tool to view x265 encoding parameters

[vhelp]

note 1: topic subject title has been changed from "adding x265 encoding parameters via metadata".

note 2: an alternative (or backup) method of recording the x265 encoding parameters can be used through ffmpeg, below.

note 3: as of 2014-07-31, mediainfo 0.7.69+ svn rev.6373 has been updated to show the x265 encoding parameters.

note 4: post # 3 containes the latest details about the x265 infotool.

or, at least until the x265 team decide give us the option via the SEI bitstream of h265 via x265 command line parameter options.

we all know how much work goes into processing hevc encoded videos. between analyzing the video and reviewing the parameters and finetuning the next video. thus, keeping track of all the important details can be a chore. the major detail i am refering to is the x265 parameters. the way i've been keeping track of the parameters was either write them down in a text file or excel spreadsheet, or add them to the filename. example:

video.1.1+202.[00.02.06].[0.94fps].[--nr100, aqstrength1.5, aqmode2, rd5, psyrd0.3, ctu16].[115].[0.972kb].hm10
video.1.1+258.[00.00.42].[3.09fps].[--nr100, aqstrength1.5, aqmode2, rd2, psyrd0.3, ctu16].[115].[1.144kb].hm10

but now that we have working containers for hevc: mkv, mp4 and flv, thanks to mkvtoolnix and ffmpeg, maybe its time for all developers to incorporate the x265 encoded parameters into the final video container via metadata tagging, until the x265 team add the feature directly to the h265 bitstream, which i hope will be soon. i know i've asked about this request before, but i'd like to ask again... to please add this feature in. also, to give the option to expand the 'preset' parameters into the whole parameter writing.

add the parameters to metadata to mkv or mp4 container can be done through ffmpeg and mkvtoolnix. both offer metadata read/write functions, and mediainfo does recognise and display the tags. i myself, have been using ffmpeg to add them through the 'Comment' tag in the mp4 container through my gui front-end to x265.exe encoder. but there is no reason not to develope stand-alone tools to write them. script writers should be able to do this also.

ffmpeg example:

ffmpeg -i "video.1.1.253.hm10" -map 0 -map_metadata 0 -metadata comment="--preset ultrafast --frames 117 --crf 17 --aq-strength 1.5 --aq-mode 2 --psy-rd 0.3 --rd 2 --nr 100 --ctu 16" -codec copy  -y "video.1.1.253.mp4"

obviously, add the audio if available

[Selur]

don't need the encoding data, but having an option to set the SEI text manually would be nice (x264 doesn't offer this, since the developers believe that the options used to create the stream should be visible and there should be no 'simple' way to remove them).
@vhelp: Hybrid and a lot of other tools already offer the possibility to set container tags, so no real reason for a new separate gui.

[vhelp]

i'm sure mediainfo will put out an updated version, but in the interim, i wrote this utility to display the x265 encoded parameters. it only works with the x265.exe build 1.2.076 and later.

note: as of 2014-07-31, mediainfo 0.7.69+ svn rev.6373 has been updated to show the x265 encoding parameters.



i scanned the file at https://www.virustotal.com/en/ and receive the detection ration of 1/54.
(feel free to scan again with your own software. thank you)

 - change log - 

  v0.6, 2014-08-02 sat 
  fix: flickery display in both pane windows during drag/drop of files.
  fix: enhanced the [sort] routine so that the last selected parameter is restored.
  fix: enhanced, also remembers last param across drag/drop of new files.
  add: option: [Copy Rt Pane as SEI parameter], ie, (cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / ..) 
  add: search feature. see readme (sect 7 [7e.1])
  add: status details: ie, sort status; param count; last parameter; build version; (but not x264 yet) 
  
  v0.5, 2014-07-29 tue
  fix: caption bar title and filename (was left off in v0.4)
  fix: enhanced the [paste in x264/x265 SEI parameters] function.
  add: \options\sort (can sort/unsort the right pane listing)
  add: can read x264 SEI parameters as well. (see sect 3)
  updated: readme to include section bookmarks and also several how-to's.
           see updates made to sections (3, 5, 6, and 7 and 8)
  
  v0.4, 2014-07-20 sun
  fix: menu\edit [paste in x264/x265 parameters], ie, copy/pasting of x264/x265 parameters, ie [--rd 2 --ref 3 --preset fast ...]
       (see readme file special notes on this feature)
  add: readme file
  
  v0.3, 2014-07-17 thur 
  add: option to copy right pane text as excel (param/value columns)
  add: option to copy right pane text as param style, ie, [--me 2 --ref 3 --rd 2]
  add: paste params. this is a copy/paste from another tools parameters into x265_infotool - experimental 
  
  v0.2, 2014-07-16 wed
  fix: tool now opens in center of desktop/window screen.
  fix: scroller/highlight to last position when selected.
  fix: when tool is launched, first selection is now highlighted.
  fix: name change in the tools caption, now reads: x265_infotool
  add: options to copy left or right pane text to clipboard
  
  v0.1, 2014-07-15 tue
  birth of x265_infotool.

please note, the latest version is 0.6

[Selur]

Strange if you use "metadata comment", mediainfo should already be able to display the settings, assuming you look at the input with full details.

