Gig Video Video & Audio Specifications

[adamnaranjo]

My Fiverr gig video sounds great, but following upload to Fiverr’s servers it sounds distorted and horrible. It sounds like clipping, so I’m going to do some experimenting and report back. It would really help if Fiverr offered the exact specifications for video/audio codec, and encoding. For example, loudness levels in LUFS, bitrate for audio, and video, for best results. Etc.

[markusvoice]

I’m sure there is additional compression when uploading a video to fiverr’s servers. I stick to (or try to stick to) for video HD 1080p at H.264 high profile 5000 kbps…around 35MB per min.
The clipping is probably due to the normal lossy nature of mp3s. On all my audio, if it has to be mp3, I export stereo, a minimum o f 48kHz and around 256kbps.
I’'d have to check to see what the max video size is not for gigs as I’m creating new ones, but in my experience there is always some slight degradation due to the servers re-encoding the video. It happens on YouTube and Facebook too.

[adamnaranjo]

I’m sure there is additional compression when uploading a video to fiverr’s servers. I stick to (or try to stick to) for video HD 1080p at H.264 high profile 5000 kbps…around 35MB per min.

The clipping is probably due to the normal lossy nature of mp3s. On all my audio, if it has to be mp3, I export stereo, a minimum o f 48kHz and around 256kbps.

I’'d have to check to see what the max video size is not for gigs as I’m creating new ones, but in my experience there is always some slight degradation due to the servers re-encoding the video. It happens on YouTube and Facebook too.

Thanks for the reply Mark.

With regard to the video quality, I’m actually uploading at the same quality you are, so it’s not due to the encoding itself. My videos are encoded at 6000-8000kbsp (mp4), and I’m using either AAC, or Mp3 at 256kbps, and 44.1k. So, I think it’s because I’m setting my loudness level at -15db L.U.F.S.

And, no, this isn’t just “normal” degradation. My past videos on Fiverr have been fine, but this time around I’m experience major degradation from what sounds like some kind of clipping. I can tell the difference between degradation caused by mp3 re-encoding, and clipping.

Fiverr’s encoding process is much more delicate, and problematic than YouTubes. Facebook also deals with pre-recorded video very badly, unless you get it just right. Facebook prefers that you record directly into facebook via a mobile device live.

Anyway, I’ll let you know how my most recent upload turns out. I lowered the loudness to -15db LUFS, and used mp3 encoding instead of AAC. I also made it mono.

[markusvoice]

Thanks for the reply Mark.

With regard to the video quality, I’m actually uploading at the same quality you are, so it’s not due to the encoding itself. My videos are encoded at 6000-8000kbsp (mp4), and I’m using either AAC, or Mp3 at 256kbps, and 44.1k. So, I think it’s because I’m setting my loudness level at -15db L.U.F.S.

And, no, this isn’t just “normal” degradation. My past videos on Fiverr have been fine, but this time around I’m experience major degradation from what sounds like some kind of clipping. I can tell the difference between degradation caused by mp3 re-encoding, and clipping.

Fiverr’s encoding process is much more delicate, and problematic than YouTubes. Facebook also deals with pre-recorded video very badly, unless you get it just right. Facebook prefers that you record directly into facebook via a mobile device live.

Anyway, I’ll let you know how my most recent upload turns out. I lowered the loudness to -15db LUFS, and used mp3 encoding instead of AAC. I also made it mono.

Thanks. I’m curious as to what the issue could be as I’m working on new gig videos today.

-15LUFS is equal to -15dBFS…basically, so if your peak RMS readings are around/in between 18dBFS and -14dBFS (and yours are -15dBFS) you SHOULD be okay, right??

Now I’m REALLY curious as to the outcome 😲

[adamnaranjo]

Thanks. I’m curious as to what the issue could be as I’m working on new gig videos today.

-15LUFS is equal to -15dBFS…basically, so if your peak RMS readings are around/in between 18dBFS and -14dBFS (and yours are -15dBFS) you SHOULD be okay, right??

Now I’m REALLY curious as to the outcome 😲

you SHOULD be okay, right??

