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General
HD Compression
- HD-DVD and Blu-ray disc
Video for Web
Digital File Delivery
- DigiDeliveryTM
- Hard Drive
- FTP
Media Management
Video Game Capture
Professional Consultation
Glossary/Codec Library
Additional Resources
Compression is a process that reduces the file size by removing redundancies. For us, it is the art and science of creating the highest quality compressed media for each unique application.
We accept media delivered on videotape, CD, DVD, or hard drive. Source files can be sent via DigiDelivery, or secure FTP uploads/downloads. If you prefer, we can ship a hard drive to transfer your files to and return to us.
We accept the following video tape formats:
HDCAM
D5 HD
DVCPro HD
DVCPro 50
DVCPro 25
Digital Betacam
BetacamSP
DVCAM
MiniDV
and others
We offer video and audio compression in a variety of codecs from High Definition to mobile devices and everything in between. Using software and hardware from Rhozet, Telestream, Digital Rapids, and others we create a custom-tailored profile for your specific needs to produce the highest quality compression. For High Definition, we recommend Windows Media (VC1) or Quicktime H.264 (AVC). For everything else, we are experts at Flash, Real, Windows Media, Quicktime, and offer Hollywood-quality MPEG-2 compressions for DVD.
Yes. Many clients lack the hardware, software and expertise to create files that look good. We have the experience and tools so that we can guide you through the process for the best results. Please call for more information.
We offer credit card processing for individual transactions for your convenience, or we can set up a Net-30 day account with approved credit.
We believe that no single software or hardware is the best at everything, so we employ a variety of professional tools to utilize the unique features of each. We are proud to feature software and hardware from Rhozet, Digital Rapids, and Telestream.
Absolutely. We know this business – give us a call and we will help you meet your deadline with quality and confidence.
No order is too small or too large. Our operation is built with scaling in mind and we work around the clock. Our servers allow us to load balance and push through even the biggest jobs in a timely fashion with complete quality control. Large volume and multi-format discounts are available, please contact us.
Every project that comes to Compression Group gets logged into its own secure folder that is accessible only by the technician assigned to the job. We offer Non-Disclosure Agreements to our clients and are happy to review and sign yours.
Every second of video is broken up into frames and each frame gets compressed individually. Certain compression schemes are more complex than others – which means they take more time to compress.
DigiDelivery is a server installed at Compression Group that allows users to transfer large files over the internet very quickly and securely, and is extremely easy to use.
Traditionally, transferring files over the internet has been done by attaching them to an e-mail or using FTP client software, but these methods can be slow, unreliable and not secure. DigiDelivery uses a unique method of encrypting, compressing, and quickly transferring files that is much faster than FTP, and has very large (16 GB) size limit. In the case of a lost connection, DigiDelivery re-establishes contact and picks up the transfer from where it left off rather than starting over again, as an FTP transfer would.
Using DigiDelivery is as simple as writing an e-mail and attaching a file to it. To receive a file, you must download the free client application. Once installed, click the link in the e-mail you'll receive and delivery begins. To send a file, open the DigiDelivery program, select New Delivery, add files, list recipients, type a brief message, and click Send.
DigiDelivery is manufactured by Digidesign, a division of Avid and the maker of ProTools, and is closely integrated into each product line. Anyone can download and install the free client software on their Mac or PC.
Sending files requires a user account on DigiDelivery. There are two types of accounts: Standard and Guest. Standard accounts can send to anyone including Guests, while Guests are limited to sending to Standard users.
If your source files are too large to fit onto a DVD or host on an FTP server, we can ship you a 500GB hard drive overnight. It supports triple interface (FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB) and we can format it for Windows or Mac. Each drive will be shipped in a protective hard case with a self-addressed FedEx shipping form. When the files are transferred, just drop it off at the nearest FedEx location. (1-800-GoFedEX or via the FedEx web site)
Shipping fees may be waived for large quantity orders. Contact us to find out if you qualify.
We can download your source files from your FTP server and push the completed files back. You can also push the source files onto our server and download the completed files from there.
Please contact us to arrange this.
Take your HD footage anywhere you go, wherever you need it.
Compression group has years of experience in HD compression. We can work with just about any HD tape or file format. Whether you have HDCAM, D5, DVCPRO-100, or HDV assets, Compression Group has the right tools to put your content into the right format for your application. Whether you need high definition video to be projected at a corporate event, made small enough to load onto your iPod, or anywhere in between, we've done it. Our Digidelivery service lets you send and receive HD content anywhere, anytime.
Compression Group is proud to be a part of a Microsoft Preferred HD Production Facility. We have produced content for numerous Xbox 360 titles as well as web-deliverable feature film trailers in HD. Our clients rely on our expertise in HD compression for on-time delivery of their mission-critical content.
With more and more high definition video being produced, video compression is an increasingly important component of the production cycle. We currently offer HD compression in MPEG-2, h.264, and WMV HD (VC-1). Send us your master tapes (D-5 HD, HDCAM, DVCPro 100), or high quality source files (i.e. uncompressed QT, uncompressed AVI, etc.) for excellent results.
