Premiere Elements Timeline rendering generates preview files which are automatically saved to a computer hard drive location. That save location is determined by setting under Scratch Disks preference. See Edit Menu/Preferences/Scratch Disks. And, for HD projects only, the format and other properties of those saved Timeline rendered files (video preview files) are dependent on the preference choice under "Timeline render quality (valid for HD projects)", either "Draft quality, High speed" or "High quality, Slow speed". See Edit Menu/Preferences/General.
Back in 2015, the Premiere Elements 12/12.1 and 13/13.1 Timeline rendered files (video preview files) format was investigated focusing mainly on those files generated during use of a few of the project presets
- NTSC/AVCHD/Full HD 1080i30
- NTSC/DSLR/1080p/DSLR 1080p30 @ 29.97
ISSUE
In comparing Timeline rendered files format used by Premiere Elements 2018 and 13/13.1, differences were found. Consequently, it was decided to update the Timeline rendered files formats situation for 14/14.1 and 15 as well as for 2018 to discover what Adobe did with these formats moving forward from 13/13.1.
FINDINGS*
With Project Presets
- NTSC/AVCHD/Full HD 1080i30
- NTSC/DSLR/1080p/DSLR 1080p30 @ 29.97
Details follow below.
For Premiere Elements 2018, typical MediaInfo properties readouts for the preview file generated by Timeline rendering of the jpg or video source file included
NTSC/AVCHD/Full HD 1080i30 Project***
Draft quality/High speed preference
Format = MPEG Video
Format Version = Version 2
Bitrate = 7687 Kbps
Maximum Bitrate = 7826 Kbps
Width = 960 pixels
Height = 544** pixels
Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9
Frame Rate = 29.970 fps
Scan Type = Interlaced
Scan Order = Top Field First
Note: In comparison, under the same circumstances, the Premiere Elements 15 Timeline rendered video was Format = AVC, Constant Bitrate Rate = 15.5 Mbps, Width = 960 pixels, Height = 540** pixels, Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9, Frame Rate = 29.970 fps, Scan Type = Progressive.
NTSC/AVCHD/Full HD 1080i Project***
High quality/Slow speed preference
Format = MPEG Video
Format Version = Version 2
Bitrate = 30.8 Mbps
Maximum Bitrate = 31.1 Mbps
Width = 1920 pixels
Height = 1080 pixels
Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9
Frame Rate = 29.970 fps
Scan Type = Interlaced
Scan Order = Top Field First
Note: In comparison, under the same circumstances, the Premiere Elements 15 Timeline rendered video was Format = AVC, Constant Bitrate Rate = 60.0 Mbps, Width = 1920 pixels, Height = 1080 pixels, Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9, Frame Rate = 29.970 fps, Scan Type = Progressive.
NTSC/DSLR/1080p/DSLR 1080p30 @ 29.97***
Draft quality/High speed preference
Format = MPEG Video
Format Version = Version 2
Bitrate = 7686 Kbps
Maximum Bitrate = 7826 Kbps
Width = 960 pixels
Height = 544** pixels
Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9
Frame Rate = 29.970 fps
Scan Type = Progressive
Note: In comparison, under the same circumstances, the Premiere Elements 15 Timeline rendered video was Format = AVC, Constant Bitrate Rate = 15.5 Mbps, Width = 960 pixels, Height = 540** pixels, Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9, Frame Rate = 29.970 fps, Scan Type = Progressive.
NTSC/DSLR/1080p/DSLR 1080p30 @ 29.97***
High quality/Slow speed preference
Format = MPEG Video
Format Version = Version 2
Bitrate = 30.5 Mbps
Maximum = 31.1 Mbps
Width = 1920 pixels
Height = 1080 pixels
Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9
Frame Rate = 29.970 fps
Scan Type = Progressive
Note: In comparison, under the same circumstances, the Premiere Elements 15 Timeline rendered video was Format = AVC, Constant Bitrate Rate = 60.0 Mbps, Width = 1920 pixels, Height = 1080 pixels, Display Aspect Ratio = 16:9, Frame Rate = 29.970 fps, Scan Type = Progressive.