Yes, exactly! That’s why I’m wondering. However, I just realized that it could be that the software I’m using to do the final video may be doing something to my audio that is effecting the final peak values. My peak values in Audition are always limited to -2 TRUE peak, just in case. However, in this case I see that they aren’t even that high, and the RMS is - like you said - much lower. So, I guess we’ll see. I would send you a link to my gig, but the video isn’t even available right now.

[adamnaranjo]

Oh, I take that back. It is available. I’ll tell you what I think in just a moment. It sounds much better now.

[adamnaranjo]

Okay, so in this recent version I encoded the audio into mp3, instead of AAC. Maybe that was it. However, i also decreased the audio volume level in Screenflow (not my audio editing software, which is Adobe Audition, but the video editor I use to create and encode the final video) from 100% down to 66%. I have to be honest, I’m not entirely sure what did the trick, but I have a feeling there might be something up with AAC encoding on Fiverr’s end. Because the volume changes I made in screenflow were only to half of the audio clips. See, I multiple audioclips. Only some of the clips were clipping in the final video uploaded to Fiverr. Those were the ones I made changes to in Screenflow. That’s why I thought it was clipping. Interestingly I don’t hear any difference in the volume levels in the final video currently uploaded to fiverr. In addition, none of the videos I exported had distortion, or degradation, while playing on my Macbook. Sooooo, it could be a combination of AAC and the audio level. It’s hard to say.

My advice is: Make sure you audio isn’t too loud. Make sure you monitor your loudness both in your audio editor, and in your final video editor. The temptation for voice over artists especially is to make their audio as loud as possible within the specifications of the medium, or platform of distribution. I would say max out at -15db LUFS. Keep under a -3db true peak. And in your video editor just make sure the loudness, or volume level isn’t clipping. In screenflow it’s really hard to tell as it doesn’t have a meter at all.

[adamnaranjo]

Thanks. I’m curious as to what the issue could be as I’m working on new gig videos today.

-15LUFS is equal to -15dBFS…basically, so if your peak RMS readings are around/in between 18dBFS and -14dBFS (and yours are -15dBFS) you SHOULD be okay, right??

Now I’m REALLY curious as to the outcome 😲

Let me know how it works out for your new video Markus.

[adamnaranjo]

Well, after some more trial and error with another video, I really do think that Fiverr’s current encoding system is really quite picky.

At this point, again, I suggest that one be very careful to keep their audio from clipping. This isn’t a problem for us voice over folks, but for others it may be an issue. The problem for me is using Screenflow to edit my videos. It’s a great application over all, but it really doesn’t manage audio very well. I’m going to do some more experimenting a reply again later.

I think that the best thing to do is to export mp4 videos with mp3 audio encoding. Make sure that the audio files you export from your audio editor are already at 44.1k/16bit. I have a feeling Screenflow will handle those the best. Make sure they are all normalized to -18db. That’s a safe range. Make sure the true peak isn’t above -6. Using these files in Screenflow should prevent any clipping. (Assuming you’re using screenflow) If you’re using Premier, or another video editing program, then it may allow for more control over audio. Screenflow doesn’t allow much control over audio at all. But it’s such a great, fast, program for editing quick videos like this.

I’m going to create some new videos - yet again - starting from scratch, and respond back with even more details later. I’ll explain the exact encoding I’m using for everything along the way.

[cedricboudreaux]

Hey, i read through the thread and i think i’m having the same problem. In your experiments was the uploaded audio low passed aswell? For some reason after uploading to the gallery for a gig demo my audio is changed from the original and every thing past 10khz is dropped.
im using a mp3 @ 320kbps and bouncing out of audacity, and the file is fine outside of fiverr.
Its sitting at -12 LUFS but i got the same results after dropping it to -17LUFS.

I’ve been trying to upload a gallery demo for my gig and every time it comes out distorted.Its in mp3 and it is loud sitting at -12 LUFS, but it was still distorted at -17LUFS. I Bounced the audio and put it under a spectrum and saw that everything above 10khz was chopped off!.It only sounds like that after posting it, and all the other copies are fine and have all of their information.