- Introducing Creative Suite 5.5
- Speedy Start with Premiere Pro
- After Effects Rocks
- Audition Replaces Soundbooth
- The Adobe Media Encoder Matures
The Adobe Media Encoder Matures
The CS5.5 Media Encoder works essentially the same way as the CS5 version, but it has more visibility for watch folders, and it can serve After Effects as well as Premiere Pro (or work as a standalone product). A watch folder is simply a directory on your hard drive that the Media Encoder "watches." Any media files you put into the folder are automatically converted to another format, based on the settings you choose (see Figure 19).
This is much like choosing settings for a file you want to export from Premiere Pro, except that these settings are held on standby, ready to pounce on any files you put into your selected folder. The original files are unmodified. This is a great way to collaborate across a network for output to multiple devices.
The CS5.5 Media Encoder also has some welcome new presets, including ones for YouTube, Vimeo, and iPads.
If you're just starting out with the Creative Suite video applications, consider using some of the excellent training aids (both free and paid) that are available online. I recently created a complete Production Premium workflow course with Video2Brain, beginning with Story, and moving on to Premiere Pro, Audition, Photoshop, After Effects, the Adobe Media Encoder, and Encore. That course is Video Production with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and After Effects CS5.5: Learn by Video. You can also find my online courses and more at 123 Training and my website.