CompressorUM Homepage.qxp 3/17/05 11:51 AM Page 1 Compressor 2 User Manual To view the user manual, click a topic in the drawer on the side. Otherwise, click a link below. m Late-Breaking News m New Features m Distributed Processing Setup m Batch Monitor User Manual m Compressor Support m Compressor on the Web m Apple Training Centers m Feedback Apple Computer, Inc. © 2005 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Apple. Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple Computer, Inc., is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Apple Computer, Inc. 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014-2084 408-996-1010 www.apple.com Apple, the Apple logo, AppleScript, Apple Store, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, FireWire, Mac, Mac OS, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products. Production stills from the film “A Sus Ordenes” provided courtesy of Refuge Films. “A Sus Ordenes” © 2004 Eric Escobar. http://www.refugefilms.com 3 Contents Preface 7 An Introduction to Compressor 8 About the Compressor 2 User Manual 9 Typical Compressor Scenarios 10 Compressor Features 12 Output Formats for Transcoding 13 Using the Compressor 2 User Manual 14 Apple Websites Chapter 1 17 Getting Started Quickly 18 Quick-and-Easy Compressor Workflow 24 Optional Tasks You Can Perform Before Submitting a Batch Chapter 2 25 The Basic Transcoding Workflow 28 Compressor Concepts and Terms 28 Preparing Compressor for Transcoding 31 Creating a Compressor Batch 33 Viewing Transcoding Status 33 Optional Compressor Shortcuts 34 Setting Compressor Preferences Chapter 3 37 The Compressor Interface 38 Compressor Windows and the Transcoding Workflow 39 Batch Window 40 Presets Window 42 Inspector Window 49 History Drawer 50 Preview Window 51 Batch Monitor 52 Droplet Windows 53 General Compressor Keyboard Shortcuts 54 Preview Window Keyboard Shortcuts Chapter 4 55 Importing Source Media Files 55 About the Batch Window 3 58 Adding Source Media Files to a Batch Chapter 5 61 Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings 62 About the Settings Tab 65 About the Inspector 67 Choosing a Pre-Existing Setting 68 Creating a Setting 70 Modifying a Setting 72 Previewing a Setting 74 Duplicating and Deleting Settings 75 Creating Groups of Settings 75 Distributing and Sharing Settings Chapter 6 77 Creating Jobs and Submitting Batches 78 Assigning Settings to Source Media Files 81 Assigning Destinations to Source Media Files 83 Submitting a Batch 84 About the History Drawer 85 Resubmitting a Batch 86 Saving and Opening a Batch File 87 Submitting a Final Cut Pro Project for Transcoding 89 Resubmitting a Final Cut Pro Project 90 Transcoding Different Clips From One Source Media File Chapter 7 93 Creating Dolby Digital Professional Output Files 94 About the Dolby Digital Professional Encoder Pane 100 Converting Audio Files to Dolby Digital Professional Format 101 Creating Surround Files 106 Options for Spatial Mixing Chapter 8 109 Creating H.264 DVD Output Files 110 About the H.264 Encoder Pane 112 Job Segmenting and Multi-pass 113 H.264 Workflows for DVD Chapter 9 115 Creating MPEG-1 Output Files 115 Common Uses for MPEG-1 116 MPEG-1 Specifications 117 About the MPEG-1 Encoder Pane 120 About System and Elementary Streams 121 MPEG-1 Transcoding Workflow 122 Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for Web Use 123 Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for DVD Use 4 Contents Chapter 10 127 Creating MPEG-2 Output Files 128 About Standard Definition MPEG-2 128 About High Definition Sources and MPEG-2 129 About the MPEG-2 Encoder Pane 145 MPEG-2 Transcoding Workflow Chapter 11 153 Creating MPEG-4 Output Files 154 About the MPEG-4 Encoder Pane 158 MPEG-4 Part 2 Transcoding Workflow Chapter 12 163 Creating QuickTime Movie Output Files 164 Creating QuickTime Output Files 164 About the QuickTime Movie Encoder Pane 171 QuickTime Transcoding Workflow 174 Understanding Codecs 174 QuickTime Video Codecs 175 QuickTime Audio Codecs Chapter 13 177 Creating QuickTime Export Component, AIFF, and TIFF Files 177 Creating QuickTime Export Component Output Files 180 Creating AIFF Output Files 183 Creating TIFF Output Files Chapter 14 185 Adding Filters to a Setting 185 Working With Filters 192 Adding Filters to a Setting Chapter 15 195 Adding Frame Controls, Geometry, and Actions to a Setting 195 Working With Frame Controls 198 Adding Frame Controls to a Setting 200 Working With Cropping and Scaling 203 Making Geometry Adjustments to a