YouTube offering higher quality video / Stage6 ends services!

[ricardouk]

Those two are not the same threads, and from what you're doing it is quite clear you did not read much there or you wouldn't be asking what you're asking..

i've posted on the wrong one, the title is similar

I think i've answered that, dont know why you're bringing that up, by mistake i posted on the wrong thread.

I never posted a bat to use with MeGUI.

what i said was:

by the way i wasnt able to run the bat you posted here using mencoder in megui

Maybe it was my english, i wrote about the script you posted that uses mencoder used by megui,

mencoder settings I've just linked to in several posts before this one.
These are copy-pasted from a recent bat-file I used:

"c:\megui\tools\mencoder\mencoder.exe" "s:\m_s448.avi" -o m_s.flv -mc 0 -ofps 25
-srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=2:q=8:aq=0:mode=1:lowpassfreq=16500
-ovc lavc -of lavf -lavfopts format=flv -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=300:keyint=200:
mbd=2:trell:v4mv:aic:cbp:last_pred=3:predia=4:dia=4:preme=2:vratetol=900:vpass=1

"c:\megui\tools\mencoder\mencoder.exe" "s:\m_s448.avi" -o m_s.flv -mc 0 -ofps 25
-srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=2:q=8:aq=0:mode=1:lowpassfreq=16500
-ovc lavc -of lavf -lavfopts format=flv -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=300:keyint=200:
mbd=2:trell:v4mv:aic:cbp:last_pred=3:predia=4:dia=4:preme=2:vratetol=900:vpass=2

i will apost about this in the other thread to avoid further confusions, if you could help me out...
https://forum.videohelp.com/topic336882-450.html#1831001

Plus, they've introduced a system that offers higher bitrate video only to users that actually *have* the bandwidth to view that bitrate smoothly...

what they offer is FLV(less quality) for slower connections when they could offer h264 at the same bitrate with increased quality. An increase from 350 to 500-600 kbit/s is quite reasonable in today's broadband world

i havent seen any studies on it, but i do travel a lot abroad and for a 600Kbit/s to stream without pausing you would definitely need a 1Meg connection and from what i seen that is not widely "available", but having the switch for high/low version will fix that, what i'm "against" is having flv for slower connection when we could have h264 at the same bitrate with a lot more quality.

Hope you can understand my reasoning.

[Denizzje]

Ive finally resolved the problems I had with the '&fmt=18' trick.....it never worked for me for any videos, only '&fmt=6' worked for me..............BUT just now I updated my flash player from the Macromedia website and guess what.....&fmt=18 works for me now

Why don't I get any credits .

(just kidding )

[wonderpierrot]

rajman, HQ link only runs the HQ flv mono, at least on my browser. It's &fmt18 stereo we want, right? For now I still have to append that. But before I assume it's universal, perhaps there are some HQ links that do give the h.264 version?

Seems like YouTube is making the HQ link switch to the HQ flv version only on all videos that have the option.

I believe someone stated earlier that the h.264 version was created solely for the iPhone and other portable players. That would seem very plausible IMO, since not all viewers can view the h.264 version on the site since they have an older version of flash (and YouTube hasn't put up any kind of notice for viewers to update their flash player to the latest version in order to view HQ videos).

[benrtc]

wonderpierrot wrote:

Seems like YouTube is making the HQ link switch to the HQ flv version only on all videos that have the option.

I'm curious, how does one get the option?

[zoobie]

the upload probably has to have a certain high bitrate to begin with. this way it can be displayed 2 ways. without a high bitrate, it would be impossible to offer low bitrate video as HQ...hence the option disappears

[Boulotaur2024]

No, it's not related to the bitrate since this video has a bitrate of 16Mbps but the High resolution button won't appear. It's a reaaaal mystery ; -)


edit : original size is 480x252 though, might explain why the HQ button doesn't show... Pure hypothesis, I'm sure it's a lot more complicated : )

[wonderpierrot]

I finally had two videos in a row have the HQ link appear, but they were both in 640 x 480 WMV 5Mps format. Had tried uploading a 640 x 480 H.264 mp4 out of Vegas earlier and had no luck with the HQ link (although I did immediately get both 6 and 18 format that I could append to the link). Also same occurrence with a DivX 640 x 480 5Mps.

