Transcoding settings

Transcoding settings

After uploading your videos, you must configure transcoding settings. You can select Normal Transcoding or No Transcoding based on your business needs.

In normal transcoding, you can select different definitions and video formats on the Transcoding Settings page. Currently, the definition options include Low Definition, Standard Definition, High Definition, Ultra High Definition, Original, 2K, and 4K. You can customize the definition settings, including the bit rate, resolution, and format. You can also add and manage transcoding templates.

If you have not used ApsaraVideo for VOD before, we recommend that you use the system-defined template. The system-defined template group provides common parameters, such as the definition, bit rate, and resolution parameters. These parameters allow you to quickly set formats, watermarks, and encryption.

If your video is a short video and you want your video to be viewed by visitors immediately after it is published, you can select No Transcoding.

Notes:

• High Definition and Ultra High Definition are charged. For more information, see Billing methods.
• To use the 2K and 4K definitions, you must submit a ticket.
• The Original definition retains the original definition and bit rate of a video, and only changes the video file encapsulation format. It is applicable to services that have no needs on adjusting the video size or bit rate. If you select No Transcoding, your video acceleration URL is categorized into Original.

Procedure

Log in to the VOD console, and choose Global Settings > Transcoding Settings to configure transcoding.

Normal transcoding (default)

1. By default, the system-defined template is used after service activation. Only the HLS and MP4 video formats under Standard Definition are available. We recommend that you check and configure the required templates on the Transcoding Settings page before you upload videos for the first time or during transcoding configuration.

Note: The system-defined template does not support changing the resolution and bit rate. The default settings are Low Definition (640x360), Standard Definition (960x540), High Definition (720P), Ultra High Definition (1080p), and Original.

2. You can add new transcoding templates and customize these transcoding templates as needed. You can add up to 10 custom templates. Click Add Template to configure a template.

• The following table lists the recommended bit rates, resolutions, and resolution ranges corresponding to different definitions.

Notes:

• When setting the resolution, you must at least set the width or height. If only the width is set, the height is automatically scaled accordingly. If the width is not set, resolution is processed based on the original width-to-height ratio of the video.
• Bit rate unit: Kbps. Resolution (width x height) unit: px.

• You can set the default template in the template list or when you add a template. Each time when you upload videos, the system selects the default template for transcoding. The system-defined transcoding template cannot be deleted unless you specify another template as the default template.

• Currently, only the HLS and MP4 video formats are supported.

• The HLS format now supports encryption. After you select Encrypted, you must integrate the ApsaraVideo Player SDK to play the videos. Free trial is now available for this service.

• If you want to add watermarks to videos, add images and enable watermarking on the Watermarks page.

3. If you want to adjust the template settings, click Edit for the target template in the template list. You can modify settings other than the definition in the dialog box.

4. After setting the template, you need to select a template (the default template is selected by default) when uploading a video. After the video is uploaded, transcoding is implemented based on the template settings.

Notes:

• Transcoding format changes only apply to newly uploaded videos.
• To avoid transcoding failures, do not modify or delete the templates when the transcoding task is in progress.

No transcoding (applicable to short videos)

1. No Transcoding is a method for processing short videos. By default, the No Transcoding template is not enabled. This template can be used only after it is initialized.

Note:

• No Transcoding is also considered as a type of template to keep operation consistency.
• If you select No Transcoding (video distribution is accelerated immediately after uploading), you can only upload MP4 and FLV video files to ensure that the source files can be played after distribution.

2. After the No Transcoding template is enabled, you can set the template as the default template and generate a template ID. After the template is specified as the default template, no transcoding is performed for videos that are uploaded through the console or by using the API.

3. For uploaded videos configured with No Transcoding, only the URLs for the Original definition are displayed in the Video URL tab on the Video Details page.

Note: In No Transcoding mode, when video streams marked with Original are deleted, the source files are also deleted. Exercise caution when you use this mode.