Transcoding Table

There is a lot of confusion these days about codecs, players, formats, etc. for mobile content. Prism is in the process of compiling a lot of useful public domain data regarding transcoding and encoding for new media. As far as content accessibility goes, the future was yesterday - people these days wanna see superbowl highlights in a cab on their phone about 30 secs after the whistle is blown. I watch live hockey on my iPhone all the time. Netflix made some bonehead plays last year, but it's still rolling on the streaming media front. Broadcasters are gonna soon want to be repurposing their content for the new generation but it doesn't end there. Publishers, educational institutions, news organizations have all gone mobile with content distribution. Below are some of the current codecs used for various playback devices.

Playback System

Optimal Video Codec

Optimal Video Bitrate (VBR)

Optimal Resolution

Optimal Audio Codec

Optimal Audio Bitrate (VBR)

Optimal Audio Sample Rate

Optimal Image Format

Amazon Kindle Fire

H.264 (MPEG-4)

2.5 Mbps

800x480

AAC

160 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Amazon Instant Video

VC-1

2.5 Mbps

720x480

Dolby Digital Plus

128 Kbps

48 kHz

Android OS

H.264 (MPEG-4)

500 Kbps

480x360

AAC

128 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Apple iPad

H.264 (MPEG-4)

24 Mbps

1280x720

AAC

160 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Apple iPhone

H.264 (MPEG-4)

16 Mbps

480x360

AAC

160 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Apple iTunes

H.264 (MPEG-4)

24 Mbps

1280x720

AAC

128 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Apple TV

H.264 (MPEG-4)

5 Mbps

1280x720

AAC

160 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Blockbuster On Demand

H.264 (MPEG-4)

2.5 Mbps

720x480

Dolby Digital Plus

160 Kbps

48 kHz

Hulu

H.264 (FLV)

3.2 Mbps

1280x720

AAC

128 Kbps

48 kHz

Microsoft Windows Mobile

WMV

1.2 Mbps

720x480

WMA

128 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Microsoft Xbox 360

H.264 (MPEG-4)

16 Mbps

1280x720

Dolby Digital Plus

160 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Netflix

H.264 (FLV)

2.2 Mbps

1280x720

AAC

128 Kbps

48 kHz

Nintendo Wii

Motion JPEG

2.4 Mbps

720x480

MP3

128 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Sony Playstation 3

H.264 (MPEG-4)

16 Mbps

1280x720

Dolby Digital Plus

160 Kbps

48 kHz

JPEG

Sony PSP

MP4

450 Kbps

368x208

UMD (ATRAC-3)

96 Kbps

44.1 kHz

JPEG

Vimeo

H.264 (FLV)

5 Mbps

1280x720

AAC

128 Kbps

44.1 kHz

Vudu

MPEG-4 (HDX)

5 Mbps

1920x1080

Dolby Digital Plus

640 Kbps

96 kHz

Youtube

FLV

900 Kbps

480x360

AAC

128 Kbps

48 kHz

Zune

AVI

3 Mbps

720x480

WMA

192 Kbps

44.1 kHz

JPEG

Instructions for Clients exporting OMFs for delivery to Audio Post

here are some basic guidelines for exporting OMFs from Avid and Final Cut so that your delivery to audio post goes smoothly.

AVID

OMF/AAF export Avid to Pro Tools
V8.13.09
- duplicate sequence(s) to be exported
- select sequence in the project bin
- ‘File’ > ‘Export’ > ‘Export As…’ > ’Options’ > ‘OMF 2.0’ or ‘AAF’
Three possible methods:
1. ‘link to’, creates a very small OMF file, you will need to copy ALL audio media from your project to our hard drive. This method is excellent for large, long term projects. Multiple turnovers to the sound dept. Can all link to the audio files which you’ve provided (you’ll need to keep us up to date with any new Audio Files which are created/imported)

2. ‘consolidate and link to’, creates a very small OMF file. The AVID will copy all necessary audio files in a separate folder which you will need to give to us along with the OMF file. A potentially streamlined version of method #1, multiple turnovers still link to existing files, but the only audio files transferred to the sound dept. are ones needed by OMF exports.

