Video properties of presets in Compressor

Enable video pass-through

MXF, QuickTime Movie

Select this checkbox to copy the source video to the destination file, without modification. Selecting this checkbox disables all the other presets in the video properties area.

Frame size

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to set the frame size (resolution) of the output file. See Modify frame size.

Center crop for output ratio

All video-enabled preset formats

Select this checkbox to ensure that when you change the aspect ratio in the Frame size pop-up menu, the video remains centered in the new aspect ratio.

Pixel aspect ratio

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to set the ratio between the encoded width and the display width.

Frame rate

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to set the frame rate for the output file, or enter a custom frame rate in the field next to the pop-up menu (if available). See Modify frame rate and duration.

Field order

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to set the output scanning method for interlaced footage. See Use deinterlacing.

Color space

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to convert the source media to a new color space. Choose Automatic to allow Compressor to choose the best color space based on the selected preset, or “Same as Source” to use the color space of the source file. You can also choose a manual preset to override the default. See Modify video color space and HDR metadata.

Preserve camera log encoding

All video-enabled preset formats

Select this checkbox to ensure that the output file maintains the log encoding specified by the source file. This option is only available if a camera log is specified in the Job inspector. See Job properties.

Camera LUT

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to choose the camera lookup table (LUT) applied to the source file. This option is only available if a camera log is specified in the Job inspector and the “Preserve camera log encoding” checkbox is deselected.

Cinematic

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu (available for source video recorded in Cinematic mode with the iPhone Camera app) to specify whether or not to render the Cinematic-mode effect in the transcoded file.

Stereoscopic

All video-enabled preset formats

Use this pop-up menu to choose how Compressor uses the left- and right-eye views in stereoscopic video. See Modify stereoscopic and spatial properties.

360° metadata

Apple Devices, MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Use this pop-up menu to choose the type of 360° metadata, if any, to be included in the output file. See View and modify 360° and 180° video properties.

Codec

Apple Devices, MPEG-4, MXF, QuickTime Movie

Choose one of the available transcoding methods.

Spatial Video

Apple Devices

When Codec is set to MV-HEVC, use this pop-up menu to determine whether to output the file as spatial video for playback on Apple Vision Pro. See Modify stereoscopic and spatial properties.

Encoder type

Apple Devices, MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

When Codec is set to HEVC, use this pop-up menu to choose a faster (standard quality) or slower (higher quality) encoder.

Profile

Apple Devices, MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Use this pop-up menu to set the level of complexity included in the transcode.

When Codec is set to H.264 for MPEG-4 and QuickTime Movie presets, choose between high-quality output (which may not be compatible with H.264 playback devices), the Baseline profile (primarily for video conferencing and mobile applications), and the Main profile (similar to Baseline, with additional support for standard-definition video requirements).

When Codec is set to HEVC or MV-HEVC, choose the color depth of the output file.

Entropy mode

MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

When Codec is set to H.264, use this pop-up menu to set the entropy mode to CABAC (which provides higher-quality output) or CAVLC (which is faster and more compatible for playback on older devices).

Avg. Bit rate

MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Choose a bit rate for your video:

• Custom: Allows you to manually enter an average bit rate in the text field.

• Computer playback: Creates a larger file with higher quality.

• Social Platforms: Creates a smaller file suitable for uploading to a website.

• HTTP Live Streaming (HLS): Creates a file suitable for live streaming over the internet.

• Proxies: Creates a proxy file suitable for editing in Final Cut Pro (see Create optimized and proxy files in the Final Cut Pro User Guide for Mac).

• Automatic: Compressor sets an average bit rate.

Key frame interval

MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Use this pop-up menu to choose the interval between keyframes in your output file: All creates a keyframe at every frame; Every lets you enter a custom interval in the value field; Automatic lets Compressor set the interval.

Quality

QuickTime Movie

When Codec is set to Animation or Photo-JPEG, use this slider to set the quality level of your output file. When Codec is set to HEVC and the “Preserve alpha” checkbox is selected, use this slider to set the quality level of your output file’s alpha channel.

Anamorphic

MPEG-2

If a standard-definition source file’s storage aspect ratio doesn’t match its display aspect ratio, use this pop-up menu to correct the image so the output doesn’t appear squeezed or stretched.

Encoding mode

MPEG-2

Choose an MPEG-2 encoding mode from the pop-up menu:

• Single Pass CBR: This is the fastest MPEG-2 encoding mode. It provides good quality, especially at bit rates between 5 and 9 Mbps.

