diff --git a/include/transcoding-formats-amp-codecs.html b/include/transcoding-formats-amp-codecs.html index 2a78a92b..9373ec6d 100644 --- a/include/transcoding-formats-amp-codecs.html +++ b/include/transcoding-formats-amp-codecs.html @@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
This chapter provides a short primer on video files, formats and - codecs – because it is often cause for confusion: + codecs – because it is often cause for confusion:
A video file is a container. It usually contains one - video track and one or more audio tracks. - How these tracks are stored in the file is defined by the + video track, one or more audio tracks, and possibly + subtitle tracks, chapters… + The way these tracks are stored in the file is defined by the file format. Common formats are avi, mov, ogg, mkv, mpeg, mpeg-ts, mp4, flv, or vob.
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@Not all codecs can be packed into a given format. For example the mpeg format is limited to mpeg2, mpeg4 and mp3 codecs (not entirely true). - DVDs do have stringent limitations as well. The opposite would be .avi; + DVDs do have stringent limitations as well. The opposite would be .avi: pretty much every audio/video codec combination can be contained in an avi file-format.
@@ -47,8 +48,8 @@The export dialog includes presets for common format and codec - combinations (such as DVD, web-video,..). If in doubt use one of the - presets. + combinations (such as DVD, web-video,..). If in doubt, one of the + presets should be used.
As a last note: every time a video is transcoded, the quality can only get @@ -56,4 +57,3 @@ title="Multiplexing Audio and Video">muxing process, one should always go back and use the original source of the video.
- diff --git a/include/video-timeline-setup.html b/include/video-timeline-setup.html index 9898c29a..1c5c9931 100644 --- a/include/video-timeline-setup.html +++ b/include/video-timeline-setup.html @@ -1,45 +1,64 @@- No configuration is required if you intend to run everything on a single machine, and if you acquired Ardour from http://www.ardour.org. Everything is pre-configured and included with the download/install. + No configuration is required if everything is to meant be run on a single + machine, and the version of Ardour comes from http://www.ardour.org. Everything is + pre-configured and included with the download/install.
- If you compile Ardour from source, or have installed it from a 3rd party repository, three additional tools will need to be installed manually, which are used by Ardour to provide video features: + If Ardour is compiled from source, or installed from a 3rd party + repository, three additional tools will need to be installed manually, which are + used by Ardour to provide video features:
- Ardour requires xjadeo ≥ version 0.6.4, harvid ≥ version 0.7.0 and ffmpeg (known to work versions: 1.2, 2.8.2) + Ardour requires xjadeo ≥ version 0.6.4, harvid ≥ version 0.7.0 and + ffmpeg (known to work versions: 1.2, 2.8.2)
- The Ardour development team is in control of the first two applications. ffmpeg however can be a bit of a problem. To avoid conflicts with distribution packages, Ardour looks for ffmpeg_harvid
and ffprobe_harvid
.
+ The Ardour development team is in control of the first two applications.
+ ffmpeg however can be a bit of a problem. To avoid conflicts with distribution
+ packages, Ardour looks for ffmpeg_harvid
and
+ ffprobe_harvid
.
All four applications need to be found in $PATH
(e.g.
$HOME/bin
or /usr/local/bin
). For convenience the
- binary releases of harvid include ffmpeg_harvid and ffprobe_harvid, but if
- your distribution provides suitable ffmpeg commands you can also just create
- symbolic links:
+ binary releases of harvid include ffmpeg_harvid and ffprobe_harvid, but if the
+ distribution provides suitable ffmpeg commands, symbolic links can be created
+ to the distribution-provided binaries:
- Binary releases are available from ardour.org as well as an installer script: install_video_tools.sh. + Binary releases are available from ardour.org as well as an installer script: + install_video_tools.sh.
- The easiest way to install the video-utilities is by running the following line in a terminal: + The easiest way to install the video-utilities is by running the following + line in a terminal:
sh -c "$(curl -s -L http://git.io/tVUCkw)" @@ -47,16 +66,39 @@- Please read the info in the previous section to familiarize yourself with the tools involved first. Setting up a proper A/V post-production studio can be a complicated task. As much as we streamline and simplify the single machine setup, the studio setup is focused on modularity. + As Setting up a proper A/V post-production studio can be a complicated task, it + is advised to read the info in the previous section to get familiar with + the tools involved first. As much as the Ardour team streamlines and simplifies + the single machine setup, the studio setup is focused on + modularity.
XJREMOTE
(environment variable, default 'xjremote' which comes with xjadeo).XJREMOTE
(environment variable, default
+ 'xjremote' which comes with xjadeo).- Adding video is a two-step process: select a video file, and choose - import mode and optionally select an audio track to extract. + Adding video is a two-step process: selecting a video file, and choosing + import mode and optionally selecting an audio track to extract.
The first step is rather straight-forward. The panel on the right side allows to seek through the video and displays basic file information. It is also useful to check if the video format/codec is supported:
- + + +The second step analyzes the video file in more detail and offers import options:
@@ -42,31 +49,53 @@ machine).
By default the video is imported using the original width/height.
- If it is a large video (e.g. full-HD) it makes sense to scale it down
+ If it is a large video (e.g. full-HD), it makes sense to scale it down
to decrease the CPU load and disk I/O required to decode and play the
- file.
+ file.
+
A small, low-quality representation of the image is usually sufficient for editing soundtracks. The default bitrate in kbit/sec is set to use - 0.7 bits per pixel. (Compare: the average DVD medium uses 5000 kbit/s; - at PAL resolution this is about 0.5 bits per pixel. But the DVD is + 0.7 bits per pixel (in comparison, the average DVD medium uses 5000 kbit/s; + at PAL resolution this is about 0.5 bits per pixel, but the DVD is using the mpeg2—a denser compression algorithm than the - mjpeg codec used by Ardour.) + mjpeg codec used by Ardour).
- Well now,.. + Working with A/V in Ardour is similar to working in a pure audio setup, except + for the presence of a video timeline in the ruler zone, + and a Xjadeo video window, showing a preview of the result. +
+ + + ++ The Xjadeo window supports some user interactions, such as showing some OSD + information or changing the zoom level. Xjadeo's documentation is available + on its website.
-@@ -79,7 +108,7 @@ original file (before it was imported into the timeline) should be used. This is the default behaviour if that file can be found. If not, Ardour will fall back to the imported proxy-video which is currently in use - on the timeline. Any existing audio tracks on this video file are stripped. + on the timeline. Any existing audio tracks on this video file are stripped.
The range selection allows to cut or extend the video. If the session is @@ -94,22 +123,29 @@
- The file format is determined by the extension that you choose for it - (.avi, .mov, .flv, .ogv, .webm,…) + The file format is determined by the extension chosen for it + (.avi, .mov, .flv, .ogv, .webm,…). Note: not all combinations of format, codec, and settings produce files which are according to specifications. For example, flv files require sample rates of 22.1 kHz or 44.1 kHz, mpeg containers can not - be used with ac3 audio-codec, etc. If in doubt, use one of the built-in - presets. + be used with ac3 audio-codec, etc. If in doubt, one of the built-in + presets should be used.
- +Ardour video export is not recommended for mastering! While ffmpeg (which is used by Ardour) can produce high-quality files, this export - lacks the possibility to tweak many settings. We recommend using winff, - devede or dvdauthor to mux and master. Nevertheless this video-export comes in - handy to do quick snapshots, intermediates, dailies or online videos. + lacks the possibility to tweak many settings. We recommend using + winff, + devede or + dvdauthor to mux and master. + Nevertheless this video-export comes in handy to do quick snapshots, + intermediates, dailies or online videos.
-