Youtube Encoding

[Zoroki]

Ever since the recent update of youtube the codec I previously used for my videos have produced pretty crappy quality.
The actual video file is crisp clear but when uploaded to youtube it is almost completely striped of its quality.
Example:
After Update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HdrxQLlzH0
Before Update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gNqyzSMLac
Both went through the same exact same export process with same codec and caseing.

I've tried exporting to different codecs but nothing improved
I've noticed this with other users but some users that have uploaded videos after the update still managed to retain their quality (so there is still hope)

So can anyone suggest some codecs/formats that might do the trick.

[NeoQuixotic]

I've honestly given up on trying to make videos look good on YouTube. The way they encode the video and also depending on the type of content you upload the quality can vary greatly. Even if you find a perfect setting it can change at any moment. And of course you can randomly have YouTube just barf on your file. Either keep trying different settings or just don't bother. Just be happy for free hosting and offer a link to download an MP4/MKV to people who want good quality. And for the love of god DO NOT STRETCH 4:3 footage to 16:9. Lain is 4:3 not 16:9. At least crop it if you want 16:9 so bad.

[mirkosp]

Good quality on YouTube is an oxymoron, you gotta face that fact.
That said, slightly blurring the footage before uploading might actually help a bit; you should just provide a full quality encode link in the comments or somewhere, though, as it just makes much more sense.

[Phantasmagoriat]

I don't think you can compare the two videos so easily since the first video has a lot of noise and darker scenes; which is more difficult to encode and generally requires a higher bitrate to look like it has the same visual quality. That being said, YouTube is a streaming site and is very concerned with file sizes being too big, so they typically uses a constant bitrate. This means if your video needs a higher bitrate, it is not going to get it, no matter what you do. Simple videos look decent on youtube (overall, the second video is pretty simple... at least encoding-wise). Videos with a lot of detail will naturally be deprived of quality (especially when the detail is constantly changing... like the noise in the first video).

But even if that's not the case, do what mirko said: offer your own encode. That way you won't be constrained by the Tube. If you didn't know, the .org does offer hosting. Just keep in mind that higher bitrates result in bigger files. You just have to know how to encode your own videos... try something like Zarx264GUI. That way you'll be able to determine your own trade-off between quality and file-size instead of letting youtube do it for you.