I'll see if any new WMVs get the HQ link. Most my old videos were WMV, had a 6 and 18 format, but didn't receive the HQ link, weird...

[legendhouse]

I have spent the last 3 days trying every possible way of uploading to YouTube to get HQ. I don't believe it can be done right now. Nothing I have read anywhere works. I am using a New Sony HDR camera in 1080i and Sony Vegas 8. I can post on many other sites just fine. YouTube is messed up right now. I hope they fix the problem soon. I miss seeing Hotforwords clearly!

[benrtc]

I am having the same problem. Just started using virtualdub to do the deinterlacing and resizing so I thought it was on my end. I've tried one in vegas with x264 codec to see what happens. Had worked in the past just fine. HQ in stereo was OK with mp3 or pcm. How about QT? I can't find a freebee lossless to go from vegas (platinum 8) to QT. (edit: the emoticon shows when I wrote "platinum 8" followed by parenthesis - I don't use emoticons)

[Denizzje]

If you click on a video on the http://www.youtube.com/ frontpage you get rick rolled on every video you click. Anyone noticed that it automaticly goes to the HQ version?

[rajman]

If you click on a video on the http://www.youtube.com/ frontpage you get rick rolled on every video you click. Anyone noticed that it automaticly goes to the HQ version?

HAHA yehhh I saw it earlier today....than realised duhhhh its April! So the good old April fools day joke

[benrtc]

cheap - YT's wild audio compressor is riaa prophylactic, IMO. I dare them to remove it. I uploaded a ~2 minute clip with music from a ~5 minute track in 44.1KHz pcm. Yeah the audio is pumped, but without their "degrader" the track would be fairly high quality for your ipod. OTOH one can still encode their own flv in stereo. Notice how uploaded stereo flv's are converted to mono by the &fmt=18 version?

[bayme]

I have spent the last 3 days trying every possible way of uploading to YouTube to get HQ. I don't believe it can be done right now. Nothing I have read anywhere works.

It can be done. There are a few limitations when you want to achieve reasonable quality control;

- 480x360 pixel resolution preferred, 25 frames/sec.
(640x480, 576x432, 512x384 also quite possible)
- no more than 7 minutes of actual content.
- uncompressed 44.1 kHz wav audio all the way to the final encode

Add solid black to the end (you can do that using Vegas or Premiere or any free NLE)
so that the total length of your video is 10:59 (almost 11 minutes). You can even
put some end credits on it if you like, just keep it lightweight.

Resize (and if necessary letterbox) to 480x360 and then sharpen
using your favorite tool for that (Virtualdub, Avidemux, etc.)..

Keep your audio and video in lossless or uncompressed video all the way up to here.

Encode the end result with mencoder. Windows users can get their copy of mencoder here:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=205275&package_id=248631&release_id=575226
(most will want the file with "p4" in it for Pentium 4 and faster processors)
It's a 7zip file, can be unzipped with totalcommander and the 7zip plugin, or whatever you like to unzip it with.

You only need to unpack "mencoder.exe" somewhere (and remember the path to this file).

Use this to_flv.bat as an example:

"C:\YOUR_PATH_TO\mencoder.exe" "C:\YOUR_SOURCE_VIDEO.avi" -o RESULTING.flv -mc 0 -ofps 25 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=2:q=8:aq=0:mode=1:lowpassfreq=16000 -ovc lavc -of lavf -lavfopts format=flv -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=277:keyint=125:mbd=2
:trell:v4mv:aic:cbp:last_pred=3:predia=4:dia=4:preme=2:vratetol=1100:vpass=1
"C:\YOUR_PATH_TO\mencoder.exe" "C:\YOUR_SOURCE_VIDEO.avi" -o RESULTING.flv -mc 0 -ofps 25 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=2:q=8:aq=0:mode=1:lowpassfreq=16000 -ovc lavc -of lavf -lavfopts format=flv -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=277:keyint=125:mbd=2
:trell:v4mv:aic:cbp:last_pred=3:predia=4:dia=4:preme=2:vratetol=1100:vpass=2

