Video Encoding Guidelines

The Media Factory transcoder supports most video files. The following recommended settings will ensure the highest quality, reliability, and compatibility within the Media Factory platform. You may wish to post these instructions on a FAQ or help page for your front-end users.

Tip: Since the file is saved with an MP4 file extension, you have the option of using passthrough - preventing Media Factory from re-transcoding the video. For more information, see the article on creating a custom transcoder profile.

Recommended encoding parameters:

High Definition
Setting Value Description
File Format MP4 The container for the video and the file extension
Video Format H.264 The compression scheme for the video
Data/Bit Rate 3000kbps The bit rate of the video. Proportional to quality, 3000kbps is a good starting point for HD, up to 5000kbps. Note that unless you use passthrough, Media Factory will use this as the original video to create optional smaller versions
Image/Frame Size 1280 x 720 The width and height of the video in pixels
Frame Rate 30fps The frames-per-second (fps) of the output file. Unless you are encoding "film" shot at 24fps, use 30
Encoding Mode Best/Multi-pass/2-pass Different software states this differently, but more passes generally improves quality substantially
Optimized for Download You should not apply any encoding related to streaming
Audio Format AAC A standard audio encoding scheme
Audio Data Rate 128kbps The bit rate of the audio. Proportional to quality, 128kbps is a good starting point. For spoken-word content, 96kbps is sufficient. For complex soundtracks, try 256kbps
Sample Rate 44.1kHz This standard audio sample rate ensures the best compatibility with devices
Standard Definition
Setting Value Description
File Format MP4 The container for the video and the file extension
Video Format H.264 The compression scheme for the video
Data/Bit Rate 1000kbps The bit rate of the video. Proportional to quality, 1000kbps is a good starting point for HD, up to 1500kbps. Note that unless you use passthrough, Media Factory will use this as the original video to create optional smaller versions
Image/Frame Size 512 x 288 The width and height of the video in pixels
Frame Rate 30fps The frames-per-second (fps) of the output file. Unless you are encoding "film" shot at 24fps, use 30
Encoding Mode Best/Multi-pass/2-pass Different software states this differently, but more passes generally improves quality substantially
Optimized for Download You should not apply any encoding related to streaming
Audio Format AAC A standard audio encoding scheme
Audio Data Rate 128kbps The bit rate of the audio. Proportional to quality, 128kbps is a good starting point. For spoken-word content, 96kbps is sufficient. For complex soundtracks, try 256kbps
Sample Rate 44.1kHz This standard audio sample rate ensures the best compatibility with devices

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