See Demo
DVD
We offer high-quality hardware encoding and professional menu design and authoring for standard definition DVD. Whether you’re a veteran producer or a novice to the process of converting your video to DVD, we have the tools and experience necessary to help you make the right choices for your project. We offer incredibly fast turnaround for disc duplication and work closely with partners in disc replication for larger "retail-ready" product runs. Whether you need 50 or 50,000 DVDs, we can help. Contact us for a custom quote.
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray represents the next generation in optical media. Offering up to six times the resolution of standard definition DVD, this new format delivers beautiful HD video and crystal-clear audio in the familiar DVD form factor. With up to 10 times the storage capacity of a single-layer DVD, Blu-ray is capable of delivering far more content than standard definition DVD as well as advanced navigational features which were only hinted at in the first-generation optical video discs. Call or e-mail us today for a quote or the latest developments in Blu-ray Disc.
Video is everywhere. It's in theaters, on billboards, web sites and mobile devices. Anyone can easily and quickly shoot, edit and post a video. But how does it get there? The answer is video compression.
Never before have users had access to so much video content in so many different places or in so many different flavors. This new frontier can only be tamed through the art and science of compression. The goal is the smallest possible files that maintain the quality of the original source.
There are many different types of compression. Each type, or codec, has numerous parameters that can be adjusted to compress a file. However, a given set of parameters used in different codecs may yield drastically different results. It all depends on the algorithms used to achieve a certain type of file. Some codecs are better than others (in other words, more efficient) at compressing files for a particular usage. The major codec families (Quicktime, Windows Media, and Real Media, to name a few) each have their own particular strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, it is all about finding the proper balance between desired file size and fidelity to the integrity of the original media.
See Demo
The science of compression involves reducing the amount of data needed to convey a particular piece of information. The art of compression is determining the best balance between quality and file size for a given situation.
It is often the case that the final delivery format determines the workflow for a project. For example, if your project calls for MPEG-2 HD deliverables you would plan on shooting, editing and finishing in HD. Sometimes the ideal workflow and is not always practical for budgetary or other reasons. However, there is usually a solution to overcome limitations and Compression Group can guide you along the path from source to deliverables.
Compression Group provides consultation on:
- SD and HD Workflow Design – Compression Group is a division of Rough House Editorial, one of the largest post-production facilities in Northern California. We're involved in wide range of film and video projects throughout the entire production cycle. Our experience allows us to accurately assess and analyze projects to determine a tailored workflow for optimum solutions.
- Video Compression Ranging From Mobile Device to HD – The destination of your video content plays a major role in selecting a strategy for timely delivery. Unlike the real-time nature of tape-to-tape transfers, compressions can be shorter than real-time, real-time, or longer than real time. It all depends on the destination format. Compression Group can help you choose the file format that best suits your delivery requirements, whether you are working with a very broad range of delivery options, like posting files of various codecs to your web site, or dealing with a very narrow delivery specification for a proprietary video file server.
- Optimum Distribution Method of Your Video – Whether you need to delivery a group of files to a single recipient or to dozens of viewer around the world, Compression Group can offer solutions that meet your budget and deadline. When we consult with you on a video compression project, we will work with you to create deliverables and a delivery method to suit your needs. Whether you need a DVD of assets sent overnight or an MPEG-4 file delivered electronically to ten different departments in ten different locations, we can help you to get the job done.
Contact us to get started
Compression Group's media management service is a robust, convenient and secure way to organize and access your source materials and compressions. This service is ideal for large projects involving multiple tapes/files. It is also the perfect solution for long-term projects involving multiple revisions or multiple compressions.
Media management is very important in any video project. Having your tapes and files stored safely and in such a manner that they can be easily located and referenced can make the difference between meeting your deadline and missing it. Our library of physical media allows you to sort, store and track your tapes and hard drives. All movement in or out of the library is logged in our database. Through DigiDelivery and FTP servers you can have secure access to your source files and compressions anywhere you have a connection to the internet. Your files are stored in clearly labeled folders and can be sub-categorized to best suit your project.
Contact us for details
Live-play demos for video game trailers and commercials have been a part of video production since the first generation game platforms hit the market. However, getting footage from a console to a format that is suitable for editing, broadcast or web distribution is not always a simple operation. At Compression Group, we have the tools and the experience to capture footage from all of the major game platforms, as well as from Mac and Windows machines, and prepare it for your project.
Designed for delivery and playback over high speed wireless networks on mobile multimedia devices such as cell phones.
The ratio of length to height of pictures. Standard television is 4:3, and widescreen is 16:9. Feature films often use 1.85:1, 2.35:1, and others.
Contains difference information of the following I-frame and/or P-frame.
