Help! I have no idea! Crappy quality from iMovie to youtube.

[michaelv03]

Hi,

I have the following issue: I uploaded a video into my I-movie. When I watch it in I-movie, the quality is crystal clear. When I want to upload it to Youtube, the quality is pretty bad. I do know that Youtube compresses video so the quality is always a bit worse, however, in this case the quality is MUCH worse: the video is slightly blurry and just not clear/ sharp.

Trouble is; I do not know what camera was used to film the footage, nor do I know what the original movie format was.
When I want to download it onto my MAC using the 'export movie' function, it only allows me to to do so in medium (640 x 360), small or tiny format.

If I want to upload it to YOUTUBE I get the same choices.

When I did export the movie to my MAC using Quicktime and then watch it in Quicktime it still does not look as clear as in I-movie. As mentioned, in Youtube, it gets even worse.

How can I get at nearly the same quality in Youtube as I get in I-movie?

[Baldrick]

I changed your thread title and moved you to our mac section.

[Baldrick]

Can you post any short youtube sample?

[SERBIAN]

From Share menu in iMovie choose "Export using Quick Time..." .. Standard QuickTime export dialog will pop-up .. For Export: select "Movie to QuickTime Movie" and click "Options..." Movie Settings dialog will pop-up where you can fine tune your export settings .. For Video select H.264 and set it something like this:



For audio track set it as AAC .. When you finish setting the video and audio "Movie Settings" should look like this:



You'll get your movie exported in very good quality .. Then navigate to your YouTube account and upload it via your web browser ..

[michaelv03]

Hi Serbian!

Thank you so very much for taking the time to explain everything so clearly and also adding screen shots, I really really appreciate the effort. I have followed your advice step by step and it worked great! I will keep your instructions for future reference and will always do it like that, for every video.

Again - thank you very much!!!
All the best

michaelv03

[SERBIAN]

Cheers on that.. I'm glad everything worked out for you as you expected

[Baldrick]

Great!

But what is the default settings in imovie? Worst possible quality. .

[SERBIAN]

It depends on what you choose for exporting .. It has several options and I dont know why it gives only small or medium option to michaelv03 .. Maybe he did not set something like it should .. Anyhow the default exporting format is H.264, but it is safest and best to use method as I described above .