MPEG STREAMCLIP: I need Exact export settings please...

Question

Does anyone have the correct settings for exporting Via MPEG STREAMCLIP. I know that there is a H.264 and MPEG-4 option in the codecs. I DO NOT want to use the 640x480 iPod settings since there is resolution loss from the DVD's.
So what setting and bit rates would I have to use to crate a video file that is playable in AppleTV without having to go through QT Pro. I know I can encode a 720P file (and I will do that so I don't lose resolution), but is there anything in between the two taht Apple TV will play at 24P. Threre is a 950x540 but is says at 30 FPS.

Answer 1

How do you determine the proper crop values? I'm used to using MediaFork, which crops for you.There are basically two strategies:
1) Ensure that the file is displayed at it's proper aspect ration and then crop out what you don't want. That which remains you keep and convert to your target format.
2) Decide what the target aspect ratio is supposed to be and then crop/scale the file so it will meet those requiements.
In addition, there are differing strategies in determining encode/decode efficiency as a trade off for the accuracy of your aspect ratio. MPEG Streamclip, for instance, sacrifices encode/decode efficiency for exactitude in aspect ratio while MediaFork/HandBrake is just the opposite. Ex. Streamclip will allow you to create a 720 x 405 (16:9 or 1.78:1 aspect) while MediaFork or HandBrake would default to 720 x 400 (1.80:1 aspect ration). Since 720 and 400 are both evenly divisible by 16 but 405 is not, the MeadiaFork/Handbrake application would likely conver slightly faster than streamclip with all oter factors being the same. But, the Streamclip file would have the more accurate aspect ratio for scaling by TV or your HDTV.
As to actually entering the settings, you must first decide which strategy combination you plan to use. If the movies containg scenes which are display smaller than other scenes, scrub the play head to that location and set "in' and "out" points for tests. At this point you mst decide which strategy combination you plan to use before proceeding any further.
a) In the first case, simply tick the Streamclip "Crop" option and enter estimated valus. Now press the preview button and preview the output. If not satisfied, abort the preview and modify your entries. Repeat these steps until you are satisfiled. Do this for each movie as it is common for each to be centered differently or be of a slightly differeing size.
b) In the second case, you must now determine your target dimensions. For instance, lets say you have a movie which is specified to have a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and plan to export it at a width of 854 pixels. In this case, Streamclip has probably defaulted to an 854 x 480 (16:9) screen setting in your work area. However, your movie displays with a black "letterbox" top and bottom. To calculate a proper height for you movie at this width, simply devide 854 by 2.35 and you should get an answer between 363 and 364. If you plan to go for a "most accurate" aspect rato, then simply select the "Custom" display option and enter a width of 854 and a height of either 363 or 364. Now tick both the "Crop" and "Scale" Streamclip option and process as described above. Simply enter your crop values and previed the result. In this case however, ther cropped picture will always be rescaled back to the "Custom" display size you specified for your output.
While values will be different depending on which workflow you elect to use in paragraphs "a" or "b", the final displays should by approximately the same. In the first instance, the final output will be determined by the total amount of "overscan" included in the original content over and above the aspect ratio while in the second instance, the overscan will be scaled to fit within the aspect ratio you specified. This may sound confusing at first, but the principals and procedures are quite simple in practice once you get used to applying them.