3. ‘embedded’, creates a large OMF containing the sequence EDL and all necessary audio files. Please choose 300 frame handles with this option. This method can be the most robust. Good for single turnovers and small projects. Eliminates most problems for us when linking to files, since the OMF contains all audio files,
BUT can quickly create heavy amounts of redundant media with multiple turnovers, as audio files do not link between successive OMFs.
- save file (to local drive to be copied later, or directly to a ‘runner’ firewire drive)

FINAL CUT PRO

OMF export Final Cut Pro to Pro Tools
v8.13.09
- duplicate sequence(s) to be exported
- remove ALL audio clips in sequence which are ‘disabled’ (recognizable by a greyed out appearance in the sequence). Currently there is a bug in the FCP OMF export which slips sync on tracks that contain
disabled audio clips
- alternatively you may right-click on a disabled clip and choose ‘Clip enable', then double click on the region and set the clip level to –inf. This will allow the sound editors to have access to the sound file but understand that you meant the clip not to be heard in the cut.
- select sequence in the project bin
- ‘File’ > ‘Export’ > ‘Audio to OMF’
- in the OMF Audio Export dialogue choose:
48 kHz
24-bit
Handle Length 00:00:10:00
Include Crossfade Transitions!
Include Levels!
Include Pan!
- save file (to local drive to be copied later, or directly to a ‘runner’ firewire drive)
currently there’s a 2GB filesize limit for OMFs. On projects which are not broken
into film reels in the FCP project, you may need to split your sequence into
sections (20 minute lengths are usually good) to avoid exceeding the OMF 2GB file
size limit. Or, you may split the sequence horizontally, (keeping stereo pairs
together, for example, export tracks A1,A2 together, A3, A4 together, etc.)

QUICKTIME EXPORT

Export of QuickTime picture reference files for use in Pro Tools V8.13.09. BEFORE exporting, please include in your sequence(s)
- Academy leader at the head of each reel:
First frame of leader at 0+00 [01:00:00:00]
‘2’ of leader with matching 1 frame audio beep at 9+00 [01:00:06:00]
First Frame of Action at 12+00 [01:00:08:00]
Successive reels with TC start at respective hour, R2AB start 02:00:00:00 etc.
- Tail Sync:
A visual frame (usually a ‘2’ or punch hole) exactly 3+00 [00:00:2:00] after the
Last Frame of Action for each reel, accompanied by a matching 1 frame audio
beep. For example, last frame of picture for the reel occurs at 1693+08, Tail Sync
goes at 1696+08 [Television projects may forgo academy leader and place First Frame of Action at 01:00:00:00]
- Visual Burn-in
running 35mm footage counter and timecode [lower third of the screen please]
EXPORT from Final Cut Pro
- select sequence in the project bin
- ‘File’ > ‘Export’ > ‘QuickTime Movie’
- settings:
MOTION JPEG A or DV NTSC 48 kHz
Audio and Video Markers: None

Make Movie Self-Contained!
- save file (to local drive to be copied later, or directly to a ‘runner’ firewire drive)
- test movie by double-clicking on the file in the finder. It should open up in QuickTime Player and look/sound as you’re used to seeing/hearing in FCP.
EXPORT from AVID
- select sequence in the project bin
- ‘File’ > ‘Export’ > ‘QuickTime Movie’
- video settings:
MOTION JPEG A or DV/DVCPRO NTSC 48 kHz
Framerate: Current
- audio settings:
Linear PCM
Stereo (L R)
Rate: 48kHz
Quality: Best
Sample Size: 24 bits
- save file (to local drive to be copied later, or directly to a ‘runner’ firewire drive)
- test movie by double-clicking on the file in the finder. It should open up in QuickTime Player and look/sound as you’re used to seeing/hearing in FCP.