Note: Preview files using MPEG Video Version 2 format were also found for the Premiere Elements 2018 when using project presets for 720p and 4K (3840 x 2160) projects
- For Premiere Elements 2018 using project preset NTSC/AVCHD/QFHD 16x9 29.97 which offers a 4K (3840 x 2160) export, the preview file generated from Timeline rendering (High quality/Slow speed) was 1920 x 1080 @ 29.97 progressive fps, MPEG Video format (Version 2) with .mpeg file extension, and VBR maximum bitrate 31.1 Mbps. The preview file generated with Timeline rendering (Draft quality/High speed) was 960 x 544** @ 29.97 progressive fps, MPEG Video format (Version 2) with .mpeg file extension, and VBR maximum bitrate 7826 Kbps.
- For Premiere Elements 2018 using project preset NTSC/AVCHD/AVCHD LITE 720p, the preview file generated from Timeline rendering (High quality/Slow speed) was 1280 x 720 @ 29.97 progressive fps, MPEG Video format with .mpeg file extension, and VBR maximum bitrate 13.8 Mbps. The preview file generated with Timeline rendering (Draft quality/High speed) was 640 x 360 @ 29.970 progressive fps, MPEG Video format (Version 2) with .mpeg file extension, and VBR maximum bitrate 3453 Kbps.
- For Premiere Elements 15 using the project preset NTSC/AVCHD/QFHD 16x 9 29.97 which offers a 4K (3840 x 2160) export, the preview file generated from Timeline rendering (High quality/Slow speed) was 1920 x 1080 @ 29.97 progressive fps, AVC format with .mpeg file extension, and Constant Bitrate 60.0 Mbps. The preview file generated with Timeline rendering (Draft quality/High speed) was 969 x 940** @ 29.97 progressive fps, AVC format with .mpeg file extension, and Constant Bitrate 15.5 Mbps.
- For Premiere Elements 15 using the project preset NTSC/AVCHD/AVCHD LITE 720p30, the preview file generated from the Timeline rendering (High quality/Slow speed) was 1280 x 720 @ 29.97 progressive fps, AVC format with .mpeg file extension, and Constant Bitrate 27.6 Mbps. The preview file generated with Timeline rendering (Draft quality/High speed) was 640 x 360 @ 29.970 progressive fps, AVC format with .mpeg file extension, and Constant Bitrate 6905 Kbps.
COMMENTARY
When all is said and done, the basic question is probably what file format with its associated properties gives the best preview file in a given Premiere Elements version. Is the Timeline rendered file format MPEG Video in conjunction with the significantly lower bitrate and file size going to give same, better, or worse quality preview file compared to the Timeline rendered file format AVC in conjunction with that file's higher bitrate and file size? Compare
Premiere Elements 15
Project Preset = NTSC/AVCHD/Full HD 1080i30
The following is the Timeline rendered file (preview file) generated from Timeline rendering (High quality/Slow speed). Its format and its properties include
1920 x 1080 @ 29.97 progressive fps, AVC format with .mpeg file extension, and Constant Bitrate 60.0 Mbps. File Size is 50.0 MB.
Premiere Elements 2018
Project Preset = NTSC/AVCHD/Full HD 1080i30
The following is the Timeline rendered file (preview file) generated from Timeline rendering (High quality/Slow speed). Its format and its properties include
1920 x 1080 @ 29.97 progressive fps, MPEG Video format with .mpeg file extension, and VBR 30.6 Mbps. File Size is 26.6 MB.
Work in progress.
My first impression when viewing these videos full screen in the published blog was that playback of the Premiere Elements 15 preview file presented sharper than the playback of the Premiere Elements 2018 preview file. Need to think about this some more, including variables for playback of file imported into blog versus playback and use of file within the Premiere Elements project.
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*Work on using Premiere Elements on Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit.
**This 960 x 544 resolution was displayed only in the MediaInfo data for Premiere Elements 2018. MediaInfo data for Premiere Elements 13/13.1, 14/14.1, 15, and even 12/12.1, displayed the counterpart resolution as 960 x 540.
***At its computer hard drive save location, the saved Timeline rendered file was represented by thumbnail with image from file when Premiere Elements 2018 and 12/12.1; whereas, generic MPEG type thumbnail represented the saved Timeline rendered file when Premiere Elements 13/13.1, 14/14.1, and 15.
ATR
