Tutorial: Configuring job settings - MediaConvert
Optional step: Pause queuesStep 1: Specify input filesStep 2: Create input selectorsStep 3: Create output groupsStep 4: Create outputsStep 5: Specify global job settings

Tutorial: Configuring job settings

This page provides step-by-step guidance on how to configure a job in MediaConvert.

To configure a job, you define input files for the service to transcode, and you specify the source for each video, audio, and captions media element. That source might be a specific part of the primary input file, or it might be a separate file. Next, you specify the types of output files and packages that you want AWS Elemental MediaConvert to generate from the input. You also specify the detailed encoding settings to produce the quality and type of output that you want.

This tutorial shows how to configure jobs in MediaConvert to transcode media files into different formats.

Optional step: Pause queues

If you're a new customer or you're experimenting with the MediaConvert console, you can pause your queues to avoid accidentally starting a job before you're ready. For more information about queues, see Queues.

To pause or reactivate an on-demand queue using the AWS Management Console

  1. Open the Queues page in the MediaConvert console.

  2. On the Queues page, choose the name of the queue that you want to pause or reactivate.

  3. On the queue’s page, choose the Edit queue button.

  4. On the Edit queue page, for Status, choose Paused or Active.

  5. Choose Save queue.

Step 1: Specify input files

The first part of setting up a MediaConvert job is specifying the location of your input file or files.

To specify the location of your input

  1. Open the MediaConvert console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/mediaconvert.

  2. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, choose Input 1.

  3. In the Input 1 pane, provide the URI to your video input file that is stored in Amazon S3 or on an HTTP(S) server. For Amazon S3 inputs, you can specify the URI directly or choose Browse to select from your Amazon S3 buckets. For HTTP(S) inputs, provide the URL to your input video file. For more information, see HTTP input requirements.

    Note

    If your input audio or captions are in a separate file, don't create separate inputs for them. You specify these files later in this procedure, within your audio and captions selectors.

  4. To join more than one input file into a single asset (input stitching), add another input to the job. To do so, in the Job pane, in the Inputs section, choose Add.

    For jobs that have multiple input files, MediaConvert creates outputs by concatenating the inputs in the order that you specify them in the job. You can include up to 150 inputs in your job.

    Tip

    You can transcode portions of your inputs. For more information, see Input settings.

Step 2: Create input selectors for video, audio, and captions

Next, create input selectors to flag the video, audio, and captions elements from your input that you will use in your outputs. This labels each input element so that you can point to it when you set up your outputs. When you set up input selectors, you also provide the service with information about where to find the data and how to interpret it.

To set up your input selectors

  1. In the Video selector section, specify values for the fields that are applicable to your job.

    You don't need to create a video selector because MediaConvert automatically creates a video selector when you begin setting up a job. However, the service doesn't automatically detect information about the video source. You can provide this information in the Video selector fields. If you keep these settings in their default state, you will create a valid job. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

    Note

    MediaConvert doesn't support inputs with multiple video streams, such as Quad 4k. Each input can have only one video selector. Therefore, there is no Add video selector button on the console.

  2. In the Audio selectors section, under Audio selector 1, specify information about your primary audio asset. You don't need to create an audio selector 1 because the service automatically creates the first audio selector when you set up a job.

    Note

    An audio asset is often dialogue, background sound, and music together in one track. Tracks often consist of multiple channels. For example, Dolby 5.1 sound has six channels per track.

    1. For Selector type, choose the way that your audio assets are identified. Often, this is by track. If you are using an HLS input, and would like to select an alternate audio rendition, see Alternate HLS audio rendition requirements.

    2. Provide the identifier (that is, track number, PID, or language code) for your primary audio asset. Your primary audio asset is likely to be track 1.

      Note

      For most use cases, you associate one input track per input selector. If your use case requires combining multiple tracks into one track, or multiple tracks into one rendition of a streaming package, combine multiple input tracks in one audio selector by typing a comma-separated list. For more information about combining tracks, see Setting up audio tracks and audio selectors.

