4
Table Of Contents
- Compressor 4 User Manual
- Contents
- Welcome to Compressor
- Getting Started Quickly
- Ways to Use Compressor
- The Basic Transcoding Workflow
- The Compressor Interface
- Compressor Windows and the Transcoding Workflow
- Creating and Managing Compressor Layouts
- Working with the Compressor Windows
- Batch Window
- Settings Tab
- Destinations Tab
- Inspector Window
- History Window
- Preview Window
- Apple Qmaster Sharing Window
- Share Monitor
- Droplet Windows
- About Changing Values and Timecode Entries
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Setting Compressor Preferences
- Importing Source Media Files
- Creating, Previewing, and Modifying Settings
- Finalizing Jobs and Submitting Batches
- Creating AIFF Files
- Creating Common Audio Format Files
- Creating DV Stream Output 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 H.264 for Apple Devices 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 Export Component Files
- Creating QuickTime Movie Output 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
- Apple Qmaster and Distributed Processing
- Distributed Processing Basics
- Basic Components of the Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing System
- Getting Started Quickly Using This Computer Plus
- Getting Started Quickly Using QuickClusters
- The Interfaces in the Apple Qmaster Distributed Processing System
- Apple Qmaster Sharing Window of Compressor
- General Information About Clusters
- Options in the Apple Qmaster Sharing Window of Compressor
- Managed vs. Unmanaged Services
- Turning Cluster Controller Services On or Off
- Using Virtual Clusters to Make the Most of Multicore Computers
- Setting a Service Password for Including a Computer in a Cluster
- Scheduling Service Availability
- Using Cluster Storage
- Defining Ports for Service Advertisements
- Recovery and Failure Notification Features
- Creating Clusters with Apple Qadministrator
- Setting Up for Part-Time Distributed Processing with Shake
- Appendix A: Keyboard Shortcuts
- Appendix B: Solving Problems
- Appendix C: Using the Command Line
• Filters: The selection of available Compressor filters gives you dynamic artistic control
while you convert your source media to other formats and allows you to create a final
product to your precise specifications. A selection of the available filters includes fade
in/fade out, timecode overlays, gamma correction, noise removal, letterbox, watermark,
color adjustment, and others. Additionally, there are audio filters for controlling dynamic
range, peak levels, equalization, and fade in/fade out.
• Previewing: You can preview your filter settings in real time using the Preview window
as you adjust them in the Inspector window. This lets you tweak the settings to your
satisfaction, before transcoding the source media file.
• Destinations: You can create and save destinations for your output files, which can then
be assigned to each output file’s target. You can even include FTP and iDisk locations.
A destination can also specify the filenaming convention to use.
• Geometry: You can adjust your frame size using the geometry Inspector window controls
and graphical controls in the Preview window. These features allow you to crop
unwanted image areas of your source media file and reduce file size. Compressor also
allows you to resize your image to other aspect ratios such as 4:3, 16:9, and 2.35:1 for
delivery onto other platforms, such as DVD or iPod.
• Publishing: You can use Compressor to upload output files to a QuickTime Streaming
Server or other locations for DVD authoring.
• AppleScript usage: You can add specialized AppleScript information to any output file,
which gives you the flexibility to automate and customize any post-encoding operations.
• Interoperability: Compressor is an integral component of other Apple professional video
applications such as Final Cut Pro and Motion. For example, you can export sequences
directly from Final Cut Pro into Compressor for transcoding.
• Transcoding activity in the background: Compressor lets you begin transcoding a batch
and then continues processing in the background, allowing you to perform other tasks
at the same time.
• Email notification: You can set up Compressor to send an email notification to any
location to notify you when the batch transcode is complete.
• Distributed processing: Compressor offers distributed processing, distributing the work
to multiple computers that have been chosen to provide more processing power. The
distributed processing feature is limited to computers that have Compressor installed.
For more details, see Apple Qmaster and Distributed Processing.
• Command-Line Features: Compressor has a number of command-line options for
submitting jobs, enabling and disabling service node and cluster-controlling services,
and monitoring batches. For more information, see Using the Command Line.
30 Chapter 2 Ways to Use Compressor