Uploading to YouTube to get the best quality: Resolution, bitrate and whatnot

[HelpYourVideos]

10 hours ago, Bridgeboy said:

@HelpYourVideos

mp4box appeared to work, and it only took a matter of seconds to produce a 13-GB "-muxed" file...I don't understand how a 13-GB file can be created so quickly

The only reason I exported it was to get it to work and also due to the extra black screen added at the end of the video, which I guess counts as a edit to the video

Apologies, I’ve never personally used mp4box, just heard about it’s function, so I can’t help troubleshoot there but I have experience with mkvtoolnix and ffmpeg and can help there.

The reason it exports so quickly is because it is writing a bit-exact copy of both files, so it exports at the write speed of your HDD or SSD. Instead of reencoding and making all those compute intensive decisions about compression, the only thing your cpu has to add is the containers’ instructions (mp4, mkv, wmv, avi). 

You might consider downloading “MediaInfo” then you can examine what exactly is contained in a video file. Change the view tab to tree or text for more detail.

[HelpYourVideos]

11 hours ago, Bridgeboy said:

@HelpYourVideosI got one 4K video uploaded, this one below; but I did export the video with the audio for this one, so it probably lost some detail in the extra iteration of rendering. The only reason I exported it was to get it to work and also due to the extra black screen added at the end of the video, which I guess counts as a edit to the video:

Once you’re feeling a little more comfortable with your understanding of codecs, containers etc. You can take the next step to my favorite program Avidemux. This allows you to losslessly trim videos on the key frames.  So you can losslessly remove sections of those 4K videos you don’t want, or if you have a video with all the exact same parameters, (likely if you record on the same settings with the same camera) you can losslessly concatenate two separate videos and remove sections etc. 

There should be some helpful videos out there but some cliffs notes are:

You should navigate the video by pressing up or down arrows on the keyboard, this skips through “key frames”. Then you select the “in point” the icon is a red A (shortcut Ctrl+pgUp), skip forward an arbitrary number of key frames by pressing up, then select B (shortcut ctrl+pgDown) then you press delete. This removes a section of the video but you won’t have to reencode. Make sure the video output is on copy, the audio output is on copy, pick your container and save. Then you can add your voiceover to this trimmed video instead of the full. 

There are more details I can go over if you think you will use such a trimming tool. 

BTW, you will know you did something wrong if upon export it gives an error or takes a while and your cpu fan kicks on haha!

Edited March 1, 2021 by HelpYourVideos

[Rich Sam]

On 11/23/2020 at 5:58 PM, Bridgeboy said:

I just received the new Insta360 ONE X2 camera. Can it output 2k video from 360° 5.7K @ 30FPS raw recording? I thought it could only make 1080P video in free capture mode.

Also, you recommend H264? And not Prores?

I'm such a newbie to this stuff.

I believe the best answer to your question depends if plan to do post product changes to your footage.  If you are going to use Davinci or Premeire you want to export with a lossless codec which is prores.

If you use h264 you compress, then you further compress in your production application which can result in quality loss.

My workflow with the one x 2 I'm still working on, but my best results come from exporting different camera angles from the 360 app in prores

Then I create my storyboard in Davinci and export in H264

 

I've also been playing with the one x2 to export multiple camera angles then in Davinci pro setup a multi camera time line and can switch back and forth between angles and even Picture and Picture with the video synced.  Pretty sweet.

[HelpYourVideos]

14 minutes ago, Rich Sam said:

I believe the best answer to your question depends if plan to do post product changes to your footage.  If you are going to use Davinci or Premeire you want to export with a lossless codec which is prores.

Apple Prores and the other intermediate so-called “mezzanine” formats are not lossless. They are considered “visually lossless” but they rewrite all the data streams. Essentially what they do is decode the frame then export at massive bitrates, typically using 4:4:4, 12 bit color with limited compression. The main utility for intermediate codecs are if you need to transport the file between different programs to apply effects before the final export. (color grading, VFX, etc).

When you want to apply effects, you do have to reencode. You should try to do it all in one program like Davinci, shotcut or premiere. Alternatively, export an intermediate format to transfer between programs but check compatibility first.

If all you want to do is cut up the video and add audio, not reencoding at all saves quality and time. 

Edited March 1, 2021 by HelpYourVideos

[Rich Sam]

11 minutes ago, HelpYourVideos said:

Apple Prores and the other intermediate so-called “mezzanine” formats are not lossless. They are considered “visually lossless” but they rewrite all the data streams. Essentially what they do is decode the frame then export at massive bitrates, typically using 4:4:4, 12 bit color with limited compression. The main utility for intermediate codecs are if you need to transport the file between different programs to apply effects before the final export. (color grading, VFX, etc).

