How To? - VLC - Uploading Video Files (mp4) Not Working - Convert using VLC

In this article I show how you can change the the attributes of a video file to allow it to be uploaded and/or make it a much smaller file size. This is handy when trying to share files with friends and/or post videos on a website.

My current limit is set to < 150Mbytes for the file uploads (not sure the exact number)

In this example, I am using the VLC media player to convert the video from a large “MOV” file in 1080p to an “MP4” container at a much lower resolution (and lower bitrate). While the video will not be as clear, it is good enough and the file size is greatly reduced.

File Size

Both the resolution and bitrate will impact the size of the file. The higher the resolution and the bitrate the larger the file - with bitrate being the most influential factor.

Bitrates

For 1080p videos, the ideal bitrate ranges from 3,500 to 6,000 Kbps. If you're using a standard frame rate (30fps), aim for the lower end of the range, between 3,500 and 5,000 Kbps. If you have a high frame rate (60fps), aim for a bitrate of 4,500 to 6,000 Kbps.

My file limitation is set to ~200Mbytes. So if you cannot upload your video, check its size to see if it above the limit. If so, you can reduce the bitrate t make the file size smaller.

Here is a video walking through how to convert a file:

Uploading Video Files (i.e. mp4) to Joomla (i.e. Borsch.ca) Not Working

I many cases you create an mp4 file but it still won't upload and/or play in the website or on a phone. In this case you will need to convert make sure that you create your mp4 in a format that both a pc and a phone (e.g. IPhone) will play and that you can upload to Joomla,

Make yourself a VLC profile that stores all he attributes for your conversion, paying special attention to the audio codec attributes. This way you will be able to quickly convert future video files.

Here is a converted file that was problematic - it would not upload:

Here are the Profile details that created the file:

Video Codec Settings:

You can choose your video resolution

Audio Codec Settings: