How to Scale Down Video Files without Losing Quality – 3 Tips

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With the advent of the internet, online video uploading and streaming have become more frequent and have expanded into several domains in our mundane. Viewers wish to watch high-quality videos with minimal to no lagging or buffering.

While uploading HD videos is always a plus, they come with a downside. The higher the quality of the video, the slower the websites and loading times. Large video file sizes negatively affect page load time and increase the buffering time during streaming, which is why you must learn how to make video smaller.

A Detailed Guide to Video Compression 

The average viewer wants to stream video content in full HD with no lag and minimum buffering. This demand puts incredible pressure on the content creators who must cater to both parameters when uploading on social media platforms.

This is where video compression enters the picture. Video compression techniques let you compress enormous videos to promote faster load times.

However, to avoid quality degradation during video compression, you must follow these tips and learn about valuable techniques employed by professionals when compressing videos.

Use a High Bitrate Video

If you wish to upload a massive full HD video clip to a streaming platform such as YouTube, you must know that it can get incredibly time-consuming.

Besides, several other platforms like YouTube such as Facebook, Vimeo, Instagram etc  perform video compression before uploading, which degrades the quality without your intervention. To avoid quality degradation during automatic video compression, upload a high bit rate video.

Pick the Appropriate file Format

It is noteworthy that you select a file format that offers compatibility with your targeted platforms and devices. Compatibility helps ensure a smooth user experience and eliminates issues concerning faulty decryption. One such commonly used codec is H.264, which lets viewers watch your video content reliably with minimal impact on quality.

Frame Rate Adjustment

You can alter the frame rate to increase the video quality while still maintaining a smaller size for your video. Picking a high frame rate brings out the most intricate details, which might look unnatural to some viewers. However, a low frame rate can induce laggy effects in the video.

If you are a novice in this domain, here are some commonly used frame rates that comprise different file sizes –

  • 24fps – Most files are locked at this frame rate because it induces a natural feeling. This value renders the minimum speed that is necessary to record video while providing a realistic motion.
  • 30fps – This is the ideal frame rate for television and most YouTube videos. This frame rate is beneficial for videos with a lot of motion that include sports and games. These activities can take advantage of those extra frames per second.
  • 60fps – Some YouTubers and content creators use this frame rate for their videos; however, it reveals the most intricate details due to significantly higher frames appearing on the screen per second. 

Depending on the type of content you create, picking a suitable frame rate should not be an issue. Maintaining a minimum of 24 fps is imperative if you wish to retain quality during compression.

Final Words

It is worth noting that compression inevitably affects video quality; however, if executed using appropriate bitrate and parameters, you can avoid causing significant degradation.

Video compression facilitates streamlined sharing, minimal storage occupation, and is more economical. It is imperative that you pick decent video compression tools such as online video compressor, as it offers practical customization options while maintaining simplicity in its UI.

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Article by
Max T.
Max is the founder of Knowledge Eager and has made it his mission to find and review the best online business courses. He has taken more than 20 online courses and runs a small portfolio of content websites.