FFmpeg

I’m running some 1-pass vs. 2-pass comparison testing with x265. Unlike with x264 (see tests here), there’s a substantial performance penalty for running 2-pass with minimal quality benefit. I tried the no-slow-firstpass=1 setting, which only accelerated two-pass by about 14%. Here are the results from a single test file. I don’t want to process them all if there’s a magic …

Learn how thread count impacts video quality, encoding speed, and costs in FFmpeg workflows. Master configurations for optimal production and testing results.

I’m pleased to announce a new free course, MA35D & FFmpeg Quick Start: Essential Skills and Expert Tips. As the title suggests, the course will get you up and running quickly and help you configure the MA35D for optimal throughput and quality for your application. The first few lessons describe how to access the MA35D’s hardware options for decoding, encoding, …

In a recent interview available on YouTube, Jan Ozer sat down with Fred Dawson, an industry journalist and principal at Dawson Communications, to discuss his whitepaper for Motion Spell titled “GPAC: Ultra Media Technology Breaks Barriers to Next Gen Streaming.” Released in conjunction with GPAC’s 21st anniversary, the whitepaper illuminates how GPAC UltraMedia technology is setting new benchmarks for cost …

Creating batch files with variables is one of the more efficient ways to run FFmpeg. However, most producers build their batch files with variables inserted directly into the batch file, which means that you have to customize each batch file for different source files or encoding parameters. This is particularly inefficient when you’re encoding multiple files to different encoding parameters; …

Many streaming publishers focus on the top rung of their encoding ladders and let the rest fall where they may. Recently released survey findings from Qwilt indicate that publishers serving a high percentage of mobile viewers should also focus on the middle rungs, as zero rating and rate-shaping make these the most highly viewed rungs on some mobile networks. The …

I recently spoke with Dom Robinson, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer of id3as, to discuss id3as’ flagship product, Norsk, and its suitability for OTT and streaming publishers. Here’s a video of the conversation and a summary of the contents. Video 1: The complete interview. Existing Technologies and Pain Points Dom started by identifying the categories included in the streaming …

While low-latency transcoding sounds desirable, low-latency transcode settings can reduce quality and may not noticeably impact latency. Reducing latency has been a major focus for many live producers, and appropriately so, particularly for events that viewers can watch via other media, like sporting events available through satellite or cable TV. However, it’s important to understand that transcoding latency contributes minimally …

My typical workflow for testing-related articles and reports is to create the command string, run the tests, analyze the results, and then write or create the presentation. Since encoding is often so time-consuming, and I’m always in a hurry, I tend to quickly create the command strings with minimal thought, then run the tests, analyze the results, and start to …

If you encode with FFmpeg on AWS, you probably know that you have three CPU options: AMD, Graviton, and Intel. Which is the best AWS CPU for FFmpeg? This article reveals all. For those in a hurry, it’s Graviton for x264 and AMD for x265, often by a significant margin. But the devil is always in the details, and if …