Set retiming and resizing quality in Compressor
When you modify the timing, frame rate, or frame size of an applied or custom preset, you can choose the methods Compressor uses to retain quality in the transcoded file.
Note: If you modify the properties of an applied preset in the output row of a job, the modifications apply to only that output. If you modify the properties of a custom preset, your modifications are saved for future use.
In Compressor, select an applied or custom preset.
In the Quality section of the Video inspector, change any of the properties below.
Quality property
Description
Resize filter
Choose an option from this pop-up menu to set the resizing method:
Nearest Pixel (Fastest): Samples the nearest neighboring pixel when resizing an image. This option provides the fastest processing time, but it’s more likely to show aliasing artifacts and jagged edges.
Linear: Adjacent pixel values are averaged using a linear distribution of weights. Produces fewer aliasing artifacts than Nearest Pixel, with a small increase in processing time.
Gaussian: Adjacent pixel values are averaged using a Gaussian distribution of weights. This provides a medium trade-off between processing time and output quality.
Lanczos 2: Adjacent pixel values are averaged using a truncated sinc function. This option is slower than Gaussian but provides sharper results.
Lanczos 3: Similar to Lanczos 2 but averages more pixel values. This option is slower than Lanczos 2 but may produce better results.
Bicubic: Adjacent pixel values are averaged using a bicubic function. The processing time and output are most similar to Lanczos 2 and Lanczos 3.
Anti-aliased (Best): Provides the highest output quality, but can take substantially longer to process.
Retiming quality
Choose an option from this pop-up menu to set the retiming method:
Fast (Nearest Frame): Linearly interpolates frames using nearest-neighbor frames.
Good (Frame Blending): Blends neighboring frames using a filter to produce good-quality interpolation.
Better (Optical Flow): Uses optical flow to interpolate using areas of movement between neighboring frames to produce high-quality output.
Best (Machine Learning): Uses a bidirectional optical flow algorithm based on machine learning, resulting in reduced artifacts and better occlusion handling. This option requires a Mac with Apple silicon.
Reverse Telecine: Removes the extra fields added during the telecine process to convert the film’s 24 fps to NTSC’s 29.97 fps. See Use reverse telecine in Compressor.
Adaptive details
Select this checkbox to use advanced image analysis to distinguish between noise and edge areas during output.
Anti-aliasing level
Sets the softness level in the output image. Drag the slider to increase or decrease softness. This property improves the quality of conversions when you’re scaling media up. For example, when transcoding SD video to HD, anti-aliasing smooths jagged edges that might appear in the image.
Details level
Sets the amount of detail in the output image. Drag the slider to set the value. This sharpening control lets you add detail back to an image being enlarged. Unlike other sharpening operations, the “Details level” property distinguishes between noise and feature details, and generally doesn’t increase unwanted grain. Increasing this value may introduce jagged edges, however, which can be eliminated by increasing the “Anti-aliasing level” slider.
Dithering
Select this checkbox to add a certain type of noise to images to prevent large-scale distracting patterns such as color banding. If your image has excessive noise after rendering, deselect this checkbox.
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