Shooting video: Glossary

Editing software

If you have purchased video editing software or if your camera came with free editing software you should try that first. Alternatively, Windows and Mac computers both come with video editing software built in.

    • If you're using Windows: Use Windows Movie Maker (in Programs > Accessories). Note that the latest versions of Windows Movie Maker for Windows Vista do not support older analogue camcorders or webcams. If this affects you, please use the software supplied with your webcam or digitising hardware.
    • If you're on a Mac: Use iMovie.

Formats

We can accept files in most common formats, e.g. 3gp, wmv, mov, avi, mpg and mp4. It is not possible to upload raw DVD footage, you must first convert it into one of the accepted formats listed above. If your video is in one of the accepted formats and it isn't appearing on the site, please see our codec help.

Compression tips

Three main factors affect the final size of your file.

    1. Video resolution: Most camcorders record at 720x576 resolution or higher. When we convert your video for online display we resize it down to 320x240. If you're having trouble keeping your video within the 100MB limit, try resizing your video down to a smaller size.
    2. Duration: The file size of a video is proportional to its duration - typically a ten minute video will be twice the size of a five minute video. We recommend keeping your videos relatively short, usually less than five minutes is best.
    3. Compression: The method of compression you use has the greatest impact on file size. An uncompressed video can be up to 30MB per second, so virtually all digital video is compressed in some way or another. If you compress your video too much it will start to look blurred or blocky, so you need to find a compromise between quality and size. Usually saving your file at a 'bit rate' of 1Mbps to 2Mbps in WMV or MP4 format will result in a good compromise. You might have to go higher if saving your file in Quicktime (MOV) or AVI formats.

In Windows Movie Maker, keep an eye on the estimated space required. Keep it under 95MB to be safe. A bit rate of 1 to 2 Mbps is usually ideal.

Codecs

As well as a bewildering array of video format options, many of these formats offer multiple 'codecs' that define how the content in compressed. Windows AVI files in particular come in a wide variety of codecs. Some of these codecs are specific to certain makes of digital camera and may not be supported by our system. In this case, we recommend converting your video to another format using your editing software.

 
 
 
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