User Guide

8
Enhancements for Creating iPod and Apple TV Media
Compressor now includes several enhancements that make it possible to create
full-featured podcasts and other media for iPods and Apple TV.
New H.264 for Apple Devices Output Format
A new H.264 for Apple Devices output format has been added. You can choose to
create video optimized for the following common formats:
 iPod 320: The video is 320 pixels wide.
 iPod 640: The video is 640 pixels wide.
 Apple TV SD: The video is 640 pixels wide.
 Apple TV HD: The video is 1280 pixels wide.
In addition to formatting the video to match the intended playback device, each
format configures the bit-rate settings to suitable ranges, ensuring the output media
files will play correctly.
Metadata and Marker Support
The H.264 for Apple Devices output format and the MPEG-4 output format (when
configured as audio only) now support adding a variety of metadata and markers to
the output media files:
 Annotations: You can add annotations, such as artist and comments, to your output
media files. Additionally, any annotations previously added to your source media files
are preserved and passed on to the output media files.
 Chapter and podcasting markers: You can add chapter and podcast markers to the
output media files. You can also assign URLs and artwork to these markers.
The only difference between chapter and podcast markers is that a viewer can use
chapter markers to navigate to specific places while playing a program; podcasting
markers cannot be used for navigation, and instead are used to change the artwork
or URL at specific places.
Dolby Digital (AC-3) Audio Files as Sources
You can now import Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio files as sources for jobs. This makes it
possible to hear either a mixed-down stereo version of the source audio files on your
system’s speakers, or to hear full surround sound on an external set of surround sound
speakers connected to your computer by USB or FireWire.
This capability has two uses:
 You can now import Dolby Digital audio files and transcode them to other formats.
 You can now listen to Dolby Digital files after you transcode them with Compressor
to verify their settings.