<![CDATA[Settings - Knowledgebase Articles]]> <![CDATA[What QuickTime components do I need to use with Turbo.264 HD?]]>
AVCHD Video
QuickTime
AVI
DV
WMV
MPEG-1
MPEG-2 Program/Transport Stream
MPEG-4
MP4
M4V
H.263
H.264 AVC
XVID
VIDEO_TS and many more.

Certain formats will require the installation of an extra QuickTime component, to use the video with QuickTime Player, Turbo.264 HD, or other applications on your Mac.

WMV needs a component like Flip4Mac.
XVID,  3IVX and DIVX need a component like DIVX or Perian.

XviD_Codec 1.0 alpha.component is not recommended for use with Turbo.264 HD, and may cause errors.  Perian is a better choice.

]]> <![CDATA[What are some useful custom settings for Turbo.264 HD?]]>
Two reasons to change these settings are if you want to maximize the video quality, or if you want to get a higher resolution for Apple TV.

Maximum Video Bitrate

Turbo.264 HD has presets like HD 720p and HD 1080p that have a maximum video bit rate of 10Mbps.

You can use a Custom profile setting, to go beyond that level.   The highest bitrate that the software will accept is 20Mbps (20000kbps).  If you enter that, then Turbo.264 HD will use variable encoding to select a level somewhat below that, but above the usual 10Mbps cap.

For 1080p, this may give you an effective bitrate of about 15-17Mbps - it depends on the original footage.




Apple TV Export (720p)


The Apple TV hardware can't play the usual HD video files that are broadcast over antenna or cable.  It has a maximum of 720p, 24 frames per second (fps), with a fairly low bitrate (up to 5Mbps).

Normal Turbo.264 HD exports to Apple TV are 960 by 540 resolution, at least in North America.  To go beyond that level, you can create a custom preset in Turbo.264 HD.



This setting (Apple TV, 1280 by 720, 4500kbps) is something that can work - it will display the "HD" badge in the Apple TV interface.   You can use these settings for source material that's 1080p, 1080i, and 720p - the output will always be 720p.

]]> <![CDATA[Can Turbo.264 HD export video for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360?]]>
iPod Small
iPhone
iPod Best
Apple TV
Sony PSP
YouTube
YouTube HD
HD 720p
HD 1080p

Files made with most of these presets can play on a PlayStation 3 (PS3) or Xbox 360.   The YouTube and YouTube HD presets are an exception, since they only send files directly to YouTube, and don't leave copies on your hard drive.

For example, if you export video using the HD 720p or HD 1080p presets, and place it on a portable hard drive or USB thumb stick, then you can connect that drive to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 for instant playback at full resolution.

If your console allows you to copy files from portable hard drives to its internal hard drive (like the PS3), then you can store Turbo.264 HD content on your console for later playback.

Xbox 360 users may need to (re)download a file from Xbox Live, for MPEG-4 support - the latest version will support HD files made by Turbo.264 HD.  You will be prompted to download that file, if necessary, when you first attempt to play Turbo.264 HD content on the Xbox 360.
]]> <![CDATA[What are the differences between Turbo.264 and Turbo.264 HD?]]>
Turbo.264 HD is an advanced H.264 encoder, that is similar in some ways to Turbo.264.

Turbo.264 HD has more software features, faster encoding, and can produce up to 1080p HD content.


Software Support


Turbo.264 cannot work with Turbo.264 HD software.

Turbo.264 HD cannot work with the original Turbo.264 software.

Each hardware unit will need to use the special software application it came with.

Turbo.264 HD software comes with an activation key that is required for it to function.


System Requirements


Turbo.264 can work with both PowerPC and Intel Macs.

Turbo.264 HD is for Intel Macs only, and needs OS X 10.5.6 or greater.


USB Connection


Both Turbo.264 and Turbo.264 HD require an USB 2.0 connection.  They work best with a powered USB 2.0 hub, or an USB 2.0 port that was built into a Mac at the factory.

Turbo.264 and Turbo.264 HD cannot function on the same Mac at the same time.  Only one can be used for encoding at a time.


Maximum Resolution


Turbo.264 is an USB device that can assist in encoding to the H.264 format.  It has a maximum resolution of 800 by 600, and can stretch that anamorphically to 960 by 540 for use with Apple TV.

Turbo.264 HD is an USB device that can assist in encoding to the H.264 format.  It has a maximum resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p).  


Maximum Encoding Speed


Turbo.264 has a maximum speed that is determined by the H.264 encoding chip it uses.  It does not use as much CPU as possible.

Turbo.264 HD leverages the speed of the Mac it's attached to - the faster the Mac, the faster it can export.  It uses as much CPU as necessary - the amount varies depending on the Mac model.

For every video file, Turbo.264 HD should encode at the same rate or faster than the original Turbo.264.  The larger the resolution of the output file, the larger the encoding difference.


Export Format Presets


Turbo.264 has the following export format presets:

iPod Small
iPhone
iPod Best
Apple TV
Sony PSP
YouTube

Turbo.264 has those same presets, plus some additional ones:

iPod Small
iPhone
iPod Best
Apple TV
Sony PSP
YouTube
YouTube HD
HD 720p
HD 1080p

Turbo.264 HD also offers many more custom preset options than Turbo.264.


Application Support


Both applications install a special QuickTime component on your Mac, at this location:

Hard Drive/Library/QuickTime

In general, all applications are free to use the Turbo QuickTime component, once it is installed on a Mac. Some applications may need to be slightly updated, so that they can call upon Turbo.264 or Turbo.264 HD via QuickTime.

Custom export format presets made with Turbo.264 HD can be accessed via this QuickTime component, in other applications.   This is not true with Turbo.264.


Camera Support


Turbo.264 cannot detect any video cameras that are connected to your Mac.

Turbo.264 HD can detect many AVCHD cameras that are connected to your Mac.  It can take video files directly from cameras and encode them to H.264, maintaining HD resolutions.


Built-In Editor


Turbo.264 does not have a built-in editor.

Turbo.264 HD has a built in editor, used to select what sections of each video file you wish to export to H.264.



Game Console Support


Turbo.264 exports do not always work with a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360

Turbo.264 HD exports do work with a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.  For example, a HD 1080p export will play on the PS3 or Xbox 360, from an USB thumb drive.

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