• Single Pass VBR: This mode aims to maintain constant quality (at the expense of constant bit rate) for the transcoded video file. For most standard-definition media files at bit rates of 3.5 Mbps and above, this mode provides good to excellent quality and transcodes quickly.

• Single Pass VBR (Best): This mode provides the best possible quality output for standard-definition video at bit rates of 3 to 3.5 Mbps and above.

• Two Pass VBR: This mode uses two passes—one pass to analyze the entire source video stream, and a second pass to compress the file. This mode takes longer and provides a better-quality file than the one-pass modes, and is recommended for source media files with a substantial difference between the most and the least complex scenes.

• Two Pass VBR (Best): This mode provides the best possible quality output, and outstanding quality at bit rates of 3 to 3.5 Mbps and above for high-definition and standard-definition video.

Motion estimation

MPEG-2

Use this pop-up menu to set the amount of motion processing performed on the file. Choose Good when there’s relatively low motion between frames, Better when there’s slightly more complex motion, and Best for the most complex motion and for interlaced source files.

GOP structure

MPEG-2

Use this pop-up menu to choose an MPEG-2 GOP (group of pictures) structure:

• IP: Use IP only if your media contains fast motion that isn’t encoded with sufficient quality using an IBBP or IBP structure.

• IBP: Use IBP only if your media contains fast motion that isn’t encoded with sufficient quality using an IBBP structure.

• IBBP: Recommended for the majority of MPEG-2 encoding situations.

GOP size

MPEG-2

Use this slider to specify how many frames are contained within a GOP (group of pictures). The values available in the slider are determined by the “GOP structure” property. The maximum GOP size in Compressor is 15 frames (NTSC) or 12 frames (PAL and 720p). The minimum GOP size for all video formats is 6 frames (closed GOP) or 7 frames (open GOP).

Automatically select bit rate

MPEG-2

Select this checkbox to have Compressor automatically compute the best bit rate for the output file, based on the duration of the source file. To manually adjust the bit rate, deselect the checkbox and drag the “Average bit rate” and “Maximum bit rate” sliders (or enter values in the adjacent fields).

Multi-pass

Apple Devices, MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Select this checkbox to turn on multi-pass encoding, which applies an additional analysis of video frames to produce a high-quality output file.

Include Dolby Vision 8.4 Metadata

Apple Devices, MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Select this checkbox to have Compressor include Dolby Vision 8.4 metadata in the output file.

Bit rate

Apple Devices

Select the Automatic checkbox to have Compressor calculate the appropriate bit rate for the output file, based on the frame size of the source file and device compatibility. If the checkbox is not selected, set the bit rate by dragging the slider or entering a value in the text field.

Frame sync

Apple Devices

Select the Automatic checkbox to have Compressor calculate the frame rate.

If the checkbox is not selected, drag the slider or enter a value in the text field to set the key frame interval at which you want keyframes created in your output file.

Allow frame reordering

MPEG-4, QuickTime Movie

Select this checkbox to potentially provide a better-quality output file by allowing Compressor to reorder video frames during transcoding.

Preserve alpha

QuickTime Movie

Select this checkbox to preserve any alpha channel information from your source file and pass the alpha channel to the output file.

Add clean aperture information

QuickTime Movie

Select this checkbox to define clean picture edges in the output file. This property adds information to the output file to define how many pixels to hide, ensuring that no artifacts appear along the edges. When you play the output file in QuickTime Player, the pixel aspect ratio is slightly altered. This process doesn’t affect the actual number of pixels in the output file—it only controls whether information is added to the file that a player can use to hide the edges of the picture.

Scale image to preserve aspect ratio

Image Sequence

Select this checkbox to scale the output files to use square pixels and maintain the original aspect ratio (which results in an increase or decrease in the number of horizontal and vertical pixels).

Compression

Image Sequence

Use this pop-up menu to choose an image compression method.

Color depth

Image Sequence

Use this pop-up menu to set the color depth of the output file.

YUV 422 color encoding

MPEG-2

Select this checkbox to use YUV 422 color encoding for superior chroma quality.

Start timecode

MXF

Use this pop-up menu to set a forced timecode start point for the output file. The Automatic option uses the default timecode of the source file (typically, 00:00:00:00). Other options set the timecode start to 1 hour or 10 hours.

Drop frame

MXF

Available when “Frame rate” is set to 29.97 fps or 59.94 fps and “Start timecode” is set to 00:00:00:00, 01:00:00:00 or 10:00:00:00. Select this checkbox to force the timecode to stay in sync with real-time duration during playback.