[vhelp]

i downloaded the latest version of mediainfo several days ago and tried it. it did not display the SEI info from the latest x265 builds. i also tried ffmpeg, latest version, same result. the earliest x265 build i have is 1.2.088, but i believe the SEI feature was added in build 1.2.076, so x265_infotool should work from that build onward. sorry for the confusion. but i don't think mediainfo and other tools have the added ability to read x265 SEI just yet.

oh, sorry for the lack a help file. simple operation. just drag an x265 encoded raw hevc file into the utility and the rest is self explanitory. good night.

[Selur]

No, it does not show the SEI info, but MediaInfo should show the "metadata comment" you added.

[vhelp]

i meant to say that about mediainfo, after all, i initiated the topic to mean that mediainfo reads the metadata made through the method shown in post #1.

now that SEI includes the encoded parameters, the new tool may have some uses afterall. i mean, we all know that mediainfo and ffmpeg and other applications will utilize this, but from my experience, they only show the text portion. x265_infotool just takes it a little further, like for those who want to snip that info and do offline things with it, and so on.

i have a couple more things to do with the tool before i am satisfied and finished with it. i may add it to the tools section. not sure where to put it since it is an extention type tool for lack of better word. well, i hope some members can make use of it, here or anywhere else. its free.

see post # 3 for the udpated version.

[El Heggunte]

..............

i have a couple more things to do with the tool before i am satisfied and finished with it. i may add it to the tools section.

Yes, please

not sure where to put it since it is an extention type tool for lack of better word.

https://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/other-useful-tools

Last but not least, and

[vhelp]

tool was submitted.

please be sure to look at the readme file for important information to some of the features, thank you, enjoy.

[vhelp]

i made some bug fixes/updates/additions to the x265 infotool app. the latest version is v0.5 -- see (post # 3) and the readme file for all the details.

[El Heggunte]

^
again

[vhelp]

more fixes/updates/additions to the x265 infotool app. the latest version is v0.6 -- see (post # 3) and the readme file for all the details. i also changed the subject title to complement the topic and project development.

[vhelp]

Good news everyone. (its a ghost town here). I will be updating the x265_infotool version 0.6 (post #3) soon.

I've been meaning to fix that nasty bug (that no one reported about here) under windows 7 (when the list is long and the scrollbars become active, the background color changes to black around the params) that's been bothering me for some time now. And since i've been using it a lot lately, its just too much of a pain to let it go any further. I designed it under delphi 6 in windows xp and its prob related to themes or something when running under windows 7. The bug does not occur under xp, but does under win 7. not sure it will work under win 8 or win 10 at this time, have not tested it there, but since there were no reports of any kind here, i have to assume that no one uses it and i am the only one. oh well. But I will be fixing it, just in case the 'bug' was causing you to not use it.

wish list

1. I would also like to add the ability to read x264 files as well. I thought I had that working in an updated version but i may have lost that version. I could only find v0.6 laying around.
EDIT 1: 12/17/16 -- v0.6 does read x264 file, but they have to be raw, not in an mkv container. I am currently researching how to read the parameters in an mkv
EDIT 2: 12/19/16 -- finally resolved the mkv reading, and will release an update soon.
EDIT 3: 01/31/17 -- ok, ran into problems reading mkv files, took time to debug, but believe to have it working again. may/may not post an updated version soon.

2. add a comparison feature, in order to determine whats different between two or more encodes. Well, the idea is that you may have forgotten which param you used and need to find differences quickly. well, that's one example for such a feature.

3. add a tab feature, would be nice for opening multiple clips and flipping through them quickly.

4. add a feature (to split the param/value into editable columns) to let users make updates to the value for any parameter, and save them or copy-to-clipboard.

5. or add your wish/request(s) here.

[Sebato]

Hi, I'm trying to read the encoder settings with your tool, but no matter what x265 file I try (raw, mkv), it only shows gibberish. Do you have a newer version that is usable?

[AlvoErrado2]

Hi, I'm trying to read the encoder settings with your tool, but no matter what x265 file I try (raw, mkv), it only shows gibberish. Do you have a newer version that is usable?

Me too!