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Even when I start a brand new file in Blender, I only get four video output file options: AVI raw, AVI JPEG, Frame Server, FFMpeg Video. I am running version 2.78.5 (I'm using the beta so that I can use denoising.

How can I get access to all the other video outputs other people have? Like this:

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ what format are you looking for? If you select FFMpeg video then you have a lot of options in the encoding section. $\endgroup$
    – user1853
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 22:41
  • $\begingroup$ other video formats, other people have other formats like mp4. $\endgroup$
    – ArduinoBen
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 22:50
  • $\begingroup$ did you look in the encoding options for FFmpeg video? There is a preset for h264 in MP4. $\endgroup$
    – user1853
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 22:53
  • $\begingroup$ for example something like this: $\endgroup$
    – ArduinoBen
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 22:56
  • $\begingroup$ i.sstatic.net/wp9Yd.png $\endgroup$
    – ArduinoBen
    Commented Jul 6, 2017 at 22:57

1 Answer 1

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The encoding options from previous versions are still there, but now they have organized differently

One of the big changes in version 2.79 is that they finally separated containers and codecs.

If you select FFMpeg video, there will be a new tab for Encoding options.

enter image description here

There you can select the container and the codec for the output file.

Container is the file format for the file, (Mov, Avi, Ogg, MP4, to name a few) sometimes is referred as a "wrapper".

Codec (short for Compression-Decompression) Is how the image is compressed. The picture quality, file size and processing power needed to view the file are largely determined by the kind of codec used and the settings used for it.

For 2.8

The interface is similar but it is further divided into Encoding and Video, but the same principles apply.

enter image description here

But Why FFMpeg?

FFMpeg is a free software project that produces libraries and programs for handling multimedia data. Most video encoding in blender is done using those libraries.

But why FFMpeg and not just "video" or something less obscure?

Somehow the developers presumed that everybody would know all there is to know about FFMpeg and Encoders and Containers...

But why?...

Ask the developers...

See the Wiki for changes to the encoding interface: https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.79/More_Features

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  • $\begingroup$ related link: videomaker.com/article/c10/15362-video-formats-explained $\endgroup$
    – user1853
    Commented Jul 7, 2017 at 17:14
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    $\begingroup$ Still I think it is poor UI decision here because it is just not clear for beginners who just want to encode their videos and know nothing about FFMpeg (why should they?). $\endgroup$
    – Jan Kadeřábek
    Commented Oct 14, 2017 at 13:19
  • $\begingroup$ My only issue was the compression to mp4 became largely pixelated. Previously, I was using the online webservice tool mkv to mp4 conversion, which made the file size smaller and no large pixelated video. I attempted to no use this middle man service, but the Blender mp4 file size was larger and large pixel video. I'll continue to use the online webservice that is orbited by google ads for now., but if anyone has suggestions on the Blender settings for mp4 quality, please reply. Thank you. $\endgroup$
    – JoshYates1980
    Commented May 12, 2021 at 12:32

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