How to achieve minimal loss of quality when uploading a video to youtube?

Question

YouTube

Either they changed something, or something else, but it’s impossible to upload the video to YouTube so that the quality is not lost or is lost slightly. I tried many different encoding options, different framerate, bitrate, formats - the result is the same. I follow the recommendations of Google, it does not help.

For example, here's what a frame looks like before compression:
habrastorage.org/files/029/975/dfe/029975dfeb884aa...
And here's how it is - after uploading to Youtube and downloading from there (specially selected the same moment):
habrastorage.org /files/1e4/3c7/4cf/1e43c74cf98a458...

If anyone knows the solution, please tell me.

Answer 1

As I understand it, you need to use the format that Google uses for streaming and not exceed the threshold bitrate. Download some video from YouTube and see what parameters it has.

Answer 2

YouTube will re-encode anyway (if only because it uses multiple output formats/codecs/resolutions), nothing can be done about it. Not satisfied - use other video hosting.

Answer 3

I heard that people upscale 1080 to 4k, then load it, because in this case YouTube makes a higher bitrate and quality when viewing even at 1080 higher. Many people do this now, I haven't tested it myself.

Answer 4

Use x264 codec and mp4 container. Try with my settings habrahabr.ru/post/144033

Answer 5

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171?hl=en

Answer 6

With this test video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z04OfFNG6sE
at the same time I tested the bitrates allocated by YouTube today:
8K60fps - 77.6 Mb\s @webm/vp9 (this is the equivalent of about 150 Mb\s @mp4/avc/H. 264)
4K60fps - 26.6 @webm/vp9
1440K60fps - 13.3 @webm/vp9
FHD60fps - 6.2 @mp4/avc
FHD30fps - 4.7 @mp4/avc