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==== Rendering ====
==== Rendering ====


Rendering is the process where the edited clips are saved into a single complete video clip. During the rendering process the video can be compressed and converted to a number of different video formats (AKA codecs).
Rendering is the process where the edited clips are saved into a single complete video clip. During the rendering process the video can be compressed and converted to a number of different video formats (aka codecs).


The rendering dialog is brought up from the render button {{Icon1|Kdenlive Render button.png}}, from selecting <menuchoice>Render</menuchoice> in the [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Project_Menu|Project Menu]]  or by the <keycap>Ctrl + Enter</keycap> shortcut.
The rendering dialog is brought up from the render button {{Icon1|Kdenlive Render button.png}}, from selecting <menuchoice>Render</menuchoice> in the [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Project_Menu|Project Menu]]  or by the <keycap>Ctrl + Enter</keycap> shortcut.
===== Rendering Dialog Ver 17.04 =====
[[File:Kdenlive Render dialog 17 04.png|frame|left|File rendering dialog - ver 17.04]]
<br clear=all>


===== Rendering Profile Categories =====
===== Rendering Profile Categories =====
[[File:Kdenlive Render dialog 17 04 categories expanded.png|frame|left|File rendering categories- ver 17.04]]
<br clear=all>


'''Kdenlive''' offers many different preset rendering profiles to choose from. The rendering profiles are grouped into categories. See picture below.  
'''Kdenlive''' offers many different preset rendering profiles to choose from. The rendering profiles are grouped into categories. See picture Above.  


[[File:Kdenlive Rendering options2.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive Rendering options2.png]]
<span id="File Rendering"></span>
<span id="File Rendering"></span>
====== File Rendering ======
====== File Rendering - earlier Versions ======
 
The following figures show the render dialog when the <menuchoice>Destination</menuchoice> category is '''File Rendering'''. The first two figures show the layout of the dialog under ver 0.9.10 of '''Kdenlive''' and the third figure shows how the dialog appears in ver 0.9.8 of '''Kdenlive'''.
 
Version 0.9.10 of '''Kdenlive''' changes the render dialog significantly because it implements a method where you can choose to render the project with either a variable video bitrate (VBR) or a constant video bitrate (CBR)
<span id="Variable Bit Rate - earlier Versions"></span>
====== Variable Bit Rate - earlier Versions  ======


[[File:Kdenlive File rendering.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive Render dialog vbr 0.9.10.png |frame|left|File rendering dialog Variable Bit Rate - ver 0.9.10]]
<br clear=all>
When a variable bitrate profile is selected, the <menuchoice>File Size</menuchoice> section displays a drop down for choosing the '''Video quality''' you want. This quality figure is a codec-dependent number representing the quality of the video that will be rendered. Generally, lower numbers mean higher quality video and larger file sizes (e.g. x264, MPEG2, VPx), but some codecs use opposite order (e.g. Theora). Profiles provided with '''Kdenlive''' offer these numbers ordered from best quality (almost lossless) to lower quality (still not degrading too much).  The exact file size that is produced can not be predicted when using the VBR method.  The idea behind this is that you specify a certain quality of video that you want through the entire video and the encoding optimizes bitrate to give you that constant quality, lowering data size for low action scenes and using more bits for high action scenes.


====== DVD Rendering ======
Example: 1min 55 seconds of 720 x 576 H.264 iPhone footage rendered at quality 15 with the H.264/AAC High Profile would produce a file size of 186 Mb. Whereas rendering the same footage at quality quality 20 produced an 83Mb file.
<span id="Constant Bit Rate - earlier Versions"></span>
====== Constant Bit Rate - earlier Versions ======


DVD Rendering produces files that are compatible with DVD authoring softwareMPEG2 files created from [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Project_Menu/Render#File_Rendering|file rendering]] profiles are less likely to be compatible with DVD software. 
[[File:Kdenlive Render dialog cbr 0.9.10.png  |frame|left|File rendering dialog Constant Bit Rate - ver 0.9.10]]
<br clear=all>
When a constant bitrate (CBR) profile is selected, the <menuchoice>File Size</menuchoice> section displays a drop down for choosing the '''Video bitrate''' you want. This is similar to the ver <=0.9.8 behaviour of '''Kdenlive'''. You select the video bitrate you want and the video is encoded at that video bitrate across its entire length.
   
