Would you believe that I will find myself reading a book about video compression and enjoying it?
Video compression is not the most exciting topic in the world to say the least. Too much technical terms, formats, codecs and applications makes it something I really hate doing. However, video compression has a huge effect on how the final video looks like. More often than I am happy to admit, my videos look great within Final Cut Pro, but look horrible on iTunes. Real World Video Compression, by Andy Beach, is the perfect book for guys like me.
Andy was interviewed in one of the best podcasts for new media creators - Meet The Expert . In the podcast, Andy said that he wanted to write a book that is about video compression for non techie guys who are interested in getting things done, without going into too many details. I also liked the fact that Andy was a film student, and not only a computer geek.
After reading this book, I can clearly say that the guy did an amazing job. I read the book in couple of days and started to immediately implement some of the tips. The book not only takes you through different formats and their implications, but also provides detailed review and walk through of main compression applications, including the ones I use (Compressor, VisualHub, and Elgato's Turbo 264). It also gives some general tips that help in understanding the field in general.
The book is accompanied by a blog that keeps the information updated as technology advances.
I strongly recommend this book for the guys who just want to get the job done, without turning into video Ph.D . You can find the book also in our store.