Setting 204 Working With Post-Transcoding Options 206 Adding Actions Chapter 16 209 Using the Preview Window 210 About the Preview Window 215 Previewing a Clip 219 Transcoding a Portion of the Clip With the Preview Window 220 Adding Markers to a Clip 222 Adding DVD Studio Pro Chapter Markers to a Clip 222 Preview Window Keyboard Shortcuts Contents 5 Chapter 17 223 Creating and Changing Destinations 224 About the Destinations Tab 225 About the Destinations Inspector 226 Creating a Destination 230 Warning Triangles 231 Deleting and Duplicating a Destination 232 Creating Destinations for Use With DVD Studio Pro Chapter 18 235 Using Droplets 236 About the Droplet Window 238 Creating a Droplet 239 Checking Droplet Settings and AppleScript Options 240 Using a Droplet to Transcode Source Media Files Appendix A 243 Customer Support 244 Calling AppleCare Support Appendix B 245 Command-Line Usage 245 Using the Command Line 245 Shell Commands for Configuring Service Nodes and Cluster Controllers 246 Shell Commands for Submitting Compressor Jobs 248 Shell Commands for Monitoring Batches Index 251 6 Contents An Introduction to Compressor Preface Compressor is an essential part of the video compression process. It makes compression fast, efficient, and convenient, giving you more options in your choices of compression presets, settings, and output formats. With the ability to view and experience media content in many different ways (such as on websites, CD-ROM discs, and DVDs), content authors need a quick and easy means of converting their material so that it can be conveniently distributed to a variety of playback devices. Whether you want to create high-quality movie trailers that can be opened and viewed over the web within seconds, or you just want to transfer a video clip to a CD or DVD, you need to compress media files so that they fit into limited space and are readily available for viewing. Compressor is a high-speed video and audio encoding tool that provides an efficient way to convert content for any of these methods. In addition to the variety of viewing methods, there are also a variety of output formats to consider. You may need to compress the same media file into different output formats just to accommodate different media players and uses. With Compressor, you can select different output formats for use with the various distribution models. 7 About the Compressor 2 User Manual This preface, “An Introduction to Compressor,” contains background information that introduces most of the basic concepts and terms related to using Compressor. Other chapters in this user manual cover the following: Â Chapter 1, “Getting Started Quickly,” will help you with basic steps in using Compressor for the first time. Â Chapter 2, “The Basic Transcoding Workflow,” offers more detailed Compressor setup procedures. Â Chapter 3, “The Compressor Interface,” is a quick visual tour of Compressor windows and features. Â Chapter 4, “Importing Source Media Files,” covers the file types that Compressor can accept and how to import them. Â Chapter 5, “Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings,” covers presets, an essential part of the Compressor workflow. Â Chapter 6, “Creating Jobs and Submitting Batches,” is a detailed explanation of basic Compressor workflow. Â Chapters 7 through 13 explain each of the output file types in turn. See “Output Formats for Transcoding” on page 12 for more information on these chapters. Â Chapter 14, “Adding Filters to a Setting,”explains how to further adjust the visuals in your transcoding projects with filters. Â Chapter 15, “Adding Frame Controls, Geometry, and Actions to a Setting,” will help you add settings to your Compressor transcode jobs for better-looking and better- sounding output. Â Chapter 16, “Using the Preview Window,” explains how to use the Compressor Preview window so you can have a look at source media files, as well as the effect of any Compressor settings you might apply to the files. Â Chapter 17, “Creating and Changing Destinations,” covers how to set up and save frequently used destinations for transcoded output files. Â Chapter 18, “Using Droplets,” covers the time-saving drag-and-drop applications you can create with Compressor. 8 Preface An Introduction to Compressor Typical Compressor Scenarios The following are typical Compressor scenarios: Â Converting source media to one or more different output formats: You can use Compressor to convert one or more media files to one or more different media file output formats.