Uploading and Embed 720p HD videos to YouTube

6 December 2008, Video and Audio

Finally, YouTube is allowing HD video uploads. Here is instructions on how to upload your videos in the right format and how to embed them on your own web site in HD.

Blogged By:

Team Louish

Rad, Rad, Rad. Thats all I have to say about YouTube FINALLY allowing HD Uploads. A while back, YouTube started offering a new link to view videos in "High Quality". Now, they also offer View In HD!

Your videos must be 720p or 1080p, under 1GB in filesize, under 10:59 in length, and it must be either H.264 mp4 or WMV. Your Bitrate encoding looks great between 3 mbps - 5 mbps, but Im sure you could upload them at a higher rate if you wish.

Windows Movie Maker:
A lot of people don't realize Windows Movie Maker (version 6 for Windows Vista, NOT XP) allows editing HD video. In your project, simply click TOOLS, then OPTIONS, and make sure 16:9 is selected.

High Definition Video HD Windows Movie Maker

High Definition Video HD Windows Movie Maker

When you export your video, either select 720p or 1080p depending on your source files and how large you want your final copy to be. All you need for YouTube is 720p.

Export 720p HD movies from Windows Movie Maker

Export 720p HD movies from Windows Movie Maker

In Premier Pro, you want to select H.264 720p 23.976 High Quality

Export YouTube HD Video from Premier Pro CS3 CS4

If you want to send someone a link to your video on YouTube, the normal YouTube URL's are in standard quality, but if you add &fmt=22 in the URL, it will force HD to be turned on. Here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKzTWcQKzyo&fmt=22

If you wish to embed your video in HD, simply add &ap=%2526fmt%3D22 twice in the embed code after the rel=0. Here is an example YouTubes embed code with the HD hack included:

Tags: HD, HowTo, Video, YouTube

REPLIES

6 December 2008 - 15:02:25 - Assassinator

Do MPG files work? I uploaded an MPEG2 file and it doesn't say Watch in HD, it only says Watch in High Quality

6 December 2008 - 15:24:27 - Team Louish

I tested mpeg 2 files and I didn't have any luck either. I later tested H.264 videos and it worked just fine. I checked my past videos I had uploaded to youtube, and I noticed all of my past videos that were WMV hd were converted to YouTube HD, all my avi's and mpegs were still only available in High Quality.

Im not 100% sure if they only convert H.264 and WMV, those are the only 2 I've seen work so far. If anyone knows other formats or more specific specs, please, let us know!

9 December 2008 - 14:12:51 - hansende

"TOOLS, then OPTIONS, and make sure 16:9 is selected"

this is option is only for the Preview window and does not affect the file.

11 December 2008 - 7:31:06 - Team Louish

Hansende,
Thanks for the tip. I never realized until I just did some further testing that it wasn't a requirement. I guess it will only help people visually see their video size during the creation process. The dimensions of the final video are determined by the type of file output you select.

30 December 2008 - 18:35:51 - Soccerlady2

Hi. When I published my video, there was no Windows Media HD option in more settings, is there any other one i can use or how can i make that option appear on the settings?

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