Video content recommendations (Original)
Note: For details on how to upload your video to the ePortfolio please refer to the Upload an ePortfolio file or document guide.
Mobile devices and tablets default to a high quality video setting that will produce large file sizes. This significantly increases upload times for videos inside the ePortfolio. The ePortfolio allows for a maximum file size of 500 MB (megabytes). Below you will find recommendations that help address these problems.
Student video assessment showcase
Examples of student videos are available on the Video Assessment Showcase webpage (UQ login required). This webpage shows a range of student video assessment examples from around the University.
Video file sizes
The table below displays the approximate file size for a variety of different video resolutions. As you move down the table the video resolution improves and the size of the file increases.
Video Resolution | Length of Recording | File Size (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
VGA | 1 minute | 24.1 MB |
High Definition (HD) | 1 minute | 88.3 MB |
1:1 | 1 minute | 110 MB |
Full High Definition (30FPS) | 1 minute | 124 MB |
Full High Definition (60FPS) | 1 minute | 205 MB |
Quad High Definition (QHD) | 1 minute | 182 MB |
Ultra High Definition (UHD) | 1 minute | 348 MB |
Warning: The default video resolution setting on most phones has been set at a minimum of Full High Definition (30FPS) or better. This means that a 10-minute video will produce a file size of just over 1 gigabyte.
Recommended video resolution settings
Recommended resolution: For a standard video submission, we recommend a video resolution setting of VGA. At this setting, a 10-minute video will produce a file size of approximately 240 megabytes.
Maximum resolution: The recommended maximum video resolution is High Definition (HD). At this setting, you can record a maximum of 5 minutes of video before the file size becomes too large.
Note: These recommended settings have been chosen as they provide a balance between resolution and file size. The larger the file size the longer the video takes to upload.
How to change your video resolution setting
In order to change the video resolution setting on your recording device, please either refer to the user manual of your device or complete an internet search for instructions.
Example search: “How do I change the video resolution on my iPhone?”
Reduce the size of a recorded video file
Phones
There are a number of free apps available through the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store that can assist with reducing the size of a recorded video file. Search for “video compressor” and select one of the free apps.
Warning: Some of the free apps only allow you to compress a maximum video length of 10 minutes.
Computers
If you already have your video file on either your PC or Mac, there are some free video compression programs available. For Mac users, iMovie can be used to help reduce file sizes. For those using a PC, an example of a free program is the open-source video transcoder “Handbrake” which will be able to compress your video to provide a smaller file.
Remove excess or unwanted video footage.
You can reduce the overall size of your video file by removing excess or unwanted video footage. This process is called trimming. For further information on how to trim video footage, refer to the Trim Video Recording guide by Anthology.
Upload a recorded video file
The table below gives an indication of approximate upload times for a variety of connection speeds and file sizes.
Warning: The below theoretical upload speeds do not include the processing time required by the ePortfolio to attach the video file. Under test conditions, a 200 MB video file took approximately 7 minutes to process once uploading was completed.
Video size (video length) | Upload speed | Time taken to upload (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
120 MB (VGA 5 min) | 1 Mbps (home internet) | 18 mins |
240 MB (VGA 10 min) | 1 Mbps (home internet) | 35 mins |
440 MB (HD 5 min) | 1 Mbps (home internet) | 1 hour 5 mins |
880 MB (HD 10 min) | 1 Mbps (home internet) | 2 hours 10 mins |
120 MB (VGA 5 min) | 56 Mbps (eduroam) | 20 secs |
240 MB (VGA 10 min) | 56 Mbps (eduroam) | 40 secs |
440 MB (HD 5 min) | 56 Mbps (eduroam) | 1 min 15 secs |
880 MB(HD 10 min) | 56 Mbps (eduroam) | 2 mins 20 secs |
120 MB (VGA 5 min) | 100 Mbps (UQ computer) | 10 secs |
240 MB;(VGA 10 min) | 100 Mbps (UQ computer) | 20 secs |
440 MB (HD 5 min) | 100 Mbps (UQ computer) | 40 secs |
880 MB(HD 10 min) | 100 Mbps (UQ computer) | 1 min 20 secs |
Note: Upload times are theoretical and are to be used as a guide only. Other factors can influence the upload speeds.
Warning: The above theoretical upload speeds do not include the processing time required by the ePortfolio to attach the video file. Under test conditions, a 200 MB video file took approximately 7 minutes to process once uploading was completed.
Recommendation: Students should upload videos to their ePortfolio while they are on campus and connected to eduroam or while using a UQ computer (fastest option). This will reduce the time it takes to complete the video upload.
Recommendation: Perform a practice upload prior to uploading your final submission so that you can address any issues that may arise.
Note: For details on how to upload your video to the ePortfolio, please refer to the Upload an ePortfolio file or document