would convert it back to H.264 video but with AAC audio. This combination offers very high quality and small file size as stated above. On the other hand, being a very modern and highly efficient compression format (i.e. why it was selected for storage of your original HD content and then placed in an MPEG-2 container to reduce transfer bandwidth), it takes more time to encode. Further, it is integrated into and optimized for use on your Mac. WMV is similarly biased for use on Windows platforms, is not "native" to the Mac, and requires you purchase additional software to use it. (I.e. either $49-$179 for Fip4Mac which allows you to use WMV9, or $23 for the older version supplied by Visual Hub) It is not what I would use, but if you are target Windows viewers it may be a better choice for you and a decision to be made on your own.
With regard to MPG and MPEG-2, these are also older formats which require higher data rates (i.e., larger files) to produce equivalent quality to H.264 (or WMV9) or be used with smaller dimensions to keep file size down. Basically, MPG (used for VCD) was replaced by MPEG-2 (DVD and Satellite compression) which is about equal to MPEG-4 (encodes much faster than MPEG-2) which in turn is being replaced by MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) for HD formats which generally require 6-7 times the space of SD formats. So, while MPG (MPEG-1) is still quite common on the internet, it is generally restricted to 320x180 for online use. MPEG-2, while it offers better resolution and larger displays, still require minimum data rates greater than most ISPs offer or mean you have to use custom settings with reduced dimensions which may create problems with some players (not to mention timecode problems on Mac platforms which also require properly "closed" files. In addition, these formats do no offer "progressive" caching/viewing as do the newer formats like MPEG-4 and H.264. (I.e., you can't start viewing an online move before it is cached to your computer it.)
Would I have great resolution if I used iMovie 08, imported from camera to iM08, then went to Share, to QuickTime, then leave iMovie08 to go to QTPro where I'd import the video and then export to one of the above formats?
If I were to perform any form of editing in iMovie '08, my work flow would be to import from the camcorder to iMovie '08 at 960x540, perform the editing, and export to my target output using the "Export using QT" option for optimum settings at a maximum display of 960x540. On the other hand, if no editing was to be done, I would import the files to my hard drive, use Voltaic to convert to 720p AIC/AIFF and then use either MPEG Streamclip or QT Pro to encode my file for use the web at a maximum of 1280x720 using optimum settings for desired level of quality. What I would not do is export from iMovie '08 only to turn around and re-export the file in QT Pro. (I.e., if you want to use QT Pro on a file imported by iMovie '08, just open the "Event" clip in QT Pro and export directly from QT Pro.)
Would I be able to get great resolution without super large file? This is a 10 minute video so I really need to watch my file size here.
If the sample file I referenced above were 10 minutes in length, it would likely be between 110 MBs and 120 MBs in size for the same quality and same dimensions. Do you consider this a large file? If you do, then you will likely wish to use smaller dimensions and a lower data rate -- e.g., 72-80 MBs for a 640x360 at roughly 1.0 Kbps or 36-40 MBs for a 320x180 at roughly 500 Kbps. Other formats like MPEG-1, MPEG-2, or MPEG-4 would require files roughly 2.0-2.5 times as large for similar levels of quality.