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
• Jobs table: Each job in this table represents a separate media file that will be generated
from each item in the Source files list.
• Filename Template: Compressor automatically enters a filename in this field for the
output media file. The first part of the filename is based on the source file name.
Compressor also automatically appends an output type identifier (such as “iPod” or
“YouTube”) at the end of the filename. You can manually edit any portion of the filename
by double-clicking it.
• Job type identifier: Compressor automatically appends an output type identifier (such
as “iPod” or “YouTube”) at the end of each filename. You can manually edit any output
type identifier by double-clicking it.
• Add/Remove Output buttons: Click Add Output to create additional outputs. To remove
a particular output, click its Remove Output button.
• Show Info button: Click this button to display extensive details about the current setting
and the output media file. If you are transcoding multiple source files, you can view
information about each individual media file.
• Action checkbox: Select this checkbox to activate any post-transcoding actions (beyond
simply creating the output media file). For more information, see Adding Job Actions.
• Show window on startup checkbox: When this checkbox is selected, the Droplet window
opens when you drag source media files to the Droplet icon, before the batch is
submitted. This allows you to verify the settings contained within the Droplet. If the
checkbox is not selected, the batch is submitted as soon as the batch is dragged to
the Droplet icon (as long as there are no errors), and the Droplet window doesn’t open.
• Submit: Click this button to open the submit dialog and submit the batch. For more
information about submitting, see Using a Droplet to Transcode Source Media Files
and Submitting a Batch. You only need to do this if the “Show window on startup”
checkbox is selected; if this checkbox is not selected, the batch is submitted
automatically.
Checking Droplet Settings
This section describes several ways to check and adjust Droplet settings.
“Show window on startup” Checkbox
The “Show window on startup” checkbox at the bottom of the Droplet window determines
whether or not a Droplet window opens when a batch is dragged to a Droplet icon. If it
is selected, the Droplet window opens when you drag a batch to the Droplet icon, and
you can view the Droplet settings.
342 Chapter 28 Using Droplets










