Video quality is crucial for engaging your audience and delivering your message effectively. However, you may face some challenges when you want to ensure that your videos look great across different devices and browsers. In this article, we will share some tips on how to maintain video quality and avoid common pitfalls.
One of the first steps to maintain video quality is to choose the right format and codec for your videos. A format is the container that holds the video and audio data, while a codec is the algorithm that compresses and decompresses the data. Different formats and codecs have different advantages and disadvantages in terms of file size, quality, compatibility, and performance. For example, MP4 is a widely supported format that can use different codecs, such as H.264, H.265, or VP9. H.264 is a popular codec that offers good quality and compression, but it may not be optimal for high-resolution or high-frame-rate videos. H.265 and VP9 are newer codecs that can achieve better quality and compression, but they may not be supported by older devices or browsers.
Understand the channel you are sending the video on. Do you need a video sending platform or can you send a raw MP4 clip? How long can it be? LinkedIn messenger I send raw MP4 clips under 2 minutes if we are connected. They can watch the video in their linkedin channel. Huge conversion!
Another important factor that affects video quality is the resolution and bitrate of your videos. The resolution is the number of pixels that make up the image, while the bitrate is the amount of data that is transferred per second. Higher resolution and bitrate mean higher quality, but also larger file size and more bandwidth consumption. To optimize the resolution and bitrate of your videos, you need to consider the target device and browser, the viewing environment, and the content of your videos. For example, if you are producing videos for mobile devices, you may not need to use very high resolution, as the screen size is smaller and the viewers may not notice the difference. However, if you are producing videos for desktop or TV screens, you may want to use higher resolution to avoid pixelation and blurriness. Similarly, if you are producing videos for web streaming, you may want to use adaptive bitrate, which adjusts the bitrate according to the network conditions and the viewer's preferences.
The final step to maintain video quality is to test and preview your videos on different devices and browsers before you publish them. This will help you identify any issues or errors that may affect the quality or functionality of your videos. For example, you may find that your videos are not playing properly on some browsers, or that they are too dark or too bright on some screens. You can use various tools and platforms to test and preview your videos, such as online video players, emulators, simulators, or actual devices. You can also use analytics and feedback tools to monitor the performance and satisfaction of your viewers.
Make sure you’re using the right monitor! TN monitors with personalized image settings and night shift mode turned on are the best devices to ruin your output content. And rapidly you’ll be surpried that it was not the way your were looking at it while editing. Calibrated IPS monitors with the correct color space due to your projects will be your real friends avoiding the color issues.
As an editor, it's sometimes forgotten that your hearing loses sensitivity throughout the day. It's helpful to come back the next day and play projects on different devices (computer/phone/etc) that have different audio outputs. Certain times highs and lows can be wildly different between devices. One time, a harmonica sound on a desktop which was barely audible at the end of the day sounded like an annoying mosquito on a laptop the next day. Refresh, take a walk, and view your project with fresh eyes and ears as a final check-up.