Change value "vbitrate=277" to your likings!
Use MediaInfo to check the FLV bitrate average;
if it's 350 kbits/s or higher, lower vbitrate to match it to reach exactly 349 kbits/s

You can also change values
keyint=125, q=8, lowpassfreq=16000
to achieve a different end-result bitrate.

keyint=100 (a keyframe every 4 seconds)
keyint=150 (a keyframe every 6 seconds)

q=7 (higher bitrate audio-stream)
q=9 (lower bitrate audio-stream)

lowpassfreq=15000 (FM stereo quality range, causes lower rate)
lowpassfreq=19000 (human hearing range, causes higher audio rate)

mode=1 (joint stereo, best choice for lame vbr mp3 audio)
mode=3 (mono audio stream, lowers audio bitrate a little)


More mencoder options: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1.html


You can then upload your 349 kbits/s .flv file to YouTube and have the best quality plus some useless black ending

It's called the "padding" trick, but I thought I'd remind you it's still working out quite nicely.
Some examples done this way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9AeP7UFCn0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwkrpCqvcR0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UnQWdPhU8Y

Remember, the 349 kbit/s that mediainfo says it is, is spread over the entire duration of the video, including the non-moving low-requirement black ending. In reality, mencoder will get your content-part up to 1200 kbit/s video, depending on the duration of course.. Plus you have total control over the end result, and there's no messing with fmt links. Until YT changes its ways, this is what I will use.

[legendhouse]

Ever since the hexediting days ended, I have been adding black screen to my FLVs. 349 kbps as a max. It isn't working as good as it used to. I will try some of the things you said though.

[rajman]

I have spent the last 3 days trying every possible way of uploading to YouTube to get HQ. I don't believe it can be done right now. Nothing I have read anywhere works.

It can be done. There are a few limitations when you want to achieve reasonable quality control;

- 480x360 pixel resolution preferred, 25 frames/sec.
(640x480, 576x432, 512x384 also quite possible)
- no more than 7 minutes of actual content.
- uncompressed 44.1 kHz wav audio all the way to the final encode

Add solid black to the end (you can do that using Vegas or Premiere or any free NLE)
so that the total length of your video is 10:59 (almost 11 minutes). You can even
put some end credits on it if you like, just keep it lightweight.

Resize (and if necessary letterbox) to 480x360 and then sharpen
using your favorite tool for that (Virtualdub, Avidemux, etc.)..

Keep your audio and video in lossless or uncompressed video all the way up to here.

Encode the end result with mencoder. Windows users can get their copy of mencoder here:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=205275&package_id=248631&release_id=575226
(most will want the file with "p4" in it for Pentium 4 and faster processors)
It's a 7zip file, can be unzipped with totalcommander and the 7zip plugin, or whatever you like to unzip it with.

You only need to unpack "mencoder.exe" somewhere (and remember the path to this file).

Use this to_flv.bat as an example:

"C:\YOUR_PATH_TO\mencoder.exe" "C:\YOUR_SOURCE_VIDEO.avi" -o RESULTING.flv -mc 0 -ofps 25 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=2:q=8:aq=0:mode=1:lowpassfreq=16000 -ovc lavc -of lavf -lavfopts format=flv -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=277:keyint=125:mbd=2
:trell:v4mv:aic:cbp:last_pred=3:predia=4:dia=4:preme=2:vratetol=1100:vpass=1
"C:\YOUR_PATH_TO\mencoder.exe" "C:\YOUR_SOURCE_VIDEO.avi" -o RESULTING.flv -mc 0 -ofps 25 -srate 44100 -oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=2:q=8:aq=0:mode=1:lowpassfreq=16000 -ovc lavc -of lavf -lavfopts format=flv -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=277:keyint=125:mbd=2
:trell:v4mv:aic:cbp:last_pred=3:predia=4:dia=4:preme=2:vratetol=1100:vpass=2

Change value "vbitrate=277" to your likings!
Use MediaInfo to check the FLV bitrate average;
if it's 350 kbits/s or higher, lower vbitrate to match it to reach exactly 349 kbits/s

