Video formats and export settings
CoreHue takes the files most editing apps export, up to 20 GB each, and streams them to your client at the right quality for their screen. A few export choices also make your uploads faster and more predictable.
Gallery video is included on the Plus and Pro plans. See CoreHue plans.
Gallery video spec sheet for Plus and Pro
| Plus | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| File types | MP4, MOV, M4V, AVI | MP4, MOV, M4V, AVI |
| Largest file | 20 GB | 20 GB |
| Best quality your client watches and downloads | HD (1080p) | Up to 4K |
| Longest single video | 1 hour | 2 hours |
| Total video stored | 1 hour | 4 hours |
| Video uploaded per calendar month | 2 hours | 8 hours |
| Client download format | MP4 | MP4 |
The time limits are explained in Video limits by plan.
What happens to video quality after upload
When a video finishes uploading, CoreHue prepares it for streaming in several qualities. Your client's player picks the best one their screen and connection can handle, and switches as their connection changes, so a client on hotel Wi-Fi gets smooth playback instead of a spinning wheel.
The top quality depends on your plan and on the file you uploaded:
- On Plus, videos play and download at up to HD (1080p). A 4K file is accepted and kept at HD.
- On Pro, videos play and download at up to 4K.
- Nothing is ever upscaled. A 1080p file stays 1080p on Pro.
The quality ceiling is set when a video is uploaded. A video you uploaded on Plus stays HD if you later move to Pro, so if you want a film in 4K, upload it again after upgrading.
Your client's download is a high-quality MP4 that CoreHue makes from your upload, not a copy of the exact file you sent us. You also can't download videos back out of your dashboard. Keep your own master and project files somewhere safe.
Export settings we recommend
You don't have to follow these, and any supported file will upload. They're what tends to give the smoothest experience for you and your client.
| Setting | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Container | MP4 |
| Video codec | H.264 |
| Audio | AAC, stereo |
| Frame size | 1920 × 1080 on Plus, 3840 × 2160 on Pro if you shot 4K |
| Frame rate | Keep the frame rate you edited in |
Most editing apps have an H.264 preset aimed at web or YouTube delivery, and that's a good starting point. Exporting above your plan's ceiling (4K on Plus, for example) only makes the upload bigger and slower, since your client will see HD either way.
Why MP4 makes uploads smoother
Before an upload starts, your browser reads the video's running time so CoreHue can check it against your plan. Browsers can read MP4 files reliably. They can't read AVI files at all, and some MOV files trip them up too.
When the browser can't read the length, the upload still goes ahead. Until processing measures the real length, CoreHue sets aside your plan's longest-video limit (or whatever time you have left, if that's less). That can make a second video you add at the same time come back with "Video storage full" even though both would fit. Once processing finishes, the real length is used and the rest is released. Exporting as MP4 avoids the whole thing.
Vertical and square videos
Vertical and square videos are welcome. When your client opens one, the player takes the video's own shape, so a vertical reel plays upright with nothing cropped.
On the gallery page itself, every video card is a wide 16:9 frame, so a vertical video's thumbnail is cropped to fit that frame. Pick a thumbnail with the subject near the middle. See Choosing a video thumbnail.
Frequently asked questions
What's the biggest video I can upload?
Each video file has to be under 20 GB, and its running time has to fit your plan: up to 1 hour per video on Plus and up to 2 hours on Pro.
Can I upload ProRes or other high-bitrate files?
Yes. A ProRes file saved as a .mov is accepted as long as it's under 20 GB. Files like that take a long time to upload, though, and your client streams and downloads an MP4 either way, so an H.264 export is usually the better choice.
Does CoreHue compress my video?
Yes. CoreHue makes its own playback versions of your film so it plays smoothly on any screen, rather than serving your exact file. Your client watches the best version their connection allows, up to your plan's ceiling, and downloads an MP4 at the highest quality your plan includes.
I'm on Plus. Should I export in 4K?
No. There's no benefit to a 4K export on the Plus plan. Plus delivers up to HD, so a 1080p export looks the same to your client and uploads much faster. If you move to Pro later and want the film in 4K, upload the 4K file then.
Which file types aren't accepted?
CoreHue galleries accept only MP4, MOV, M4V and AVI video files, so formats such as WMV, MKV or WebM are turned away. Re-export the film as an MP4 and upload that instead.