Specifying video encoding settings

The video encoding settings let you select the quality of your FLV files. The Video tab lets you specify the encoding options for video files. The following sections describe the encoding options.

Flash Video Encoder showing video encoding settings

To specify custom video encoding settings:

Select the file or files whose encoding settings you want to modify.
To select multiple files in the encoding list, Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh), or select Edit > Select All to select all files in the encoding queue.
Click Settings (Edit > Encoding Settings).
The Flash Video Encoding Settings dialog box appears.
Click the Video tab to display the video encoding settings.
The Encode Video option is selected by default.
Select a video codec with which to encode your content from the Video Codec pop-up menu.
If you are authoring for Flash Player 7, select Sorenson Spark codec; if you are authoring for Flash Player 8, select On2 VP6 codec.
(Optional) Select the Encode alpha channel option to encode an alpha channel.
Alpha channels let you encode video such that the background is removed and saved as a transparency. This lets you overlay (or composite) the video on top of other Flash content, while the subject of the video remains in the foreground. For example, a common use of alpha channels is to record a video clip of a presenter using a blue screen as a backdrop. The video can then be encoded with an alpha channel, and the presenter can be placed in front of another image as the backdrop to the video
(Optional) Select the Deinterlace option to deinterlace the video.
If your source video is interlaced, you can use Flash Video Encoder to either maintain the interlacing, or deinterlace it during encoding to create noninterlaced video. Flash Video Encoder deinterlaces by discarding one field and interpolating a new field based on the lines of the remaining field. For more information, see Interlaced versus noninterlaced video.

Select a frame rate. Flash Video Encoder uses the same frame rate as the source video by default. If you need to alter the frame rate, be sure you understand how modifying the frame rate affects the video quality. For more information, see Understanding video standards and terminology.

CAUTION

If you are modifying the encoding settings for a video clip that will be embedded within a SWF file, the video frame rate must match that of the SWF file. For more information, see the information on embedding video in a SWF file in Using Flash.

Select the key frame placement for the video. Keyframes are video frames that contain complete data. For example, if you specify a keyframe interval of 30, Flash Video Encoder encodes a complete frame every 30 frames in the video clip. For frames between keyframe intervals, Flash stores only the data that changes from the preceding frame.
By default, Flash Video encoder places a keyframe every 2 seconds of playback time. For example, if the video you're encoding has a frame rate of 30 fps, a keyframe will be inserted every 60 frames. In general, the default keyframe value provides a reasonable level of control when seeking within a video clip. If you need to select a custom keyframe placement value, be aware that the smaller the keyframe interval, the larger the file size.

Specify the quality setting for the video from the Quality pop-up menu. The quality setting determines the data rate of the encoded video. The higher the data rate, the better the quality of the encoded video clip.

Select a preset Quality setting (Low, Medium, or High) to automatically select a Data Rate value. When you select Low, Medium, and High from this menu, the Maximum Data Rate text box value is updated to reflect the specified value.

Select Custom and enter a value, in Kilobits/Sec, in the Maximum Data Rate text box.

NOTE

If you find that the preset quality settings do not work with your source footage, try specifying a custom maximum data rate. For more information on data rate, and how it affects video quality, see Data rates.

When you finish specifying advanced encoding settings, you may select either the Cue Point or the Crop and Trim tab to further modify the video's encoding settings, or click OK to return to the main Flash Video Encoding dialog box.

If you are ready to encode your video clips, or need to add additional source video clips to encode, see Encoding video with Flash Video Encoder.

NOTE

When you encode the video, the original source video clip is not changed. You can always re-encode a video clip and specify new settings if your initial attempt does not produce the results you want.

To learn about the other options available in the Flash Video Encoding Settings dialog box, see the following sections:

Flash CS3

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