[[File:Kdenlive Render dialog 0.9.8.png|frame|left|File rendering dialog - ver 0.9.8]]
<br clear=all>


Note that this option does not create a DVD file system. It merely creates DVD compatible MPEG2 files that can be used by DVD authoring software.  If you check the <menuchoice>Open DVD Wizard after Rendering</menuchoice> check box then the [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/File Menu/DVD Wizard|DVD Wizard]] will open and you can use this to create a DVD file system (in .ISO format).  The DVD Wizard is also available from the [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/File Menu|File Menu]].   
====== DVD Rendering - earlier Versions  ======
 
DVD Rendering produces files that are compatible with DVD authoring software.  MPEG2 files created from [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Project_Menu/Render#File_Rendering|file rendering]] profiles are less likely to be compatible with DVD software.  For quality settings see [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Project_Menu/Render#Variable Bit Rate - earlier Versions|Variable Bit Rate]] and [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Project_Menu/Render#Constant Bit Rate - earlier Versions|Constant Bit Rate]]. For DVD VBR lower <menuchoice>Video quality</menuchoice> setting number means better quality.
 
Note that this rendering does not create a DVD file system. It merely creates DVD-compatible MPEG2 files that can be used by DVD authoring software.  If you check the <menuchoice>Open DVD Wizard after Rendering</menuchoice> check box, then the [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/File Menu/DVD Wizard|DVD Wizard]] will open and you can use it to create a DVD file system (in .ISO format).  The DVD Wizard is also available from the [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/File Menu|File Menu]].   
 
<menuchoice>Create chapter file based on guides</menuchoice> enables chapter markings on your DVD. Chapters work with the "next" and "previous" buttons on the DVD player and can populate scene selection menus. In order to create chapters this way you need to have marked chapters with  [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Timeline/Guides|guides]] on timeline. DVD wizard enables marking of chapters also during DVD creation step.


[[File:Kdenlive DVD rendering.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive DVD rendering.png]]


====== Websites ======
====== Websites - earlier Versions ======


[[File:Kdenlive WebSites rendering.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive WebSites rendering.png]]


====== Mobile Devices ======
====== Mobile Devices - earlier Versions ======


[[File:Kdenlive Mobile devices.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive Mobile devices.png]]
Line 38: Line 65:
===== Create Custom Render Profiles =====
===== Create Custom Render Profiles =====


You can create your own custom render profiles by clicking the button highlighted in the screen shot below
You can create your own custom render profiles by clicking the button highlighted in the screenshot below.


[[File:Custom render profiles.png|350px]]
[[File:Custom render profiles.png|350px]]


This will open the '''Save Profile''' dialog (also shown in the above screen shot) and the <menuchoice>Parameters</menuchoice> section will be filled in with the render parameters of the profile that you had selected when you clicked the {{Icon|document-new}} button. You can edit values in the parameters and save your own custom render profile.
This will open the '''Save Profile''' dialog (also shown in the above screenshot) and the <menuchoice>Parameters</menuchoice> section will be filled in with the render parameters of the profile that you had selected when you clicked the {{Icon|document-new}} button. You can edit values in the parameters and save your own custom render profile.


The parameters in the rendering profile are ffmpeg parameters. For an explanation of there meaning check the ffmpeg [http://linux.die.net/man/1/ffmpeg man(ual) page] or type ffmpeg -h in a command prompt.
The parameters in the rendering profile are ''melt'' parameters. For an explanation of their meaning, check the ''melt'' [http://www.mltframework.org/bin/view/MLT/Documentation documentation] or type <code>melt -help</code> in a command prompt.


The above screen shot shows the ''Save Profile'' dialog as it appears in vers <=0.9.4 of Kdenlive.
The above screenshot shows the '''Save Profile''' dialog as it appears in vers <=0.9.4 of '''Kdenlive'''.


