I’m thrilled to share an exciting update for Mass Image Compressor (MIC): it now supports video compression! You can drag and drop your MOV and MP4 videos—whether they’re encoded in H.264 or H.265 (i.e. HEVC) —just as easily as you’ve done with images. Output is always MP4 container with H.265 encoding.
When I set out to add video compression, I had a ton of options. But I stuck to MIC’s philosophy: keep it simple and effective. Too many configuration options often confuse even seasoned professionals, so I wanted a feature that’s easy for everyone – including professionals, as they are also have human like desires for simplicity in using tools 🙂 Plus, I aimed for a seamless experience between image and video compression, maintaining simplicity in workflow.
1. Unified Quality Control
You use the same quality slider as with images, ranging from 10 to 100. While bitrate-based compression could’ve been an option, it’s not ideal for bulk compression where each video varies in resolution and content. Quality-based compression, now preferred by most professionals, is simple and works across different videos.
2. Why Only H.265 (HEVC)?
Let’s talk encoding. While AV1 isn’t mainstream yet, H.265 (HEVC) has solidified its position. Devices from as far back as 2016 support it, and newer laptops and phones come with hardware decoding to save battery life. H.265 can compress videos up to 30% smaller than H.264, without losing quality. For me, it was the obvious choice for achieving great results without compatibility headaches.
3. Hardware Encoding for Speed
Using H.265, I had to choose between hardware and software encoding. Software encoding offers significantly better compression but it takes forever – and I’m sure you don’t want to spend a day compressing a party video. Hardware encoding is lightning-fast, energy-efficient, and good enough for most purpose. Also, this means I can utilize default encoder that comes with Mac which means robustness in software stability.
If you need the extra compression of software encoding, I suggest using HandBrake for specific projects. It’s for nerds, but it’s ok sometimes to be a nerd if that give you happiness.
4. Frame Rate Simplification
All 60 FPS videos will be reduced to 30 FPS. Gamers might not love this, but for casual videos, 30 FPS or even 24 FPS is often better. This approach drastically reduces file size while preserving video integrity. Videos already at 30 or 24 FPS remain untouched. Btw, this choice doesn’t come from 30 vs 60 FPS debate, but from the purpose of the software – converting a video from 60 to 30 FPS save a lot of disk space.
5. Adjustable Video Size
Just like with images, you can resize your videos in MIC. Whether it’s a specific width, height, or percentage reduction, you have control.
6. Live Preview – A Game-Changer Feature
This may be the expectation of long time users of MIC but a game changer for first time users. MIC’s Live Preview is my favorite feature. When compressing videos, you often have no idea how the output will look until it’s too late. With MIC, you can preview a snippet of the compressed video (about 10 seconds clip) from any point you choose from original video. While zooming isn’t supported, resizing the MIC window adjusts the video size dynamically. This feature took a lot of effort to build, but it’s been worth it – I’ve wasted countless hours while using other video compressors.
7. Simple and Focused
MIC supports standard screen captures and camera videos but skips multi-track videos (e.g., 3D content) and multi-track audio (e.g. audio languages). Also, videos will be stripped of the embedded subtitles. Multi-track content is rejected to prevent unnoticed data loss. If your video includes subtitles, MIC flags it in the “Important Info” section post-compression.
No Hidden Costs
Here’s the kicker: video compression is free for all users. No in-app purchases, no watermarks, no gimmicks. Of course, if you enjoy MIC, I’d appreciate your support – your purchases help keep the lights on.
With version 2.0, Mac version of MIC keeps its promise of simplicity, now extending it to video compression. I hope you find it as intuitive and effective as its image counterpart. Let me know what you think!
Leave a Reply