podcast resolution question

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podcast resolution question
by jclive on Jul 30, 2007 at 11:55:23 pm

With help from the 'COW', my new video podcast (kitesites.com free kiteboarding video podcast) is listed in itunes and the Video plays fine and downloads on my ipod beautifully.

However, 37 Megabytes for 3 minutes of video seems like a large file size. Should I lower the resolution so it downloads faster? Before you answer, I still want it to look good on Apple TV. Apple's 'Podcaster Tech Specs' says that "Because it uses H.264 Main Profile, QuickTime Pro's "Movie to Apple TV" converter will result in a video that will not sync with the iPod." Is there a way to make my podcast available to ipod in it's native 640x480 while also making it available to Apple TV at 960 x 540? Should I post two versions? How do I do this?

Seeking wisdom from the cow once again

J Jordan
http://www.kitesites.com

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Re: podcast resolution question
by Jonathan Miller on Jul 31, 2007 at 3:16:39 am

I would recommend encoding to one version that is compatible on both the iPod AND the AppleTV. Since you're material is 16:9, then I would encode to a file that is 640x360. If you use QuickTime to do this, then the Export to iPod setting should be just right. iPods are capable of playing back 640w video. It will simply letterbox your file automatically on the iPod's 4:3 screen. Did you shoot everything in HD? If so, then you can go to a higher resolution for the AppleTV, but you would need to use a seperate feed for that since it wouldn't be iPod compatible as you mentioned. However, you will grow an audience more quickly if you have only one feed (and it's less work). In the future, if (I mean, WHEN) the demand is there then you can add an AppleTV only feed. But not now. You'll be surprised how many people prefer to watch video on their iPod. Most of my audience seems to even though I now push full-resolution video.

37MB for 3 minutes isn't bad...especially since you have so much motion in your video. However, the video you have posted seems to be encoded poorly. It looks like you used regular MPEG-4 instead of the more efficient h.264 codec. At around 800kbps h.264 shouldn't look quite as broken up as your video looks.

Keep in mind that podcasting makes it more feasable to use larger files since the video will download in the background and be watched at a later time. Actually, it doesn't matter since LibSyn is so fast, the video plays right away for me on my Comcast cable high speed internet connection anyway.

Did this answer your questions?

Jon

TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USA

Currently producing these popular podcasts:

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Re: podcast resolution question
by jclive on Aug 1, 2007 at 4:55:32 am

Yes - that is very helpful information. Thank you.

brings up 2 more questions:

1. I'm now trying to re-compress the first media file to the 360x480 ipod resolution. Is there a way to post it to my libsyn account without making it new media? (I tried this once and it came up as a new posting and I had to delete all the comments.)

2. I can compress right out of final cut pro, but there's only one preset for ipod.. I assume that's the one that works? Exporting in Quicktime only gives me one option with no opportunity to adjust resolution. Am I missing something?

thanks for your patients

J Jordan

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Re: podcast resolution question
by Javier Munoz on Jun 22, 2009 at 7:36:21 pm

Hey I was googling around and found this thread. I had a question if you don't mind.
If capturing HD material and once in Final Cut and I export my file with quicktime would it be ok to just use the export to iphone settings, if that's all it will be played on or an itouch?
I notice on your kitesites.com website has the podcasts in the 300x300 format. Why would you not do a 16:9 proportional graphic here?
Any advise would help.
Javier

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