Delivery Deliver
The final step decides how the viewer sees the video. Codec, container, bitrate, colour tags and loudness all have to suit the destination — broadcast, cinema, YouTube and the archive each have different requirements.
- codecs
- containers
- compression
- bitrate
- streaming
- YouTube
- cinema
- broadcast
What this section answers
- What is the difference between a codec and a container?
- How much space does an hour of ProRes 422 HQ in 4K take up?
- What bitrate for YouTube?
- Which codec for editing and which for delivery?
Articles and tools
Quick reference
| resolution | 24 / 25 / 30 fps | 48 / 50 / 60 fps |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4K) | 35–45 Mb/s | 53–68 Mb/s |
| 1440p | 16 Mb/s | 24 Mb/s |
| 1080p | 8 Mb/s | 12 Mb/s |
| 720p | 5 Mb/s | 7.5 Mb/s |
According to YouTube Help: MP4 container, H.264 High Profile, 4:2:0, progressive scan, VBR; audio AAC-LC or Opus at 48 kHz.
Terms
- Codec
- An algorithm for compressing and decompressing picture or sound (H.264, ProRes, AV1…). More
- Container wrapper
- A file format that wraps video, audio, subtitles and metadata (MP4, MOV, MXF, MKV). A container is not a codec.
- Bitrate data rate
- The amount of data per second, typically in Mb/s. File size = bitrate × duration. More
- GOP group of pictures
- The group of frames between two key (I) frames. Long-GOP codecs store only the differences in between (P and B frames).
- Intra-frame all-intra
- Every frame is compressed on its own. Larger files, but easy decoding and precise editing on any frame.
- CBR / VBR constant / variable bitrate
- A constant bitrate keeps the same number of bits per second; a variable bitrate allocates them according to how demanding the picture is.
- DCP Digital Cinema Package
- A package of files for screening in a digital cinema according to the DCI specification. The picture is encoded in JPEG 2000.
In preparation
Topics we are working on. They are not published yet — we would rather have fewer pages, but verified ones.
- Exporting for YouTube and social media step by step
- Broadcast delivery: technical specifications and QC
- DCPs for cinema: what they contain and who makes them
- Archiving: master, mezzanine, checksums
- Subtitles: formats and standards
Sources for the tables
Checked .