In version >=0.9.5 there is an improved version of the Save Profile dialog (see below) which allows you to customize the bitrates that are offered in the render profile.
In version >=0.9.5 there is an improved version of the '''Save Profile''' dialog (see below) which allows you to customize the bitrates that are offered in the render profile.


[[File:Kdenlive Custom render profile 0.9.5.png|350px]]
[[File:Kdenlive Custom render profile 0.9.5.png|350px]]
Line 56: Line 83:
===== Rendering In Batch mode =====
===== Rendering In Batch mode =====


If you have a lot of rendering jobs to do you can use '''Kdenlive''' to create rendering scripts which you can accumulate and then execute in a batch mode overnight. See [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Rendering|Rendering Using Rendering Scripts]].
If you have a lot of rendering jobs to do, you can use '''Kdenlive''' to create rendering scripts which you can accumulate and then execute in batch mode overnight. See [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Rendering|Rendering Using Rendering Scripts]].


Alternatively, once you have submitted a rendering job on a project and it is up and running in the '''Job Queue''' you can drag the render window out of the way and edit the project some more or load a new project and render that one too. The second submitted render job will go into the '''Job Queue'''. Editing the project after a render job is submitted will not change the settings on that job.
Alternatively, once you have submitted a rendering job on a project and it is up and running in the '''Job Queue''', you can drag the render window out of the way and edit the project some more or load a new project and render that one too. The second render job submitted will go into the '''Job Queue'''. Editing the project after a render job is submitted will not change the settings on that job.


[[File:Kdenlive Rendering job queue.png|500px]]
[[File:Kdenlive Rendering job queue.png|500px]]
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===== Rendering Using the Selected Zone Option =====
===== Rendering Using the Selected Zone Option =====


If you select the <menuchoice>Selected Zone</menuchoice> radio button from the bottom of the render dialog then '''Kdenlive''' will only render that bit of the project that has a selected zone created for it. See [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Monitors#Creating_Zones_in_Project_Monitor|Creating Zones in Project Monitor]]
If you select the <menuchoice>Selected Zone</menuchoice> radio button from the bottom of the render dialog, '''Kdenlive''' will only render that portion of the project which has a selected zone created for it. See [[Special:myLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Monitors#Creating_Zones_in_Project_Monitor|Creating Zones in Project Monitor]]
 


===== Render Overlay =====
===== Render Overlay =====
Line 75: Line 101:
[[File:Kdenlive Render overlay.png ]]
[[File:Kdenlive Render overlay.png ]]


This option overlays a time code or frame count over the rendered video.  This will put the overlay over the entire rendered project.  Alternatively you can use the [[Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Effects/Misc/Dynamic_Text|Dynamic Text]] effect to place overlay over selected regions of the video.
This option overlays a time code or frame count over the rendered video.  This will put the overlay over the entire rendered project.  Alternatively you can use the [[Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Effects/Misc/Dynamic_Text|Dynamic Text]] effect to overlay selected regions of the video.
 
[[File:Kdenlive Render overlay result eg.png|150px|frame|left|render overlay result]]
<br clear=all>


===== Export Metadata =====
===== Export Metadata =====
Check this to have the metadata setup under project settings > [[Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Projects_and_Files/Project_Settings#Metadata_Tab|Metadata]] be placed into the metadata of the rendered file.
Check this to have the metadata which has been entered under <menuchoice>Project Settings- ></menuchoice> [[Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Projects_and_Files/Project_Settings#Metadata_Tab|Metadata]] placed into the metadata of the rendered file.


This image shows meta data settings for a project
In version 0.9.6 for Linux, you have to double-click the data area of a metadata field line to make the field available for input.
 
