3
Table Of Contents
- Compressor 3 User Manual
- Contents
- Welcome to Compressor
- Getting Started Quickly
- Ways to Use Compressor
- The Basic Transcoding Workflow
- The Compressor Interface
- Setting Compressor Preferences
- Importing Source Media Files
- Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings
- Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches
- Creating AIFF Files
- Creating Dolby Digital Professional Output Files
- About the Dolby Digital Professional Encoder Pane
- General Information About Creating Dolby Digital Professional Files
- Converting Stereo Audio Files to Dolby Digital Professional Format
- Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels (Manual Method)
- Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels (Automatic Methods)
- Assigning Files to Surround Sound Channels with Droplets
- Options for Spatial Mixing
- Creating DV Stream Output Files
- Creating H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files
- Creating H.264 for DVD Studio Pro Output Files
- Creating H.264 for Blu-ray Disc
- Creating Image Sequence Files
- Creating MP3 Output Files
- Creating MPEG-1 Output Files
- Common Uses for MPEG-1
- MPEG-1 Specifications
- About the MPEG-1 Encoder Pane
- About the MPEG-1 Video Tab
- About the MPEG-1 Audio Tab
- About System and Elementary Streams
- MPEG-1 Transcoding Workflow
- Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for Web Use
- Configuring the MPEG-1 File Format for DVD Use
- Creating the MPEG-1 Video for DVD Setting
- Creating the MPEG-1 Audio for DVD Setting
- Optional—Creating an MPEG-1 for DVD Group and Destination
- Creating MPEG-2 Output Files
- Creating MPEG-4 Output Files
- About MPEG-4 Part 2
- About the MPEG-4 Part 2 Encoder Pane
- Using Default MPEG-4 Part 2 Settings
- Customizing MPEG-4 Part 2 Settings
- Audio Podcasting Workflow
- Stage 1: Configuring the MPEG-4 Output for Audio-Only Output
- Stage 2: Including Podcasting Information
- Stage 3: Applying the Setting to a Source Media File’s Target
- Stage 4: Entering Annotations for the Output Media File
- Stage 5: Creating and Configuring Markers for the Output Media File
- Stage 6: Submitting the Job and Verifying the Output Media File
- Adding Additional Settings and Presets
- Creating QuickTime Movie Output Files
- Creating QuickTime Export Component Files
- Adding Filters to a Setting
- Working with Frame Controls
- Adding Geometry Settings
- Adding Actions
- Using the Preview Window
- Creating and Changing Destinations
- Using Droplets
- Appendix A: Keyboard Shortcuts
- Appendix B: Solving Problems
- Resources for Solving Problems
- Solutions to Common Problems
- Exporting from Final Cut Pro and Distributed Processing
- QuickTime Reference Movies
- Cluster Settings for Extended Transcoding Sessions
- Cleaning Up Cluster Storage
- Using Apple Qmaster with an NFS Server
- Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing and Xsan
- Compressor Command-Line Usage Requires Login
- Create Blu-ray Disc Job Action
- Contacting AppleCare Support
- Appendix C: Using the Command Line
- Installing Apple Qmaster from the Command Line
- Using the Command Line for Distributed Processing
- Using Scripts to Run Apple Qmaster, Compressor, and Batch Monitor
Note: If you are transcoding a large batch, you should turn off the screen saver application
on your computer. This will improve the speed of your transcode because resources are
not being diverted to the screen saver.
See Submitting a Batch for more information.
Viewing Transcoding Status
You use Batch Monitor and the History window to see the current status of a submitted
batch and all the jobs contained within it. Batch Monitor is a standalone application, so
that it can work with both Compressor and Droplets, whether or not Compressor is open,
and regardless of whether you have submitted anything. See Creating a Droplet from
the Settings Tab for more information about Droplets.
Stage 1: Viewing the Batch Transcoding Status
After you submit a batch, then you can open Batch Monitor so you can view the
transcoding status of your batch. This is a good way to monitor when your batch has
finished transcoding and if any problems occurred during the transcode process. You
can set Compressor Preferences to open Batch Monitor automatically.
See Setting Compressor Preferences and the Batch Monitor User Manual for more details.
Alternatively, you can look at the History window in Compressor. It contains a progress
bar and, like Batch Monitor, it can tell you if a submission was successfully transcoded.
Stage 2: Confirming Transcode Completion
It’s a good idea to open the transcoded media file’s destination folder to ensure that the
media file was transcoded successfully and saved to that location.
Optional Compressor Shortcuts
Compressor was designed with workflow in mind. Depending on your needs, there are
a number of ways to speed up the Compressor transcoding workflow.
Using Preexisting Settings
Compressor contains a number of preexisting settings that allow you to start transcoding
immediately. If these preexisting settings suit your needs, you can transcode your source
media files immediately.
See Quick and Easy Compressor Workflow: Manual Method for more information.
Even if you need to create custom settings, you can group them so that they can be easily
applied to targets. See Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings for more information.
37Chapter 3 The Basic Transcoding Workflow