Choose whichever format matches the needs of your audience and the details of their viewing hardware.

The size of the output file depends on both the file format and the compression parameters set within the format. Although compression settings can easily be adjusted to produce small files, heavy compression comes at the expense of quality.

The detailed settings for most formats can be adjusted by choosing the Custom preset and clicking the Advanced button. Other presets load settings designed for typical situations.

If you are exporting a stereoscopic 3D project, an S3D menu will appear, offering various 3D formats, or the option of exporting your project in 2D.

As a convenience after output has completed, the Exporter provides shortcuts for opening Windows Media Player and the QuickTime Player. To view your output file as soon as you have created it, click the icon representing the player of your choice.

Below is a list of some of the formats.

Pinnacle Studio can generate movies in this widely-used file format using your choice of MPEG-4 or H.263 video compression, along with AMR audio compression. The format is adapted to the comparatively modest processing and storage capabilities of mobile phones.

The list of presets for this file type offers two frame sizes in either encoder. Choose Small, at 176x144, or Very Small, at 128x96.

Sometimes a movie’s soundtrack can stand alone without visuals. Live entertainment footage, and video recordings of interviews and speeches are instances in which an audio-only version might be desirable.

Pinnacle Studio lets you save your soundtrack in wav (PCM), mp3 or mp2 format.

Click the preset that best meets your needs; or choose Custom, then click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

Transport Stream (MTS) may contain video in MPEG-2 or H264/AVC compression. Its applications include HD playback on AVCHD-based camcorders, AVCHD disc, or Blu-ray disc.

Click the preset that best meets your needs; or choose Custom, then click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

Although the AVI file type for digital video is itself widely supported, the actual coding and decoding of video and audio data in an AVI file is performed by separate codec software.

Studio supplies a DV and an MJPEG codec. If you wish to output your movie as an AVI in some other format, you can use any DirectShow-compatible codec installed on your PC, as long as that codec is also installed on the PC that will play your movie.

Click the preset that best meets your needs; or choose Custom, then click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

This file format, based on MPEG-4 video compression technology, is popular for video files disseminated over the Internet. It is also supported by a range of DivX-compatible hardware devices, from DVD players to portable and handheld units.

Click the preset that best meets your needs; or choose Custom, then click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

This file format, based on H264 video compression technology, is popular for HD video files disseminated over the Internet.

Click whichever of the quality presets matches your needs; or choose Custom, then click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

Studio supports output in Flash Video (flv) format, version 7. Virtually all current web browsers are able to display this popular format, which has been widely adopted by social networking sites and news sites.

Click the quality preset that matches your needs; or choose Custom, then click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

A frame of your video project can be exported as an image, a JPG, TIF or Custom. If you select the Custom option, use the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

You can also choose GIF to create an animated GIF file. For more information, see “Export to animated GIF” on page 250.

A section of your video project can be exported as a series of images, one per frame. The video selected must be at least one second long. Each second of video will generate between 25 and 60 images, depending on the frame rate setting.

The images can be TIF, JPG, TGA, or BMP, in a variety of sizes. If the project is in stereoscopic 3D, you will be offered S3D formats for output.

This is the QuickTime file format. It is particularly suitable when the movie will be played on the QuickTime player.

The presets provide a variety of size and encoding options.

MPEG-1 is the original MPEG file format. MPEG-1 video compression is used on VideoCDs, but in other contexts it has given way to newer standards.

MPEG-2 is the successor format to MPEG-1. Whereas the MPEG-1 file format is supported on all Windows 95 and later PCs, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 files can only be played on PCs with appropriate decoder software installed. Several of the MPEG-2 presets support HD (High Definition) playback equipment.

MPEG-4 is another member of the MPEG family. It offers image quality similar to MPEG-2 but with even greater compression. It is particularly suitable for Internet use. Two of the MPEG-4 presets (QCIF and QSIF) create ‘quarter-frame’ video sized for cell phones; two others (CIF and SIF) create ‘full-frame’ video suitable for handheld viewers.

Custom presets: With all MPEG variants, Custom lets you configure movie output in detail by clicking the Advanced button to open the Advanced Settings panel.

Real Media movie files are designed for playback on the Internet. Real Media movies can be played back by anyone around the world who has the RealNetworks RealPlayer software, which is a free download from www.real.com.

Click the Advanced button to configure your output with the Advanced Settings panel.

The Windows Media file format is also designed for streaming Internet playback. The files can be played on any computer where the Windows Media player – a free program from Microsoft – is installed.

Click the Advanced button to configure your output with the Advanced Settings panel.