When you want to apply effects, you do have to reencode. You should try to do it all in one program like Davinci, shotcut or premiere. Alternatively, export an intermediate format to transfer between programs but check compatibility first.

If all you want to do is cut up the video and add audio, not reencoding at all saves quality and time. 

This is correct but the insta360 needs to be used to reframe the 360 video.  The insta 360 app is great for reframing but not so great for storytelling.  Once the camera angles are extracted out in ProRes then you can plug into Divinci and Premiere.  There is a free 360 reframing tool plugin for daVinci, works well enough but it is not nearly as robust for quick easy reframing.  I have not used premiere pro as I refuse to rent software.

ProRes export is the best solution in my opinion.

[HelpYourVideos]

32 minutes ago, Rich Sam said:

This is correct but the insta360 needs to be used to reframe the 360 video. 

ProRes export is the best solution in my opinion.

For your use case, agreed. However, don’t forget to beef up that storage capacity as even a simple Prores 422 targets 200Mbit/s on 1080p30. Can only imagine the file size of a 4k60 output. Likely ~100GB+ for a 20 min video?

Edit: Found the answer to the bitrate question in a pdf published by Apple.

Edited March 1, 2021 by HelpYourVideos

[Rich Sam]

31 minutes ago, Rich Sam said:

This is correct but the insta360 needs to be used to reframe the 360 video.  The insta 360 app is great for reframing but not so great for storytelling.  Once the camera angles are extracted out in ProRes then you can plug into Divinci and Premiere.  There is a free 360 reframing tool plugin for daVinci, works well enough but it is not nearly as robust for quick easy reframing.  I have not used premiere pro as I refuse to rent software.

ProRes export is the best solution in my opinion.

I'm playing with a new workflow that is very interesting!  In the Insta360 app there is an AI feature that will analyze your video\audio and automagically create several camera angles for export based on their algorithm.  It's not perfect but dang good!  I typically pick 4-8  of the angles\cameras recommended, export them out, then import into Davinci as a multicamera timeline synced on sound.  I can then dynamically pick cameras on the fly whichever one has the best shot at the time.

[Rich Sam]

24 minutes ago, HelpYourVideos said:

For your use case, agreed. However, don’t forget to beef up that storage capacity as even a simple Prores 422 targets 200Mbit/s on 1080p30. Can only imagine the file size of a 4k60 output. Likely ~100GB+ for a 20 min video?

Edit: Found the answer to the bitrate question in a pdf published by Apple.

Yes its HUUUUGE.  I use the ProRes export as just a buffer phase, I don't back it up or keep long term.  I back up original footage and export vid from DaVinci.  This big files are just cache for my workflow.  Also you have to remember that reframing 360 vids your working basically with 1080P.  the whole 360 shot is only 5k.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Rich Sam

[HelpYourVideos]

Don’t forget, YouTube supports 360 video. If you mux audio to an unedited video and keep the necessary metadata, I think you can upload and watch the whole 360 using the mouse to look around or even by the gyroscope in the phone. Have you tried it?

[Rich Sam]

1 minute ago, HelpYourVideos said:

Don’t forget, YouTube supports 360 video. If you mux audio to an unedited video and keep the necessary metadata, I think you can upload and watch the whole 360 using the mouse to look around or even by the gyroscope in the phone. Have you tried it?

I have not tried it yet... I just got the camera not too long ago.  Yes I want to try the youTube 360 vid features, also I have an old VR headset collecting dust I need to use.  Sounds very fun.   Have you played with 360 vids much?  Any tricks to get quality shots on YouTube for that?

[HelpYourVideos]

8 minutes ago, Rich Sam said:

 Any tricks to get quality shots on YouTube for that?

Not sure exactly what you mean by this. You can find some vids by typing 360 vr. You have to use the YouTube app but you don’t necessarily need a vr headset though most support it. There’s also a cool but somewhat unrelated YouTube feature of spatial sound called “ambisonics”.

anyway here’s a link to a example vr video (make sure you open this in the YouTube app)

 

Edited March 1, 2021 by HelpYourVideos

[.....]

Thats pretty cool, but then how do I frame the shot so noone can see me pick my nose? Does it end up with MASSIVE file sizes when trying upload in 360?

Edited March 1, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Rich Sam]

16 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said:

Thats pretty cool, but then how do I frame the shot so noone can see me pick my nose? Does it end up with MASSIVE file sizes when trying upload in 360?

