Converting Video Files into Flash Format with the Flash Video Encoder
BY JANINE WARNER
You can convert video from one file format to another relatively easily using most video-editing programs. For example, you can open a video in AVI format in a program such as Adobe Premier Elements (a good video editor for beginners) and then choose File->Export to convert it to any of a dozen other formatting and compression options.
Editing video gets complicated, and optimizing video for the best quality with the fastest download time is both an art and a science, but the most basic process of converting a video file isn’t difficult once you understand the conversion options.
The following exercise walks you through the process of converting a video file into Flash video using the Flash video encoder. The Flash video encoder is included in the Adobe CS3 Creative Suite.
Step 1: Launch Flash Video Encoder
Launch the Flash Video Encoder and click on the Add button to load a video into the encoder that you want to convert into a Flash video file. In this example, I added a short video clip that was saved in the Windows Media Video (WMV) format, but you can add video in a variety of formats, including AVI, MP4, and QuickTime. For best results, start with a video that has not already been compressed.
—Video by Total Training.com
Step 2 Launch Settings Dialog
Click the Settings button on the right side of the Encoder to launch the Settings dialog shown here. First, click on the Encoding Profiles tab and choose a Flash encoding profile. The later the version of Flash the better the encoding will look and the faster it will play back, but there is a trade off. Not everyone has already downloaded the latest version so using an earlier version may mean fewer visitors have to download the player to view your video. Since Flash is such a fast and easy program to download, I think the latest version is the best choice.
Step 3 Specify Settings
Click on the Video tab and make sure Encode video is checked. The video codec (which controls the compression of the video) is set automatically based on the Flash version you selected in the Encoding Profiles. Check Deinterlace only if you are encoding video that is interlaced, such as video captured from a television or VCR. Video that has already been encoded in a format like Windows Media does not need to be DeInterlaced.
Step 4 Set Framerate
Set the Framerate to the lowest setting that will look good to achieve the fastest download time. If you are encoding a video that has lots of action, you’ll need a higher frame rate, ideally 24 or better, or your video will lose details and look fuzzy in places. If you are converting a video, such as this Windows Media file that has already been encoded, your best option is to choose Same as Source to leave the framerate unchanged.
Step 5 Specify Quality Settings
Set the Quality to the lowest level that still looks good to get the fastest download times. Use the slider under preview window to move through the frames of the video to see the effects of your settings.
Step 6 Adjust Audio Settings
Click on the Audio tab and adjust the Data rate. Again the lower the number, the lower the quality but the faster the download. If your audio has only a single voice, you can set this quite low and it will still sound good. If your audio file has music, special sound effects, or other multifaceted audio, set the Data rate to at least 96 kpbs.
Step 7 Complete Settings
Use the Cue Points settings to insert queues in the file that make it easier for someone using the file to jump to a particular section. Use crop and resize to make the file smaller (note that trying to increase the file size of a video can result in a severe loss of quality.) Once the settings are complete, press OK, and the Settings dialog will close returning you to the Encoder.
Step 8 Begin Encoding Process
When you get all the settings the way you want them, choose Start Queue to begin the encoding process. This process can take several minutes, even for a very short file. A small preview window in the bottom right corner of the Encoder enables you to watch the encoding process in action.
This tutorial was originally written for the Layers Magazine Web Site, Dec. 2007.
