In a similar vein as my resolution thread, I am also curious about what kind of compression a finished movie file should use.
Right now, I’m using Sorenson 3 at 50% quality, which at 480*270 gets files a small approximately 65kilobytes/second. The result can be a little blurry at times, but retains a respectable level of detail (at least as far as my own projects go; I don’t have that much detail to lose anyway). I did some tests with MPEG-4 but usually got blocky results. Increasing the quality works, but especially in MP4 causes an inordinate increase in the size of the file.
I am looking for other codecs which can provide a quality image in a small filesize. I don’t know much about this, so I might as well ask so I can make a more informed decision. In order to maintain sane filesizes (at least until I can get some new hardware), my limit is somewhere in the 3-4 megs per minute range.
If you want high quality with low filesize you can´t go the oneclick-encode-way.
You actually need to know what you are doing encoding, and crucial is multi-pass encoding.
With one pass encoding you´ll never achieve what you want.
The choise of codec depends on your production target.
If you make an ipad movie you most likely will not use xvid.
If you don´t target for windows platform you´ll avoid wmf.
Sorensen 3. If it rocks your boat, I guess though the average customer will call you and tell you “Your video doesn´t work, I only have a black window”
xvid works great and if one has divx installed it plays as well.
other than that, h.264 idd. spreads like a plaque =)
Testrenders are 99% xvid encoded on my side, production is h.264 or wmf depending on what the customer wants, usually both because he wants to be able to play it back on any windows he gets too and h.264 for quality presentations on 3D beamers or 3D LED TVs at exhibitions and fairs where he uses his own hardware. Other than that, they want DVD or 3D-BR.