You can also change values
keyint=125, q=8, lowpassfreq=16000
to achieve a different end-result bitrate.

keyint=100 (a keyframe every 4 seconds)
keyint=150 (a keyframe every 6 seconds)

q=7 (higher bitrate audio-stream)
q=9 (lower bitrate audio-stream)

lowpassfreq=15000 (FM stereo quality range, causes lower rate)
lowpassfreq=19000 (human hearing range, causes higher audio rate)

mode=1 (joint stereo, best choice for lame vbr mp3 audio)
mode=3 (mono audio stream, lowers audio bitrate a little)


More mencoder options: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1.html


You can then upload your 349 kbits/s .flv file to YouTube and have the best quality plus some useless black ending

It's called the "padding" trick, but I thought I'd remind you it's still working out quite nicely.
Some examples done this way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9AeP7UFCn0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwkrpCqvcR0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UnQWdPhU8Y

Remember, the 349 kbit/s that mediainfo says it is, is spread over the entire duration of the video, including the non-moving low-requirement black ending. In reality, mencoder will get your content-part up to 1200 kbit/s video, depending on the duration of course.. Plus you have total control over the end result, and there's no messing with fmt links. Until YT changes its ways, this is what I will use.

I think that guy was saying how do you get the 'Watch this in higher quality' below video......it still looks that random videos get the HQ link (that were obviously encoded at high quality, resolution etc) Like I posted previously that finally I got the HQ link on my video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgGDKqTncEk after trying various settings.....but now the HQ link is gone?? I personally think that Youtube make sure the 'Popular' people (who are like famous on Youtube) get the HQ link always....e.g. Marina aka 'Hotforwords'...every single one of her videos get the HQ link, I just saw her new video that now had been uploaded 1 hour ago and its already got the HQ link, Ive used the exact same settings as her but no luck

Anyways ive been using the good old FLV trick for ages heres my new account I created 2 weeks ago (after last account got closed due to uploading movie trailers? that were so called 'copyrighted') http://www.youtube.com/RajmanHD Ive got over 80 videos and all in HIGH QUALITY

[legendhouse]

The videos paused on me a little bit but the sure looked good. I have posted a couple privately using the old flv with padding at 220 kbps and they still looked good enough and don't pause (usaually). I give up on the HQ link.

[benrtc]

I didn't know stereo started this early.
Just the intro part is in stereo and a little outro.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tr8ewXIfIEI&fmt=18
When did they actually start? I notice that most are after 1st week of March.

[benrtc]

Oh and another even earlier. Just the intro again. They simply didn't know or else they would have produced the entire vid in stereo.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UMugCUNW-9o&fmt=18

[bayme]

I didn't know stereo started this early.

You can check in this thread; They started making fmt 18 stereo March 8th.
Google is simply re-encoding ALL original content as long as they have it on their servers. If the old upload was stereo, it will now be stereo on format 18;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtCzapf12PM&fmt=18 (uploaded June 2006 but re-encoded yet again a few days ago, check inside the actual mp4 file: Encoded date : UTC 2008-04-03 00:18:06 !)

I'm mostly amazed they have the CPU/server-time available to do this repeatedly. Considering people are uploading new video constantly. Must be quite the energy-bill for YT/Google, that's for sure. 8)
I will not be surprised if they do yet one more re-encode of ALL formats 6 and 18 videos, after they've done some quality refinements and such, in, let's say, a month from now..

[Denizzje]

I am getting so sick of the &fmt=18 version pausing and refusing to load further. What is causing that? The fmt 18 version loads quite slow most of the time too...

[benrtc]

I wasn't paying close attention. I guess with Google they have the luxury. So I'll have to play my vids every now and then to see what improvements took place - the audio hopefully will improve.

[bayme]

I am getting so sick of the &fmt=18 version pausing and refusing to load further. What is causing that? The fmt 18 version loads quite slow most of the time too...

Yeah, their network pipes are used way over their capacity, obviously. And the connection breaking is caused by too many connections to the same server at the same time, with some over-sensitive configuration of webserver modules. I'm guessing it has to do with DDoS protection. They simply disallow a certain amount of packet transfers from those new servers to prevent worse, but they should change it a little fo sho!