Edit:  did not realize you were asking about 360... I have yet to try!  but I will try one in a few days, I have a few home vids I'm working through right now.  I would like to try one at 5k or 4k and see what the difference is.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Rich Sam

[Rich Sam]

I just downloaded the Repo from GIT to try the python scripts to create 360 vid.  Lets see if it's straight forward.

[Rich Sam]

1 hour ago, ShanesPlanet said:

Thats pretty cool, but then how do I frame the shot so noone can see me pick my nose? Does it end up with MASSIVE file sizes when trying upload in 360?

quick test seems to work... going to play more later.

 

 

[.....]

17 minutes ago, Rich Sam said:

quick test seems to work... going to play more later.

 

 

Thats pretty cool! I always record in 360, but reframe it down. I wonder If people LIKE that format and if I should bother? Im currently editting a long and boring vid per my usual. Wouldnt take much to regroup the process. Is the file size seemingly any larger than the same bit rate and length in a standard 2d?

[Rich Sam]

On 3/1/2021 at 1:18 AM, ShanesPlanet said:

Thats pretty cool! I always record in 360, but reframe it down. I wonder If people LIKE that format and if I should bother? Im currently editting a long and boring vid per my usual. Wouldnt take much to regroup the process. Is the file size seemingly any larger than the same bit rate and length in a standard 2d?

Yes sir quite a bit larger.  I upload that clip in 5k with max bit rate, and it was pretty big.

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6178631?hl=en

You have to run the Python script to add the spatial data to make it 360 on YouTube.  I heard that Premiere Studio can do it natively, but I don't have that.

 

[5Cauac]

On 3/1/2021 at 12:59 AM, Rich Sam said:

quick test seems to work... going to play more later.

 

 

My son gave me the great idea of doing a FPV 180 degree video for VR. Since I do not own a 3d 180 cam, it would have to be 2d but I think would still do the trick. I have not seen any 180 FPV of someone riding an EUC before. Just have to wait for a weekend to record some footage and test out the results. Has anyone else seen a 180 FPV of an EUC rider? I think its a great idea for those with VR headsets to experience what it is like to ride an EUC from the vantage point of the rider instead of a ghost floating along side the rider. 

[Rich Sam]

1 minute ago, 5Cauac said:

My son gave me the great idea of doing a FPV 180 degree video for VR. Since I do not own a 3d 180 cam, it would have to be 2d but I think would still do the trick. I have not seen any 180 FPV of someone riding an EUC before. Just have to wait for a weekend to record some footage and test out the results. Has anyone else seen a 180 FPV of an EUC rider? I think its a great idea for those with VR headsets to experience what it is like to ride an EUC from the vantage point of the rider instead of a ghost floating along side the rider. 

I have not seen 180 FPV of an euc rider, the only sport I have seen use that angle is... ahem... adult entertainment.  If your camera can do 180, just add the spatial data and it should work.

[Bridgeboy]

On 2/28/2021 at 7:01 PM, HelpYourVideos said:

Okay, add ffmpeg to your %Path% so you can call on the program from any directory. 
After the ffmpeg -i you can just drag the file(s) onto command prompt/terminal so there’s no errors in typing the location of the files. Ffmpeg is very powerful indeed, for encoding also not just muxing. But make sure your output is correct because mkvtoolnix should not be giving errors.. did you drag the video in, then drag audio, leaving the default selection of “add as new source file to the current multiple settings” finally click “start multiplex”? 
Here is a link that details what codecs of video and audio are compatible with different containers (such as mp4 and mkv). The common codecs are H264 aka AVC, H265 aka HEVC, VP9, and AV1. All should be supported by both containers. The main benefit of mkv is that allows embedded chapter markers, subtitles and couple other features while being patent unencumbered (likely not an issue for our use cases, haha).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_video_container_formats

Thanks for all you help @HelpYourVideos. I was able to add music to about ten (10) 4K videos in recent days and get them uploaded to YouTube. Here is one of them...check out my channel (Wheeling Family Robinson) there to see others:

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Bridgeboy

[.....]

4 hours ago, Rich Sam said:

Yes sir quite a bit larger.  I upload that clip in 5k with max bit rate, and it was pretty big.

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6178631?hl=en

You have to run the Python script to add the spatial data to make it 360 on YouTube.  I heard that Premiere Studio can do it natively, but I don't have that.

 

Thanks for the info, sounds simple enough. I've seen those vids on youtube before. I beleive I saw one from an ultralight aircraft pov too. I figured file size would be larger, so that pretty much excludes me for now.