This image shows metadata settings for a project:
[[File:Kdenlive project settings metadata.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive project settings metadata.png]]


and this is the metadata on the resulting clip (rendered with Export Metadata checked)
And this is the metadata on the resulting clip (rendered with <menuchoice>Export Metadata</menuchoice> checked).
[[File:Kdenlive Clip properties metadata res.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive Clip properties metadata res.png]]


Line 99: Line 130:
}}
}}


This reveals a bug in ver 0.9.4 of Kdenlive - the full title is not placed in the meta data - it is truncated at the first space. This has been fixed in 0.9.5 of Kdenlive as Mantis number [http://www.kdenlive.org/mantis/view.php?id=2996 2996]
This reveals a bug in ver 0.9.4 of '''Kdenlive''' - the full title is not placed in the metadata - it is truncated at the first space. This has been fixed in 0.9.5 of '''Kdenlive''' as Mantis number [http://www.kdenlive.org/mantis/view.php?id=2996 2996].
 
===== Export Audio Checkbox=====
 
This is an unusual one. Instead of a normal on/off checkbox toggle, the <menuchoice>Export Audio</menuchoice> checkbox cycles among three choices.


===== Export Audio Checkbox=====
[[File:Kdenlive Export audio check box crop.png ]]
[[File:kdenlive export audio checked ubuntu.png ]]
[[File:kdenlive export audio unchecked ubuntu.png ]]
<br clear=all>


[[File:Kdenlive Export audio check box.png ]]
As if that weren't confusing enough, the ''Export audio (automatic)'' option may appear different depending on your combination of distribution, desktop environment and theme.  See three examples below:
<br clear=all>
[[File:Kdenlive Export audio check box crop.png ]]
[[File:kdenlive export audio automatic dashed.png ]]
[[File:kdenlive export audio automatic nocheck.png ]]


This toggles between three modes. Unchecked, Checked and Checked Automatic.
Regardless of how the checkbox on the ''Export audio (automatic)'' option may appear on your installation, rest assured that when that option is showing, it is enabled.


Uncheck this to make the video render without an audio track.
So what do the three options mean?


''Checked - Automatic'' means - detect if an audio track is present and write the audio track if found
''Export audio (automatic)'' means detect if an audio track is present and write the audio track if found


''Checked'' means write an audio track in the rendered file even if there is no audio track to write.
''Export audio'', when checked, means write an audio track in the rendered file even if there is no audio track to write.


The difference in behaviour between ''Checked'' and ''Checked Automatic'' is to do with the situation where you have a Video on the time line but there is no audio track on the time line and the video in the video track also does not have an audio track. An example of such a situation is shown in the screen shot below.
''Export audio'', when unchecked, means do not write an audio track in the rendered file.
 
The difference in behavior between enabling ''Export audio'' versus ''Export audio (automatic)'' can be seen in the situation where you have a video on the timeline but there is no audio track on the timeline and the video in the video track also does not have an audio track. An example of such a situation is shown in the screenshot below.


[[File:Kdenlive Video with no audio.png]]  
[[File:Kdenlive Video with no audio.png]]  


Under this situation if you render with ''Checked Automatic'' then the rendered file will not have an audio track (Result 1 on screen shot below). But if you render with Export Audio just ''Checked'' then the rendered file will contain an audio track - the track will however be empty  (Result 2 on screen shot below).
In this situation, if you render with ''Enable audio (automatic)'', the rendered file will not have an audio track (Result 1 on screenshot below). But if you render with ''Export Audio'' checked, then the rendered file will contain an audio track &mdash; the track will however be empty  (Result 2 on screenshot below).


[[File:Kdenlive Render export audio auto vs just checked2.png ]]
[[File:Kdenlive Render export audio auto vs just checked2.png ]]


FFprobe on file generated from an audio-less track using Export Audio - ''Checked Automatic''. Note only one stream - Stream #0.0 - a video stream. Kdenlive automatically detected there was not an audio track and so it did not write one.
FFprobe on file generated from an audio-less track using ''Export audio (automatic)''. Note only one stream &mdash; Stream #0.0 &mdash; a video stream. '''Kdenlive''' automatically detected there was not an audio track and so it did not write one.


