LowEndBoxTV: Piotr's Video Encoding Course, Part 2: Constant vs. Variable Bitrates, Tools, Tips, and More

Dec 08, 2023 @ 11:50 am

In Part 1, I explored what the heck a codec is, the difference between H.264, VP8, VP9, H.265, and AV1, compression, and more. Now let’s continue and talk about bitrate, video artifacts, constant vs variable bitrates, and helpful tips and tools.

What I cover:

What is ‘bitrate’?
Video artifacts and what causes them
Methods of assigning bitrate
When you should use “constant bitrate”
When you should use “variable bitrate”
When you should use “constant rate factor”
Encoder “presets” that you’d find in Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, etc.
How to find best preset & bitrate/CRF & codec combination
A tool that will save your time (ab-av1)
Example script for ab-av1
How I used this tool to do one week job in one hour.
The meaning of VMAF score
Encoding ladder
Software vs Hardware encoder

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Piotr

I’m Piotr, the creator behind the camera at LowEndBoxTV, where I produce engaging, informative, and hands-on video content for the global hosting and infrastructure community. Whether I’m benchmarking the latest low-cost VPS offerings, breaking down complex technical concepts, or producing full-length tutorials and walkthroughs, I aim to make hosting knowledge both accessible and enjoyable.

My goal is to bring the core LowEndBox philosophy, performance, affordability, transparency, to life through video. From first-time setup guides to deep dives into virtualization, networking, and control panels, I’m always in the lab working on the next video to help you get more out of your infrastructure.

🎥 You can find all my content on the LowEndBoxTV YouTube channel, where we’re building a new kind of media hub for developers, sysadmins, and anyone passionate about DIY hosting. I’m also on LowEndTalk (@AXYZE)