Render settings for YouTube

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I've been having issues with choppy video when I post to YouTube, so after seeing a few threads on the subject I decided to share the information I've found.

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171?hl=en
Advanced encoding settings

Recommended bitrates, codecs, and resolutions, and more
Container: .mp4

No Edit Lists (or you may lose AV sync)
moov atom at the front of the file (Fast Start)

Audio Codec: AAC-LC

Channels: Stereo or Stereo + 5.1
Sample rate 96khz or 48 khz

Video Codec: H.264

Progressive scan (no interlacing)
High Profile
2 consecutive B frames
Closed GOP. GOP of half the frame rate.
CABAC
Variable bitrate. No bitrate limit required, though we offer recommended bit rates below for reference
Chroma subsampling: 4:2:0

Frame rates
Frame rates should match the source material. For example, content shot in 24fps should be encoded and uploaded at 24fps. Content recorded at 30fps should be uploaded at 30fps. Content shot in 720p60, should be uploaded at 720p60. Content at 1080i 60, should be deinterlaced, going from 60 interlaced fields per second to 30 progressive frames per second before uploading.

Bitrates
Standard quality uploads
Type Video Bitrate Mono Audio Bitrate Stereo Audio Bitrate 5.1 Audio Bitrate
2160p (4k) 35-45 Mbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
1440p (2k) 10 Mbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
1080p 8,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
720p 5,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
480p 2,500 kbps 64 kbps 128 kbps 196 kbps
360p 1,000 kbps 64 kbps 128 kbps 196 kbps

High quality uploads for creators with enterprise quality internet connections
Type Video Bitrate Mono Audio Bitrate Stereo Audio Bitrate 5.1 Audio Bitrate
1080p 50,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
720p 30,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
480p 15,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
360p 5,000 kbps 128 kbps 384 kbps 512 kbps
Resolutions

YouTube uses 16:9 aspect ratio players. If you are uploading a non-16:9 file, it will be processed and displayed correctly as well, with pillar boxes (black bars on the left and right) or letter boxes (black bars at the top and bottom) provided by the player. If you want to fit the player perfectly, encode at these resolutions:

2160p: 3840x2160
1440p: 2560x1440
1080p: 1920x1080
720p: 1280x720
480p: 854x480
360p: 640x360
240p: 426x240

The YouTube player automatically adds black bars so that videos are displayed correctly without cropping or stretching, no matter the size of the video or the player.

For example, the player will automatically add pillarboxing to 4:3 videos in the new 16:9 widescreen player size. If the player is re-sized (i.e. when embedded on another website), the same process takes place so that 16:9 videos are letterboxed when the player is sized to 4:3. Similarly, anamorphic videos will be automatically letterboxed when shown in either 16:9 or 4:3 sized players. The player can only do this if the native aspect ratio of the video is maintained.
 
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMhXiklZi1w[/youtube]
 
TLDR Version:

Youtube recommends that videos are uploaded at the same frame rate that they were recorded, and they now support 60 & 48fps.
 
The most prominent configuration parameters from the 1080p/720p preset from the listed programs.

ArticleImage.13812.jpg


ArticleImage.13813.jpg


Bonus tips:

Many encoders can spend more CPU time to create a much more efficient file. If you have a powerful computer, but a slow internet connection, look into using more complex and efficient encoding to save upload time.

You can noticeably improve the quality of your video on YouTube by using a sophisticated, scene aware, denoising filter prior to uploading.

Keyframe interval doesn't really matter much at this moment in time, but please keep it under 5 for VOD.

The sample rate of your audio should match your source's sample rate in which it was produced.

If you make sure to use a streaming format, like an mkv, .mp4 or a .mov, with the metadata at the front of the container we will begin processing your video WHILE you are uploading it, drastically reducing overall turnaround time. This will make things MUCH faster, with no negative side effect. You can add the metadata atom to the front of your file with something qtfaststart, or select it when you are creating the file in Squeeze, Episode, etc.

It is ideal to use constant quality encoding. This will let you create a high quality variable bitrate file, at the speed of a single pass. It will maintain a consistent target quality throughout the file, rather than trying to allocate bits to hit an arbitrary bitrate, which can easily under-shoot or over-shoot, and with two pass, take extra long to create.

You can put uncompressed PCM audio in an .mov or .mkv container and deliver it to us if you like. However, make sure not to create multiple discrete mono streams when you do it.
 
I Use Adobe after effects -

So far my preferred settings are:

H.264 @ 6-9Mbps 1920X1080

This seems to give a really small file size.

I am looking to change this though and will now go make a post on just that. :)
 
Davekyn said:
I Use Adobe after effects -

So far my preferred settings are:

H.264 @ 6-9Mbps 1920X1080

This seems to give a really small file size.

I am looking to change this though and will now go make a post on just that. :)

I would set the bitrate at 10, otherwise perfect.

I'm also an After Effects user.
 

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