    3. If your audio is in a separate file from your video, choose the External file slider switch element and provide the URI to your audio input file that is stored in Amazon S3 or on an HTTP(S) server. For Amazon S3 inputs, you can specify the URI directly or choose Browse to select from your Amazon S3 buckets. For HTTP(S) inputs, provide the URL to your input video file. For more information, see HTTP input requirements.

  3. If you have additional audio assets, such as multiple language tracks, choose Add audio selector. Then provide information about the next asset that is described in the preceding step of this procedure.

  4. In the Captions selectors section, choose Add captions selector. This creates input captions selectors for any sets of captions that you plan to use in an output. For more information about setting up captions for your job, see Setting up input captions.

Step 3: Create output groups

After specifying your input, you create output groups. The choices that you make when you set up output groups affect the types of assets that your job produces and which devices can play them.

You can use MediaConvert to create media assets that fall broadly into two categories:

  • ABR streaming packages. You can create adaptive bitrate (ABR) packages so that end viewers can download the asset gradually while they watch. Depending on how you set up your outputs, the end viewer's device can adapt to changes in the available bandwidth by downloading higher or lower-quality segments. ABR packages are also called ABR stacks, because they are made up of a stack of video, audio, and captions components. Each component in the stack or package is called a rendition.

  • Standalone files. You might create these files and host them in a location where end viewers download the entire file all at once and then view it. You might also create standalone files and then send them to downstream systems for packaging and distribution.

To create an output group

  1. In the Job pane, in the Output groups section, choose Add.

  2. Choose an output group type, and then choose Select.

    Create one file output group for all the standalone files that you intend to create. Create one ABR streaming output group for each ABR streaming package that you intend to create. For guidance on which ABR streaming output groups to include in your job, see Choosing your ABR streaming output groups.

  3. Optionally, for Custom group name, enter a name for your group. Any name that you provide here appears in the Output groups section of the console but does not affect your outputs.

  4. For Destination, specify the URI for the Amazon S3 location where the transcoding service will store your output files. You can specify the URI directly or choose Browse to select from your Amazon S3 buckets.

    Note

    You can optionally append a basename to your destination URI. To create the file name of your final asset, the transcoding service uses this basename and any name modifier that you provide in the individual output settings.

    If you don't provide a basename with your URI, the transcoding service generates a basename from the input 1 file name, minus the extension.

  5. Specify the values for any additional settings that apply to the entire output group. These settings vary depending on the type of output group that you select. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

Step 4: Create outputs

After you create output groups, set up your outputs in each group. The number of outputs for each output group depends on the output group type, as follows:

  • For File output groups, include all elements of the media asset in one output. This includes any audio or captions that you provide in a separate file.

  • For ABR streaming output groups—CMAF, Apple HLS, DASH ISO, and Microsoft Smooth Streaming—create a separate output for each media element. That is, one output per video resolution, one output per audio track, and one output per captions language.

Choose from one of the following procedures that correspond to the output group types that you created in Step 3: Create output groups.

For each ABR streaming output group that you set up in Step 3: Create output groups, create and set up an output for each media element that you want in the ABR streaming package.

Creating video ABR streaming outputs

For each video output that you include in your output group, MediaConvert creates one video rendition, or set of segmented video files. Multiple video renditions in a streaming package, of varying resolutions and video quality, allow the end viewer's device to adapt the quality of video to the available bandwidth.

Note

Although the job has only one video input selector, ABR streaming output groups often have several video outputs per output group.

To create and set up video ABR streaming outputs

  1. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, under Output Groups, below the CMAF, Apple HLS, DASH ISO, or Microsoft Smooth Streaming output group that you want add outputs to, choose Output 1.

    When you create an output group, MediaConvert automatically populates the output group with output 1. You don't need to explicitly create the first output.

  2. In the Output settings pane, for Name modifier, enter a value.

    MediaConvert appends the name modifier to the file names that it creates for this output. Enter a name modifier that will make it easy to identify which files came from which output, such as -video-hi-res.

  3. If one of the predefined groups of settings listed under Preset is suitable for your workflow, choose it from the list. If you use a preset, skip the next step of this procedure.

