Apple Compressor 3 - Manual (Page 34)

Choosing an Output Format
Selecting the relevant playback platform (Apple Devices, DVD, web, CD, and kiosk) is the
first choice you need to make before you compress a source media file into a different
output format. Once you have decided on the platform, you can choose the appropriate
output format for that platform.
Choosing an output format is the first decision you need to make once you’ve decided
to transcode a source media file. You choose an output format based on the intended
playback method for the audience. Whatever the digital video format of your source
media file, you can transcode it using one of the many encoders supplied with Compressor.
Compressor gives you access to the following industry-standard formats, all of which
have their own particular attributes. (They are presented here in alphabetical order.)
• AIFF: Intended for audio use (including DVD or CD authoring). For more details on the
AIFF format, see Creating AIFF Files .
• Dolby Digital Professional: Also known as AC-3. Usually intended for DVD authoring.
For more details on the AC-3 format, see Creating Dolby Digital Professional Output
Files .
• DV Stream: Common format used for SD projects. See Creating DV Stream Output Files
for more information.
• H.264 for Apple Devices: Intended for creating video files suitable for playback using
iTunes, an iPod, and Apple TV. For more details on the H.264 for Apple Devices format,
see
Creating H.264 for Apple Devices Output Files .
• H.264 for Blu-ray: Intended for creating H.264 settings specifically configured for Blu-ray
Disc. For more details on the H.264 for Blu-ray Disc format, see Creating H.264 for Blu-ray
Disc
Note: Blu-ray output options are available only on computers that have Final Cut Studio
installed.
• H.264 for DVD Studio Pro: Intended for a variety of uses including HD-DVD. For more
details on the H.264 format, particularly for authoring HD-based DVDs, see Creating
H.264 for DVD Studio Pro Output Files .
• Image Sequence: Compatible with a wide range of compositing and image processing
applications. For more details see Creating Image Sequence Files .
• MP3: Intended for audio compression. The MP3 format creates audio files that are
compatible with a wide variety of playback devices. For more details on the MP3 format,
see
Creating MP3 Output Files .
• MPEG-1: Intended for Internet, CD-ROM, and specialized DVD use. For more details on
the MPEG-1 format, see Creating MPEG-1 Output Files .
• MPEG-2: Intended for standard and high definition DVD use. For more details on the
MPEG-2 format, see Creating MPEG-2 Output Files .
34 Chapter 3 The Basic Transcoding Workflow