Recommended-Video-Formats-and-Settings.pdf

Recommended Video Formats and Settings

Acceptable File Formats

Video recordings must be submitted in your National Board account as MP4

files. Other video file formats are not accepted for portfolio submission.

Recommended File Formats

Please refer to your video camera’s user manual or specifications to determine

the video format recording options.

It is recommended that you use a digital camera or video camera that supports

the following:

Video File Type

Common File

Extensions

Video Codecs

Media Player Support*

MPEG-4

.mp4

MPEG-4

AVC/H.264 or

MPEG-4 ASP

QuickTime, Windows

Media Player

* This video formats are supported by a number of media players. Only the more

common players are listed here for reference.

Recommended Media Format

Because it is best to upload a video in its original format, the recording settings

should match the recommended format and resolution. This way the digital file

created when you record will meet the suggested specifications without any

additional effort or conversion on your part.

• Bitrate: To ensure your video meets the file size requirements, we

recommend a video bitrate of 256Kbps. Candidates seeking to increase

the visual quality of their video clips may use higher bitrate settings, but

please be aware that this will result in a larger file which may exceed the

file size requirement or be more difficult to upload.

• File Size: The target file size is 200 MB to 300 MB or less.

Note: The file size limit is 500 MB. You may need to use a video

conversion tool to compress your video into a smaller file size to facilitate

its upload. A technical guide that outlines this process is available at

www.nbpts.org/national-board-certification/candidate-center/eportfolio-

submission/.

• Resolution: To achieve the target file size, be sure to set the proper

resolution before you start recording. Commonly used lower resolutions

like "320 x 240" and "640 x 480" will yield the best results. Higher

resolutions and "HD quality" will produce file sizes too large to be

conveniently uploaded and should be avoided.

• Frame Rotation: We recommend shooting video in landscape aspect

ratio.

• Frame Rate: We recommend shooting in or encoding to 24 (23.98), 25,

or 30 (29.97) fps. 30 fps is common.

• Pixels: Non-square (anamorphic) pixels are handled automatically.

• Deinterlace: Interlaced videos are handled automatically.

• Keyframes: Keyframes can be set to automatic on device.

Additional Resources

Please visit www.nbpts.org/national-board-certification/candidate-

center/eportfolio-submission for other helpful resources, including technical

guides, video tutorials, and Frequently Asked Questions.