In digital multimedia, bitrate is the number of bits used per unit of time to represent a continuous medium such as audio or video after compression. In telecommunication and computing, bitrate is the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time. Bit rate is often used as synonym to the terms connection speed, transfer rate, and digital bandwidth capacity of a communication system.
(COmpresoor/DECompressor) The technology used to compress and play back video/audio.
A codec based on MPEG-4 Part 2 developed by DivX, Inc. – not to be confused with DIVX, an unrelated attempt at a new DVD rental system by Circuit City in the 1990’s.
(Digital Rights Management) The technology used to control access to technology licensed users. Offered by various vendors, including Microsoft, DivX and Apple.
(Group of Pictures) A group of successive MPEG frames within a MPEG-coded video. Each MPEG-coded video consists of successive GOPs. From the MPEG pictures contained in it the visible frames are generated. GOP can include I, P and B frames.
a.k.a. Advanced Video Coding (AVC) or MPEG-4 Part 10. One of the codec supported by HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, this codec is noted for achieving very high data compression. H.264 offers many features including, Variable Block-size Motion Compensation (VBSMC), Lossless Macroblock coding, and Spatial prediction from the edges of neighboring blocks for "intra" coding.
(High Definition) Image format with resolution higher than 720 vertical lines of resolution are usually considered HD.
A keyframe in a MPEG stream. I-frames is self-contained. It corresponds to a fixed image and is independent of other picture types.
A method of capturing/displaying video in which each frame consists of two fields. As each frame is scanned onto a display, such as a television screen, first one field then the other is shown. The second field consists of scan lines that fall in between the first field’s scan line, hence the term ‘interlaced’.
Acronym for “Kilobits per second”
A type of codec that preserves all of the information contained within the original file. Some popular lossless codec are: Huffyuv, Lagarith, and Animation codec.
A type of codec that discards some data contained in the original file.
Acronym for “Megabits per second”
A QuickTime based codec that is not uncompressed but can be suitable to edit or compress from.
A working group of ISO/IEC charged with the development of video and audio compression/decompression standards.
Original MPEG format used commonly in Video CD (VCD) and includes the popular Layer 3 (MP3) audio compression format. At present MPEG-1 is the most compatible format in the MPEG family; it is playable in almost all computers and VCD/DVD players. One big disadvantage of MPEG-1 video is that it supports only progressive pictures, which was addressed in MPEG-2.
MPEG-2 is typically used to encode audio and video for broadcast signals, including direct broadcast satellite and Cable TV. MPEG-2, with some modifications, is also the coding format used by standard commercial DVD movies. Supports interlaced frames.
New and hugely improved version of MPEG with enhanced support for low bitrate encoding, streaming, and compression efficiency with support for DRM (Digital Rights Management). Several new higher efficiency video standards are included notably:
- MPEG-4 Part 2. Includes popular Advanced Simple Profile.
- MPEG-4 Part 10 (a.k.a. AVC - Advanced Video Coding or H.264). One of the codecs supported by HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs, along with VC-1 and MPEG-2.
The standard QuickTime file extension.
(National Television System Committee) Video standard used in U.S., Japan and other regions of the world. Image format 4:3, 525 lines, 60 Hz and 4 Mhz video bandwidth with a total 6 Mhz of video channel width.
Contains difference information of the preceding I-frame or P-frame.
(Phase Alternating Line) Video standard used mainly in Europe and parts of Asia. Image format 4:3, 625 lines, 50 Hz and 4 Mhz video bandwidth with a total 8 Mhz of video channel width.
A method of delivering audio/video data over the Internet that involves playing the downloaded portion of a file while the download is still in progress. Also referred to as "Pseudo-Streaming".
A method of capturing and displaying video in which the signal is displayed in consecutive scan lines, as opposed to interlaced.
A multimedia framework developed by Apple Computer, capable of handling various formats of digital video, media clips, sound, text, animation, and music. QuickTime supports playback of various codecs.
A multimedia container format created by RealNetworks. Its file extension is ".rm". It is typically used in conjunction with RealVideo and RealAudio and is popular for streaming content over the Internet.
A proprietary video format developed b RealNetworks. RealVideo is supported on many platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris, and several mobile phones.
A dramatic advancement from previous generation of RealVideo codecs that coupled with the latest RealAudio offers multi-channel surround sound support.
Real time or on-demand distribution of audio, video and multimedia on the internet. A streamed file is simultaneously downloaded and viewed, but leaves behind no physical file on the viewer's computer.
An informal name for SMPTE 421M video codec standard. VC-1 supports interlaced and progressive frame encoding. One of the codecs supported by HD-DVD and Blu-ray DVD. Microsoft has designated VC-1 as the Xbox 360 video codec.
A Flash codec developed by On2. Supported by Flash 8 and later for video playback.
A generic name for the set of video codec technologies developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Windows Media framework.
Interframe Media
eMediaLive - The HD Media Hub
The DVD List – a mailing list for DVD professionals
Internet Speed Test
Doom9 Forum
Creative Cow – Compression Techniques & Discussion Forum
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