Description
Compression happens when you render or output a file from video processing software like AE. AE and other editors handle raw and edit friendly compression. User end compression will not be handled correctly or will not play due to the program having to work very hard to edit the asset. AE users should work with more editing friendly or raw footage while saveing the better compression methods for a user-end experience. Get to know compression methods well.
How it works
Compression Reduces the amount of information stored in an asset by crunching color, large detail and fine detail. Compressors can crunch groups of pixels on a frame or pixels as they change through time. Each compression method uses it's own technique or a combination of existing techniques to make files smaller and more easily
- more on this can be found here.
Lossy vs Lossless
When you render your files you'll have to pick what kind of compression you want for your video asset. This comes down to what the asset will be used for and how it will be used and how much hard drive space and bandwidth will be used to transfer and store your asset. For example if you are rendering a test, you want high compression and you'll want to half your resolution. There's no sense in waiting all night for a render when seeing fine detail of your bouncing ball isn't needed. However if you plan to edit or color corect your asset you might want a raw format so your editor won't crash every frame.
User End Compression
Quicktime
...add more!
Editing Friendly Compression
- Quicktime (PNG, JPG)
- Fraps(compressed colors)
- H.261
- H.263
- H.264
- Mpeg1
- Mpeg2
- Mpeg3
Raw and Near Raw Compression
Just to get this out there; NO video source you will ever see is completely RAW. The chips in all camera have to store the data they read, and when they do, they leave out certain details.
- AVI
- none (yes this is an option)
- uncompressed (this is more lossy than none)
- AVCHD
- ProRes
- Fraps (uncompressed color)
- HuffYUV