<p>You should explicitly specify a video codec using <code>-vcodec</code> as well as quality settings.</p>

<p>The problem is that <code>ffmpeg</code>'s defaults aren't very sensible when you only specify a container format for the output, often choosing a sub-standard video format by default.</p>

<p>If you want H.264 output, try using the <a href="http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-doc.html#SEC13" rel="nofollow">presets</a>, e.g. <code>-vcodec libx264 -vpre max</code>. (To see what presets are available, try <code>ls /usr/share/ffmpeg/*.ffpreset</code>.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-03T00:04:24.740Z
2011-08-03T00:04:24.740Z
Mechanical snail
<p>Try converting the file using [MPEG Streamclip], MPEG Streamclip is a good free file converter. Export the project from Final Cut Pro 7 and use MPEG Streamclip to convert the file.</p>

<p>(http://www.squared5.com/)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-23T12:08:13.670Z
2011-07-23T12:08:13.670Z
johnny1bucket
<p>Try the <code>-sameq</code> option. It tells <code>ffmpeg</code> to use the same quality in the output as in the input. I often find that <code>ffmpeg</code> likes to use sub-standard video codecs.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-20T06:14:35.260Z
no it doesn't. It tells ffmpeg to use the same Quantizer. Common mistake.
stib
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T07:14:59.387Z
And there is no `-sameq` option in `ffmpeg/avconv`anymore.
anatoly techtonik
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-15T14:08:19.573Z
2012-08-15T14:08:19.573Z
stephenwade
<p>I have a .MOV video -created with Final Cut Pro 7 - which I'm converting to .flv using FFMPEG. I'm very happy about the quality and the size of the output file, but whenever I have fade in/out transitions in the input video, I get a pixelate effect on the output file. Any advice on how to solve this, without increase too much the output file size?</p>

<pre><code>FRAME_SIZE=720x576
BIT_RATE=1200k

ffmpeg -s $FRAME_SIZE -i $1 -g 250 -ar 44100 -deinterlace -b $BIT_RATE -minrate $BIT_RATE -maxrate $BIT_RATE -bufsize 10000k -qblur 0.3 $2
</code></pre>

<p>Where $1 and $2 are, respectively, the input and output file.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-21T23:14:52.987Z
Can you post what parameters you are using in ffmpeg? It sounds like a bitrate issue
Colum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-22T09:44:55.850Z
@Colum: There you go.
Roberto Aloi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-23T14:04:59.850Z
I think it is an issue with interlacing. Try removing that flag
Colum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-25T12:29:00.747Z
@Colum. That didn't help. Actually, it causes horizontal lines to be displayed on the output video.
Roberto Aloi
<final-cut-pro><ffmpeg>
Pixelate effect when converting MOV to FLV via FFMPEG
Roberto Aloi
# Pixelate effect when converting MOV to FLV via FFMPEG

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-07-21)

I have a .MOV video -created with Final Cut Pro 7 - which I'm converting to .flv using FFMPEG. I'm very happy about the quality and the size of the output file, but whenever I have fade in/out transitions in the input video, I get a pixelate effect on the output file. Any advice on how to solve this, without increase too much the output file size?
FRAME_SIZE=720x576
BIT_RATE=1200k

ffmpeg -s $FRAME_SIZE -i $1 -g 250 -ar 44100 -deinterlace -b $BIT_RATE -minrate $BIT_RATE -maxrate $BIT_RATE -bufsize 10000k -qblur 0.3 $2

Where $1 and $2 are, respectively, the input and output file.

**Tags:** final-cut-pro, ffmpeg

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you post what parameters you are using in ffmpeg? It sounds like a bitrate issue  
> **username_0**: @username_1: There you go.  
> **username_1**: I think it is an issue with interlacing. Try removing that flag  
> **username_0**: @username_1. That didn't help. Actually, it causes horizontal lines to be displayed on the output video.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2011-08-03. Score: 2

You should explicitly specify a video codec using `-vcodec` as well as quality settings.

The problem is that `ffmpeg`'s defaults aren't very sensible when you only specify a container format for the output, often choosing a sub-standard video format by default.

If you want H.264 output, try using the [presets](http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-doc.html#SEC13), e.g. `-vcodec libx264 -vpre max`. (To see what presets are available, try `ls /usr/share/ffmpeg/*.ffpreset`.)


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### Answer by username_3 on 2011-07-23. Score: 1

Try converting the file using [MPEG Streamclip], MPEG Streamclip is a good free file converter. Export the project from Final Cut Pro 7 and use MPEG Streamclip to convert the file.

(http://www.squared5.com/)


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### Answer by username_4 on 2012-08-15. Score: -2

Try the `-sameq` option. It tells `ffmpeg` to use the same quality in the output as in the input. I often find that `ffmpeg` likes to use sub-standard video codecs.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: no it doesn't. It tells ffmpeg to use the same Quantizer. Common mistake.  
> **username_6**: And there is no `-sameq` option in `ffmpeg/avconv`anymore.  

---