  4. Specify your video settings as follows:

    1. In the Output settings section, specify values for any remaining general settings. Depending on the output group type, these settings might include transport stream settings or other container settings. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

    2. In the Stream settings section, specify values for video encoding. The video settings are selected by default, so you don't need to explicitly choose this group of settings.

      There is only one input video selector per job, so you don't need to explicitly choose it when you set up your video outputs.

    For more information about individual settings, choose the Info links on the console.

  5. If your output includes a group of audio settings by default, delete it as follows:

    1. In the Stream settings section, choose Audio 1.

    2. Choose Remove audio.

  6. If you want multiple video renditions in your ABR streaming package, repeat the preceding steps of this procedure. This will create an additional video output for each one.

Creating audio ABR streaming outputs

For each audio output that you include in your output group, MediaConvert creates one audio rendition, or set of segmented video files. The most common reason to include multiple audio renditions is to provide multiple language options. If you provide only one language, you probably need only one audio output.

Note

For AAC streaming outputs, the initial segment is longer in duration than the others. This is because, with AAC, the initial segment must contain silent AAC pre-roll samples before the audible part of the segment. MediaConvert accounts for these extra samples in the timestamps, so the audio plays back correctly.

To create and set up audio ABR streaming outputs

  1. If you're working in a CMAF output group, skip this step. The first audio output is created for you.

    Create an output for your first audio track. Usually an audio track corresponds to one language.

    1. In the Job pane, choose the output group that you're working in.

    2. In the Outputs pane, choose Add output.

    3. Choose the output that you just created.

    4. If your output includes a group of video settings by default, choose Remove video to delete it. This k the Audio 1 group of settings displayed.

  2. In the Output settings pane, for Name modifier, enter a value.

    MediaConvert appends the name modifier to the file names that it creates for this output. Enter a name modifier that will make it easy to identify which files came from which output, such as -audio-english.

  3. If one of the predefined groups of settings listed under Preset is suitable for your workflow, choose it from the list. If you use a preset, skip the next step of this procedure.

  4. Specify your audio settings as follows:

    1. In the Output settings section, specify values for any remaining general settings. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

    2. Under Stream settings, for Audio source, choose one of the audio selectors that you created in Step 2: Create input selectors for video, audio, and captions.

    3. In the Stream settings section, specify values for audio encoding. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

  5. If you have additional audio assets to include in the ABR streaming package, create an output for each of them as follows:

    1. In the Job pane, choose the output group that you're working in.

    2. In the Outputs pane, choose Add output.

    3. Choose the output that you just created.

    4. If your output includes a group of video settings by default, choose Remove video to delete it. This keeps the Audio 1 group of settings displayed.

    5. Set up the output as described in steps 2 through 4 of this procedure.

Creating captions for ABR streaming outputs

Setting up captions can be complex. For detailed information, see Setting up input captions. For basic instructions, complete the following procedure.

To create and set up captions for ABR streaming outputs

  1. Create an output for your first set of captions. Usually a set of captions corresponds to one language.

    1. In the Job pane, choose the output group that you're working in.

    2. In the Outputs pane, choose Add output.

    3. Choose the output that you just created.

    4. If your output includes groups of video and audio settings by default, choose Remove video and Remove audio to delete them.

    5. Choose Add captions to display a set of captions settings.

  2. In the Output settings pane, for Name modifier, enter a value.

    MediaConvert appends the name modifier to the file names that it creates for this output. Enter a name modifier that will make it easy to identify which files came from which output, such as -captions-english.

  3. Specify your captions settings as follows:

    1. In the Output settings section, specify values for any remaining general settings. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

    2. Under Stream settings, for Captions source, choose one of the captions selectors that you created in Step 2: Create input selectors for video, audio, and captions.

    3. In the Stream settings section, specify values for the remaining captions settings.

Creating additional manifests

By default, MediaConvert generates a single top-level manifest for each of your CMAF, DASH ISO, Apple HLS, and Microsoft Smooth Streamingoutput groups. This default manifest references all the outputs in the output group.

