You may have noticed the Settings section when selecting AI filters for your video. This section can be accessed by clicking the dropdown arrow icon on the right.
Let's go through each of the options.
Resize to a specific resolution
This setting can be confusing as it seems similar to the AI upscale filters (like 200% and 400%).
The key difference lies in the algorithms they use. The AI filters employ intelligent algorithms to increase resolution, while this setting uses standard, non-AI resizing algorithms (bilinear, bicubic, etc.) found in most video editing software.
This option is useful when you need your video to have a specific, standardized resolution.
For example, if your uploaded video is 600x337 pixels and you apply the 200% AI upscale filter, the result will be 1200x674 pixels. If you then need the video to be in 720p format (1280x720 pixels).
Instead of manually resizing in a video editor, you can simply select the 720p setting in the "Resize to Specific Resolution" menu. This will automatically adjust the final resolution to 1280x720 pixels.
Non-AI resizing will always keep the aspect ratio as in the original video so you don't have to worry about your video becoming stretched out. For example, if the uploaded video has a resolution of 1280x500 (2.56 aspect ratio), and you resize 2x and select Full HD (1080p) resizing, the output will be 1920 x 750 px - aspect ratio is kept.
What NOT to do
Some of you will think: “Hmm I can boost my video resolution even higher than the upscale filter with this setting”.
We don’t recommend doing this. While you get a 4K video resolution at the end, the video will not be a real 4K video because it won’t have details of what real 4K videos have.
Upscaling video using non-AI resizing algorithms will produce videos that are blurry, without details, and too large in file size (4K video will roughly be 4x bigger in file size than the HD video)
In summary, use this setting only to match a specific resolution format that is close to the AI upscaled resolution format.
Film grain
Film grain is the subtle, textured pattern that often gives movies a distinct "film look." To illustrate, I've included an example from the movie Casablanca.
Please note that the graininess visible on the shirt and face in the image is intentional. This effect is commonly found in older movies shot on analog film cameras, as the grain is inherent to the film stock used.
Regarding the setting in question, it's generally recommended to disable it or set it to a low or medium level, depending on your preference or that of your viewers. Keep in mind that if you're aiming for a "film look," the film grain setting can be a useful tool.
If you're a professional video editor who knows how to do post-processing, we recommend disabling this setting because you can always add extra film grain in your favorite video editing software where you will have better control over the intensity of grain.
Video codec
A video codec is a complex algorithm that balances video quality and file size (also known as the compression rate). A higher-quality video codec will produce a smaller file size for the same video quality.
There are numerous video codecs available today, but the most widely used is undoubtedly H264. It's the go-to codec for major social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, as well as messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
If you're ever unsure about which codec to choose, H264 is a safe bet. It offers high video quality at a relatively small file size and is supported by nearly all platforms.
To learn more about video codecs and containers, feel free to check out the accompanying video.
Encoding quality
The encoding quality setting controls the level of video compression applied to the enhanced video. Each video codec offers different compression levels, and this setting allows you to adjust that level.
Encoding quality changes the video bitrate under the hood. The higher the bitrate, the better the quality will be. Bitrate is usually expressed in kilobits per second - kb/s. You can check the video bitrate in any video player.
Without going into technical details, This setting controls the balance between quality and file size. A higher setting means better quality but also a larger file.
In most cases, the High setting provides excellent quality with a manageable file size. You would likely only notice a difference in quality if you were a video editing expert.
If your primary concern is minimizing the file size of your video, select the Medium setting. However, if you prioritize the highest possible video quality, choose the Lossless setting.
Output video extension
Video extensions, more accurately referred to as video containers, are commonly encountered in formats such as:
MP4
MKV
MOV
AVI
WMV
MPG
WEBM
While the container itself doesn't directly impact video quality, it's important to understand its relationship with video codecs. Codecs and containers must be compatible; for instance, an Apple Prores codec cannot be used within a WMV container.
For optimal compatibility across video players and websites, it is recommended to prioritize popular containers such as MP4, WEBM, or MOV.