{{Input|1=$ ffprobe dog_rotated_exp_audio_auto.mp4}}
{{Input|1=$ ffprobe dog_rotated_exp_audio_auto.mp4}}
Line 133: Line 177:
}}
}}


FFprobe on file generated from an audio-less track using Export Audio - ''Checked''. Note two streams - Stream #0.0 and Stream #0.1 the latter being an aac audio track.  We forced Kdenlive to write an audio track even though there was not any source audio to write.
FFprobe on file generated from an audio-less track using ''Export audio'' checked. Note two streams &mdash; Stream #0.0 and Stream #0.1 &mdash; the latter being an aac audio track.  We forced '''Kdenlive''' to write an audio track even though there was not any source audio to write.


{{Input|1=$ ffprobe dog_rotated_exp_audio.mp4}}
{{Input|1=$ ffprobe dog_rotated_exp_audio.mp4}}
Line 151: Line 195:
[[File:Kdenlive Video plus Audio in seperate tracks.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive Video plus Audio in seperate tracks.png]]


Rendering with Export Audio - Unchecked will produce a file with no audio track - result 4 in the screen shot above.
Rendering with ''Export audio'' unchecked will produce a file with no audio track &mdash; result 4 in the screenshot above.
Rendering with Export Audio - Checked - Automatic (result 3  in the screen shot above) or with  Export Audio - Checked will produce files with Audio tracks.
Rendering with ''Export audio (automatic)'' (result 3  in the screenshot above) or with  ''Export audio'' checked will produce files with Audio tracks.


===== Encoder Threads =====
===== Encoder Threads =====


[[File:Kdenlive Encoder threads.png]]
[[File:Kdenlive Encoder threads.png]]
Determines the value of ''Encoding threads'' passed to melt.  For encoding to certain codecs, namely MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, and VP8, kdenlive can use more than one thread and thus make use of multiple cores. Increase this number to take advantage of this feature on multi-core machines.  See [http://www.mltframework.org/bin/view/MLT/ConsumerAvformat#threads melt doco - threads] and [http://www.mltframework.org/bin/view/MLT/Questions#Does_MLT_take_advantage_of_multi melt FAQ] on multi-threading.


===== Scanning Dropdown =====
===== Scanning Dropdown =====
Line 163: Line 209:


This option controls the frame scanning setting the rendered file will have.  
This option controls the frame scanning setting the rendered file will have.  
Options are Force Progressive, Force Interlaced and  Auto.  
Options are ''Force Progressive'', ''Force Interlaced'' and  ''Auto''.  


Auto causes the rendered file to to take the scanning settings that are defined in the [[Special:MyLanguage//Kdenlive/Manual/Projects_and_Files/Project_Settings#Project_Settings_Tab|project settings]]. Use the other options to override the setting defined in the project settings.
''Auto'' causes the rendered file to to take the scanning settings that are defined in the [[Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Projects_and_Files/Project_Settings#Project_Settings_Tab|project settings]]. Use the other options to override the setting defined in the project settings.


{{Prevnext2
{{Prevnext2
| prevpage=Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Settings_Menu | nextpage=Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Rendering
| prevpage=Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Settings_Menu | nextpage=Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual/Rendering
| prevtext=Settings Menu | nexttext=Using Guides and Scripts
| prevtext=Settings Menu | nexttext=Rendering Using Guides and Scripts
| index=Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual | indextext=Back to menu
| index=Special:MyLanguage/Kdenlive/Manual | indextext=Back to menu
}}
}}


[[Category:Kdenlive]]
[[Category:Kdenlive]]

Latest revision as of 14:17, 11 August 2023

Information

  • How to choose the correct output format and bit rate?
  • What to do for rendering lossless, for an iPhone, or whatever? (Dropdown containing targets like lossless/HQ/player)

Rendering

Rendering is the process where the edited clips are saved into a single complete video clip. During the rendering process the video can be compressed and converted to a number of different video formats (aka codecs).

The rendering dialog is brought up from the render button , from selecting Render in the Project Menu or by the Ctrl + Enter shortcut.

Rendering Dialog Ver 17.04
File rendering dialog - ver 17.04


Rendering Profile Categories
File rendering categories- ver 17.04


Kdenlive offers many different preset rendering profiles to choose from. The rendering profiles are grouped into categories. See picture Above.

