Create encoded media

When you encode your media in Microsoft Expression Encoder, you are applying all your specified settings to your media and creating the final file that you will then either post to your website for streaming or distribute in another way. These settings include the profile, edits, script commands, markers, and templates.

Note

Before you encode, you should make sure that you understand the Expression Encoder workflow. For more information, see The Expression Encoder workflow.

To encode your media

1. Get your media ready for encoding by setting the options described in topics listed in Editing your media and Preparing your media for encoding.

2. Click the Output tab. If you don't see the Output tab, on the Window menu, click Output.

3. In the Job Output category, set these options according to the following descriptions:

   • Media File Name   Type a file name or choose a macro that extracts the file name from a specified field in the metadata. To choose a macro, right-click the field and choose a macro from the list (these are the only available macros). The field defaults to using the original file name and the default extension for the type of encoding profile that you chose. Make sure that the metadata field that the macro references contains fewer than 220 characters.

   • Directory   Type the path of the location where you want to save the job, or click Browse for output folder and browse to a file location.

   • Preview in browser   Select this option to open an ASP.NET server and open your default browser to display your video when the encoding is finished.

   • Save job file   Select this option to save the job. Expression Encoder saves each job as an XML file.

   • Sub-folder by Job ID   Select this option to create a folder that contains all the files that are generated when you encode using a template. When encoding, Expression Encoder creates a folder that uses the naming convention MACHINENAME DATE TIME. If you clear this box, Expression Encoder puts the files in a folder that you specify.

4. In the Media Content or Sources panel, look at the Encode button (if you don't see the Encode button, click the Items tab on the left border of the Media Content or Sources panel). If there are any potential problems with the encoding process, the Encode button will have a red warning label on it. If there is some additional information about the encoding process, the button will have a blue information label on it. In either instance, right-click the button to view a description of the issues or potential issues with encoding. Correct any setting mentioned in the description.

5. When you are ready to encode all the videos in the job, click Encode. To encode only one video, right-click the video that you want to encode and click Encode Selected Item.

6. If you want to pause encoding momentarily to perform other tasks, click Pause. Click Resume to restart encoding from the point it paused. Click Cancel encode to end the encoding.

See also

Other resources

Editing your media
Preparing your media for encoding

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