Optionally, you can create additional top-level manifests that reference only a subset of the outputs in your output group. For example, you might want to create a manifest that doesn't include HDR outputs, for viewers who don't have a subscription that includes HDR.

Note

For CMAF output groups, if you keep the default enabled value for Write HLS manifest and Write DASH manifest, MediaConvert creates additional manifests in both of those formats. If you disable either of those settings, MediaConvert doesn't create additional manifests in that format.

To create an additional manifest

  1. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, choose the output group that you want to create the additional manifest for.

  2. In the Additional manifests section on the right, choose Add manifest.

  3. For Manifest name modifier, enter the text that you want to be at the end of the manifest file name, before the extension. This setting is required, because it gives each manifest a different file name.

  4. For Select outputs, choose the outputs that you want the manifest to refer to.

  5. Repeat these steps to create up to 10 additional manifests. Each additional manifest must have a different value for Manifest name modifier.

With File output groups, each asset that the service creates corresponds to one output, rather than one output group. Each asset contains all video, audio, and captions elements. Therefore, it's simplest to set up by first creating the output, and then setting up all the output selectors.

Create file outputs

If you created a file output group in Step 3: Create output groups, create and set up an output in the file output group for each standalone file that you intend to create.

To create an output in a file output group

  1. When you create an output group, MediaConvert automatically populates the output group with output 1, so you don't need to explicitly create it. If you are creating only one standalone file, skip the rest of this procedure.

  2. If you want to create more than one standalone file, create additional outputs as follows:

    1. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, under Output Groups, choose File group.

    2. In the Outputs pane, choose Add output.

Set up output selectors in file outputs

Next, for each file output that you just created, set up output selectors.

To set up output selectors in a file output

  1. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, under Output Groups, under File group, choose Output 1.

  2. In the Output settings pane, for Name modifier, enter a value.

    MediaConvert appends the name modifier to the file names that it creates for this output. Enter a name modifier that identifies which files came from which output, such as -standalone-hi-res.

  3. If one of the predefined groups of settings listed under Preset is suitable for your workflow, choose it from the list. If you use a preset, skip step 4 of this procedure.

    Output presets can contain up to one set each of video, audio, and captions settings. Therefore, if your standalone output file contains more than one audio or captions asset, you can't use a preset. If you can't use presets in your output, but you want to use the preset settings as a starting point, choose the preset, then choose No preset from the Preset dropdown list. This prepopulates your output with the same settings that are in the preset.

  4. Specify your output settings as follows:

    1. In the Output settings section, specify values for any remaining general settings. These settings vary depending on the container that you choose. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

    2. In the Stream settings section, specify values for video encoding. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

      Note

      The video settings tab is selected by default, so you don't need to explicitly choose this group of settings. There is only one input video selector per job, so you don't need to explicitly choose it when you set up your video outputs.

    3. Choose Audio 1 to display the group of encoding settings for the first audio asset. Audio 1 is located on the left side of the Stream settings pane, below Video.

    4. Under Stream settings, for Audio source, choose one of the audio selectors that you created in Step 2: Create input selectors for video, audio, and captions.

    5. In the Stream settings section, specify values for audio encoding. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.

    6. To include captions in the output, choose Add captions. This displays a group of captions settings. For more information about setting up captions, see Setting up input captions.

Step 5: Specify global job settings

Global job settings apply to every output that the job creates.

If your job incorporates audio or captions provided in a separate file from your input, or if you use the graphic overlay (image inserter) feature, it is especially important to get these settings right.

There are three distinct groups of timecode settings. Global job timecode configuration is one of those three. For more information about the different sets of timecode settings and how MediaConvert manages timecodes, see Setting up timecodes.

To specify global job settings

  1. In the Job pane, in the Job settings section, choose AWS integration.

  2. For IAM role, choose an IAM role that has permissions to access the Amazon S3 buckets that hold your input and output files. The IAM role must have a trusted relationship with MediaConvert. For information about creating this role, see Setting up IAM permissions .

  3. Optionally, specify job-wide timecode settings in the Timecode configuration pane.

  4. Specify values for the other job settings and enable global processors. For more information about individual settings, choose the Info link next to each setting.