File Rendering - earlier Versions

The following figures show the render dialog when the Destination category is File Rendering. The first two figures show the layout of the dialog under ver 0.9.10 of Kdenlive and the third figure shows how the dialog appears in ver 0.9.8 of Kdenlive.

Version 0.9.10 of Kdenlive changes the render dialog significantly because it implements a method where you can choose to render the project with either a variable video bitrate (VBR) or a constant video bitrate (CBR)

Variable Bit Rate - earlier Versions
File rendering dialog Variable Bit Rate - ver 0.9.10


When a variable bitrate profile is selected, the File Size section displays a drop down for choosing the Video quality you want. This quality figure is a codec-dependent number representing the quality of the video that will be rendered. Generally, lower numbers mean higher quality video and larger file sizes (e.g. x264, MPEG2, VPx), but some codecs use opposite order (e.g. Theora). Profiles provided with Kdenlive offer these numbers ordered from best quality (almost lossless) to lower quality (still not degrading too much). The exact file size that is produced can not be predicted when using the VBR method. The idea behind this is that you specify a certain quality of video that you want through the entire video and the encoding optimizes bitrate to give you that constant quality, lowering data size for low action scenes and using more bits for high action scenes.

Example: 1min 55 seconds of 720 x 576 H.264 iPhone footage rendered at quality 15 with the H.264/AAC High Profile would produce a file size of 186 Mb. Whereas rendering the same footage at quality quality 20 produced an 83Mb file.

Constant Bit Rate - earlier Versions
File rendering dialog Constant Bit Rate - ver 0.9.10


When a constant bitrate (CBR) profile is selected, the File Size section displays a drop down for choosing the Video bitrate you want. This is similar to the ver <=0.9.8 behaviour of Kdenlive. You select the video bitrate you want and the video is encoded at that video bitrate across its entire length.

File rendering dialog - ver 0.9.8


DVD Rendering - earlier Versions

DVD Rendering produces files that are compatible with DVD authoring software. MPEG2 files created from file rendering profiles are less likely to be compatible with DVD software. For quality settings see Variable Bit Rate and Constant Bit Rate. For DVD VBR lower Video quality setting number means better quality.

Note that this rendering does not create a DVD file system. It merely creates DVD-compatible MPEG2 files that can be used by DVD authoring software. If you check the Open DVD Wizard after Rendering check box, then the DVD Wizard will open and you can use it to create a DVD file system (in .ISO format). The DVD Wizard is also available from the File Menu.

Create chapter file based on guides enables chapter markings on your DVD. Chapters work with the "next" and "previous" buttons on the DVD player and can populate scene selection menus. In order to create chapters this way you need to have marked chapters with guides on timeline. DVD wizard enables marking of chapters also during DVD creation step.

Websites - earlier Versions

Mobile Devices - earlier Versions

Create Custom Render Profiles

You can create your own custom render profiles by clicking the button highlighted in the screenshot below.

This will open the Save Profile dialog (also shown in the above screenshot) and the Parameters section will be filled in with the render parameters of the profile that you had selected when you clicked the button. You can edit values in the parameters and save your own custom render profile.

The parameters in the rendering profile are melt parameters. For an explanation of their meaning, check the melt documentation or type melt -help in a command prompt.

The above screenshot shows the Save Profile dialog as it appears in vers <=0.9.4 of Kdenlive.

In version >=0.9.5 there is an improved version of the Save Profile dialog (see below) which allows you to customize the bitrates that are offered in the render profile.

See also Render Profile Parameters - How to read them

Rendering In Batch mode

If you have a lot of rendering jobs to do, you can use Kdenlive to create rendering scripts which you can accumulate and then execute in batch mode overnight. See Rendering Using Rendering Scripts.

Alternatively, once you have submitted a rendering job on a project and it is up and running in the Job Queue, you can drag the render window out of the way and edit the project some more or load a new project and render that one too. The second render job submitted will go into the Job Queue. Editing the project after a render job is submitted will not change the settings on that job.

Rendering Using the Guide Zone Option

This makes use of Guides to define a region of the project that is to be rendered. See Rendering Using Rendering Scripts.

