Apple Compressor 2 - Manual (Page 27)

Chapter 2 The Basic Transcoding Workflow 27
A typical Compressor transcoding process consists of the following components:
 Source media file: The transcoding process always starts with a source media file,
which is the file intended for transcoding in its original form. Source media files are
always one of the following:
 Movies: Containing video, audio, and other data (such as markers)
 Stills: Used as part of a sequence of still images for certain video productions
 Setting: Once you have imported your source media file, you must assign one or
more settings to it before it becomes a job. A setting is a combination of transcode
attributes, such as output format, filter, and geometry settings, that are applied to
the source media file during the transcoding process.
 Output (file) format: The encoder you choose to convert your source media file.
Choose one of the following output formats based on the intended playback
method and environment of your transcoded media files: AIFF, Dolby Digital
Professional, H.264 for HD DVD, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, QuickTime Export
Components, QuickTime Movie, or TIFF.
 Filters: Allow you to adjust different characteristics of your video such as color,
brightness, and sharpness, to maximize your video quality as the file is compressed.
 Geometry settings: Allow you to crop the image and adjust its frame size.
 Actions settings: Allow you to send email notifications and execute post-
transcoding tasks using AppleScripts.
 Destination: A destination also needs to be assigned to the source media file. This is
the location where your transcoded media file is stored. You can either use the
default destination called Source (the same folder the source media file is in), or you
can designate any location to which you have full access.
 Job: Once you assign one or more settings and a destination to the source media
file, it becomes a job, and is ready to be transcoded.
 Batch: A batch consists of one or more jobs located in the Batch table. All jobs
contained within the batch are submitted collectively when you click the Submit
button. These jobs are then cleared from the Batch table.
 Output media file: The transcoded media files created after the batch is submitted
and processed are called output media files. An output media file is the result of a
successfully transcoded source media file (containing one setting and destination).
You can create as many output media files as there are different settings applied to
the various source media files in the batch.