[Navinfh]

hey guys am a newbie. also make short stories.

would you mind checking my video and suggest its quality. link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lqORS0Xb5I

I used megui. x264. total size 98.7mb. dunno i feel there's room for improvement. this is the best i can do. but am stumped at what to do. i wanna remove the bars!!

i mean i checked niuss 11 minute video out and his upload is 100mb and its pretty good for that length. mines only 5:54. ours is of similar quality i believe.

i've used tmpeg(pretty decent) and xillisoft(sucks sucks sucks) but megui seems to have the key for quality.

Rajman videos has excellent quality. but i need to get quicktime pro for that as he used it. is it not possible to reach rajman quality using megui??

gotta experiment more. would appreciate any help.

[hotforwords]

I've got a new one for you. As of the most recent YouTube maintenance upgrade... I cannot get my thumbnails to line up correctly.

Let me explain. YouTube allows you to pick one of 3 thumbnails from 25%, 50% and 75% .. now I do a frame count and calculate the thumbs that way.. to make sure I don't have a funny look in the thumbnail - and it's been 100% accurate.

Now I cannot get them to line up.. I am around 3-7 frames off. And I have to do a trial and error now for each new video.

Can any of you figure out why the frames no longer line up? Is YouTube adding some randomness into their algorithm? Or have they departed from the 30fps.. and maybe it's now 29.97?? Or is the final product something else?

Thanks for all your help by the way!

Marina - http://www.youtube.com/hotforwords

[wonderpierrot]

About the HQ link, I find myself having to use 8MBps WMV 640 x 480 in order for the link to appear underneath the video automatically. I tried 5MBps earlier but it didn't really work. This makes immensely huge files that takes centuries to upload, however it has worked on every video so far.

I also notice YouTube removing and re-adding the HQ link on and off, which is puzzling and quite annoying since I have to keep changing video descriptions when it's added and when it's removed. Why can't they start offering real HQ options to the regular YouTube users and not just the partners?

[hotforwords]

I get the HQ option no matter what Mbps I use... as long as I upload a 640x480 I am golden. I use either 2Mbps or 3Mbps. Of course I am a partner so maybe that makes my situation different... but I don't think it's based on the Mbps. I think it's only if it's 640x480 or not. My older videos that I uploaded at 320x240 are NOT available in HQ.

[reez]

hey they have a new hq button
http://image.bayimg.com/fajmcaabf.jpg

[Denizzje]

Looks like its too new for the Dutch version of youtube. It sometimes appear (but that is mostly when I put &fmt=18 in the adressbar), and it has no text.

[legendhouse]

This is odd. I posted a video on my other channel "Legendhousevids". It's a WMV 480x360 3mbps. Go watch it then type &fmt=6 in the URL and "watch" it again and "listen". The first part is slow motion so get passed there to see the change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXcVbsa9aF4

[atropine]

So the common consensus is that fmt=18 will be used exclusively for mobile devices?
But why give them stereo?

Is it thought that the music and film companies (who no doubt youtube liase with) have given the OK for compressed stereo for mobile devices believing the degrading of audio via compression makes it less of a threat, but why give them stereo at all? Maybe Apple and the like want to show of their gadgets.

But if fmt=18 is destined for mobile devices why are they encoded at 600kbit/s ? No phone network in the technological backwater that is USA can deliver that sort of speed, in 3G countries no network can provide that sort of bandwidth. in 3.5G (HSDPA)countries, the networks can output that sort of bandwidth, but not reliably, (and tbere's no such thing as a HSDPA iphone). So there's only wifi left, and I don't think you can rely on coffee shops etc being able to deliver 600kbit/s.

So if this Apple/youtube deal does relate to these 600kbit/s .mp4 videos, you're not going to be able to watch them many places on your iphone. There's got to be more to this. What's the bet that you guys have only found the highest bitrate version of the mp4's and there's a whole lot of lower bandwidth versions of the same video out there too, and you get served the bitrate your wireless mobile device can handle.