Rendering Using the Selected Zone Option

If you select the Selected Zone radio button from the bottom of the render dialog, Kdenlive will only render that portion of the project which has a selected zone created for it. See Creating Zones in Project Monitor

Render Overlay

This option overlays a time code or frame count over the rendered video. This will put the overlay over the entire rendered project. Alternatively you can use the Dynamic Text effect to overlay selected regions of the video.

render overlay result


Export Metadata

Check this to have the metadata which has been entered under Project Settings- > Metadata placed into the metadata of the rendered file.

In version 0.9.6 for Linux, you have to double-click the data area of a metadata field line to make the field available for input.

This image shows metadata settings for a project:

And this is the metadata on the resulting clip (rendered with Export Metadata checked).


$ ffprobe dog_rotated_meta_data.mp4
Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    title           : Bailey
    encoder         : Lavf53.21.1
    copyright       : VSF

This reveals a bug in ver 0.9.4 of Kdenlive - the full title is not placed in the metadata - it is truncated at the first space. This has been fixed in 0.9.5 of Kdenlive as Mantis number 2996.

Export Audio Checkbox

This is an unusual one. Instead of a normal on/off checkbox toggle, the Export Audio checkbox cycles among three choices.


As if that weren't confusing enough, the Export audio (automatic) option may appear different depending on your combination of distribution, desktop environment and theme. See three examples below:

Regardless of how the checkbox on the Export audio (automatic) option may appear on your installation, rest assured that when that option is showing, it is enabled.

So what do the three options mean?

Export audio (automatic) means detect if an audio track is present and write the audio track if found

Export audio, when checked, means write an audio track in the rendered file even if there is no audio track to write.

Export audio, when unchecked, means do not write an audio track in the rendered file.

The difference in behavior between enabling Export audio versus Export audio (automatic) can be seen in the situation where you have a video on the timeline but there is no audio track on the timeline and the video in the video track also does not have an audio track. An example of such a situation is shown in the screenshot below.

In this situation, if you render with Enable audio (automatic), the rendered file will not have an audio track (Result 1 on screenshot below). But if you render with Export Audio checked, then the rendered file will contain an audio track — the track will however be empty (Result 2 on screenshot below).

FFprobe on file generated from an audio-less track using Export audio (automatic). Note only one stream — Stream #0.0 — a video stream. Kdenlive automatically detected there was not an audio track and so it did not write one.

$ ffprobe dog_rotated_exp_audio_auto.mp4
Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    encoder         : Lavf53.21.1
Duration: 00:00:03.62, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 12592 kb/s
Stream #0.0(und): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1280x720 [PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 12587 kb/s, 27.83 fps, 27.83 tbr, 30k tbn, 55.66 tbc

FFprobe on file generated from an audio-less track using Export audio checked. Note two streams — Stream #0.0 and Stream #0.1 — the latter being an aac audio track. We forced Kdenlive to write an audio track even though there was not any source audio to write.

$ ffprobe dog_rotated_exp_audio.mp4
Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    encoder         : Lavf53.21.1
  Duration: 00:00:03.62, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 12598 kb/s

Stream #0.0(und): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1280x720 [PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 12587 kb/s, 27.83 fps, 27.83 tbr, 30k tbn, 55.66 tbc
Stream #0.1(und): Audio: aac, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 2 kb/s

In cases where there is an audio track ...

Rendering with Export audio unchecked will produce a file with no audio track — result 4 in the screenshot above. Rendering with Export audio (automatic) (result 3 in the screenshot above) or with Export audio checked will produce files with Audio tracks.

Encoder Threads

Determines the value of Encoding threads passed to melt. For encoding to certain codecs, namely MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, and VP8, kdenlive can use more than one thread and thus make use of multiple cores. Increase this number to take advantage of this feature on multi-core machines. See melt doco - threads and melt FAQ on multi-threading.

Scanning Dropdown

This option controls the frame scanning setting the rendered file will have. Options are Force Progressive, Force Interlaced and Auto.

Auto causes the rendered file to to take the scanning settings that are defined in the project settings. Use the other options to override the setting defined in the project settings.