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Question

Output file size bigger than source

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
September 6, 2020
4 replies
6440 views

I'm not new at Premiere Pro editing or exporting but this is something I can't deal with and I need some kind of advice or help getting this the right way using AME or some third-party plugin for exporting MP4 files in premiere with more settings or x264 options.

Im editing a video in premiere which the SOURCE clip has this info (using MediaInfo)

SOURCE INFO:

Complete name : ....\2020-09-04 17-23-04.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 1.13 GiB
Duration : 45 min 17 s
Overall bit rate : 3 573 kb/s

And after editing (its just cut, nothing else), I export using AME, both a preset I have and Match Source. And the file ends up being like this:

OUTPUT FILE:

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (mp42/mp41)
File size : 1.38 GiB
Duration : 44 min 24 s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 4 452 kb/s

.... Notice how the size its slightly bigger and its duration its shorter, and the bitrate is greater. BUT the thing is that I notice an incredible reduce in quailty in the output version, and If I want to maintain the same quality as the source file I need to increase the bitrate up to 10mbps and the output file size ends up being like 4.5 Gigs and thats almos 4 times bigger than the Source File using THE SAME Encoding settings (the settings that AME and Premiere lets me change, though).

Now, the SOURCE file was recorded using OBS. MP4 VBR @ 15mbps target. But it sometimes went lower than 1 mbps because the footage is mostly dark color and it has letterboxing.

The settings in obs are as follows:

Format: MP4

Encoder: x264

Custom Muxer Settings: None

Rate Control: VBR

Bitrate: 15.000 Kbps

CRF: 18

CPU: veryfast

Profile: high

Tune: filml

x264 options: -level 4

These settings are really good considering file size/quality. But when handled by premiere are trash beacuse it ignores the original settings of the source and renders at another kind of bitrate that makes the file incredibly big than it was.

Anyone knowns if there is any third party plugin or any hidden option in premiere to clone the settings from OBS to Premiere?

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TL;DR: We need more export settings in premiere to avoid bigger-than-source output file size.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Christian.Z

Community Expert

so, are you comparing Premiere and OBS? or is the source file coming from OBS?

Jeff Bugbee

Community Expert

Transcoding is a lossy process. You will always lose quality when you transcode. Yes, upping the bitrate can help (as you've found out).

What are your Premiere export settings? A screenshot of the export window would be great.

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

yes transcoding is a "lossy" process, but this loss is not always visible if you're doing it properly. And transocding to a format that is a non-mpeg format like one of the high quality flavors of prores will speed up editing and the export process.

to the other post, we've seen many, many people here reporting variable frame rate files from screen recording programs causing problems. Did you check your files in media-info or are you relying on an OBS preference? whether or not variable frame rate sources effect the quality, they do effect premiere... The adobe team is working on this, but in the meantime, just a cursory review of the last months posts here shows how converting files from vbr to cfr solves many, many issues.

Ann Bens

Community Expert

Checking image quality loss:

superimpose exported file over original timeline; set blending mode to Difference.

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

OBS files usually have a variable frame rate and that can be the source of all sorts of problems. It's hard to predict when it will happen and what will happen.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro/faq-issues-with-screen-recorded-footage-in-premiere-pro/...

Use MediaInfo to determine if your source files are variable frame rate

https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download

and if they are (and they probably are) use handbrake to convert to a constant frame rate

https://handbrake.fr

and here's a tutorial on how to use handbrake

MARIANCEAuthor

Known Participant

Sorry but you didn't even read my post. All the information that you describe is already there. it is Variable Frame Rate, and I DO NOT have any issues with OBS recordings, it's premiere horrible encoding that makes files way bigger and lowers the quality.

MARIANCE

M

Michael Grenadier

Legend

yes I did read your post. Where does it say variable frame rate? It does say VARIABLE BIT RATE which is not the same thing. You may not have issues with variable frame rate files, but Premiere does. Perhaps if you'd take the time to review the links I sent you, you'd be on the way to solving your problem.

MARIANCEAuthor

Known Participant

ADDING THIS SEPARATELY:

These are the Encoding settings on the source file according to mediainfo:

" Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=1 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.15 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=18 / lookahead_threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=10 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=18.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=18000 / vbv_bufsize=18000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00 "

These settings ARE NOT in premiere final output.

MARIANCE

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