Comparison of High Definition Web Video Formats
After the sad demise of Stage6.com I was looking for the best format for publishing high definition videos (specifically 960x540) using free tools or those I already own such as Sony Vegas Pro or On2 Flix Pro.
I tried a few options and below are 5 contenders for comparison.
You can click the first link to view the file in a Javascript popup window. If you left-click on "Direct Link" the file will either prompt for download or open a browser plugin, depending how your browser is set up. To force a download, right click on "Direct Link" and choose "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As...".
1. FLV
2. H.264 (Sony AVC)
Direct Link (may open automatically in Quicktime)
3. H.264 (x264)
Direct Link (may open automatically in Quicktime)
4. WMV
Direct Link (may open automatically in Windows Media Player)
5. Xvid
Source Footage
The source footage was HDV 1080-50i (interlaced) from Sony HVR-Z1P (in a Light & Motion Bluefin housing with 80-degree port or with Century +3.5 diopter behind flat port).
Common Encoding Settings
Video Size: 960 x 540
This is half the height of 1080i/1080p HD or HDV material. Using exactly half the height can make de-interlacing work cleanly. Modern web players often offer full screen playback and 960x540 blows up acceptably to most full screen sizes on computer.
Video Bitrate: 2000Kbps CBR
I chose 2000 kbps to try and show up the differences between the encoders. A slightly higher bitrate such as 2500 kbps would give a sharper/clearer result with more detail.
Pixel aspect ratio: 1:1
Progressive Scan
Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
Audio Sampling Rate: 44100 Hz
Sony Vegas Pro 8 Project Audio Properties
1. FLV Encoding Method
This is a Flash Video file that can be embedded with Flash and played back on a webpage with Flash Player 8. To play this back locally you can use FLV Player or VLC Player or Elmedia FLV Player for Mac.
Time to encode: About 9 minutes (the slowest)
I encoded the file with Flix Pro. I found that deinterlacing/resizing in Flix Pro was very slow so I did it in Vegas Pro by using the following Project Video Properties (which I saved as a custom template):
I chose "Interpolate fields" as I understand this drops 1 field, which is the perfect deinterlace method for downsizing 1080i to 540px high.
I frameserved from Vegas Pro using the Debugmode Frameserver with the following settings that I always use:
For more information on how to use Debugmode Frameserver, see my Xvid encoding method.
Flix Pro Settings
The FLV file is embedded in Flash using the JW Player.
2. H.264 (Sony AVC) Encoding Method
This is an H.264/AVC/MPEG 4 file that can be embedded with Flash and played back on a webpage with Flash Player 9 update 3 or later. To play this back locally you can use VLC Player or Elmedia Player for Mac or Quicktime.
Time to encode: 1:40 (the fastest)
Settings
Note that the description of the template in Vegas Pro does not update to show the new template settings. It continues to display the settings of the template that the new template was based on.
The AVC file is embedded in Flash using the JW Player.
Unfortunately the completed Sony AVC file must buffer 100% in the Flash Player before it will start to play. This is apparently because moov atom data is put at the end of the file instead of the start. This can be fixed by remuxing the mp4 file in YAMB. In the Advanced Settings make sure that "Overwrite an existing output file" is checked and that "Store file with all media data first (useful for streaming)" is NOT checked (yes, that's the opposite of how it sounds it should be).
Click to create an MP4 file, drag and drop the Sony AVC file onto the window, give the output a new file name (or just overwrite it if you're confident), and click "Next". On my XP x64 machine I got a message telling me that mp4box had crashed, but it still seemed to fix the file for correct buffering.
3. H.264 (x264) Encoding Method
This is an H.264/AVC/MPEG 4 file that can be embedded with Flash and played back on a webpage with Flash Player 9 update 3 or later. To play this back locally you can use VLC Player or Elmedia Player for Mac or Quicktime.
Time to encode: 8:40 (3:20 1st pass + 5:20 2nd pass)
I frameserved at full resolution from Vegas Pro to AviSynth. In AviSynth I deinterlaced by dropping the odd fields and resized using bilinear resize. I encoded to x264 using the HQ-Slowest profile in MeGUI increased to 2000 kbps and with Nero Digital AAC audio.
Full method to follow later.
4. WMV Encoding Method
A Windows Media Video version 9 file that can be embedded on a webpage in a Windows Media Player.
Time to encode: 5:00
Settings
Total bitrate 2.03 M makes the video bitrate 2000 kbps.
To play this back locally you can use Windows Media Player or VLC Player or Elmedia Player for Mac.
5. Xvid
This is an Xvid file (very similar to DivX) that can be embedded in a webpage using the DivX Web Player. To play this back locally you can use VLC Player or Elmedia Player for Mac. For some players you might need the Xvid codec. ffdshow or the DivX codec will also do it.
Time to encode: 3:49
Settings
Encoded using the method described on my Vegas to Xvid page but with the bitrate in Xvid set at 2000 kbps.
Progressive Download Compatibility with Computers
Compatibility here is based on whether a typical user needs to download and install software to view the videos.
PC browser compatibility |
MAC browser compatibility |
PC offline playback compatibility |
MAC offline playback compatibility |
Full screen browser playback? |
Download original file from web player? |
|
FLV |
very high (Flash Player 8) |
very high (Flash Player 8) |
low (need FLV Player etc.) |
low (need Elmedia Player etc.) |
yes (if full-screen button provided) |
yes (if download button provided) |
AVC |
high & growing (Flash Player 9 update 3+) |
high & growing (Flash Player 9 update 3+) |
high (Quicktime, VLC Player etc.) |
very high (Quicktime) |
yes (if full-screen button provided) |
yes (if download button provided) |
WMV |
very high (Windows Media Player) |
medium (need Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac) |
very high (Windows Media Player) |
medium (need Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac) |
not in standard WMP plugin |
not in standard WMP plugin |
Xvid |
low (need DivX Web Player) |
low (need DivX Web Player) |
low (need DivX codec) |
yes |
yes (right click) |
If you have an opinion about the quality or playability of these videos please let me know by email or on the Sony Vegas forum or on the Wetpixel video forum or on the dvinfo.net forum.
