What app can I use to tell me if an .mkv movie is x264 or x265?

[HartsVideo]

I copy .mkv movies onto an external hard drive that I connect to a Micca device that's connected to my tv to watch them. Micca won't play x265 movies, only x264 movies. Is there an app or a program that I can run my movies through to see if they're x264 or x265 before copying them to watch them on the Micca?

[Selur]

MediaInfo can tell the video&audio info of most media files.

[HartsVideo]

MediaInfo will only do it for some files, not all of them. I was hoping there was another app.

[Selur]

You are mixing up stuff.
x264 is an encoder for H.264 aka. MPEG-4 AVC
x265 is an encoder for H.265 aka. MPEG-4 HEVC

You only get Encoding Settings:

• for H.264 if x264 was used as video encoder
• for H.265 if x265 was used as video encoder

The info of that file shows that it's MPEG-4 HEVC.

Cu Selur

[HartsVideo]

Either way, h.265 and x265 will not play on the Micca. I need to know if a movie is x264 so I can play it.

[Selur]

Okay, you didn't get that.
A movie can't be x264, the MPEG-4 AVC aka. H.264 video stream can be encoded with x264.
If MediaInfo reports the video as MPEG-4 AVC you are probably alright, since your Micca Media Player supports H.264 aka AVC not x264.

[HartsVideo]

Hmmm. So if the format of any movie is MPEG, it will play on the Micca even though the title of the movie says it's x265?

[jagabo]

h.264 and h.265 are both MPEG codecs.

h.264 = AVC = MPEG 4 Part 10
h.265 = HEVC

[4kblurayguru]

MediaInfo will only do it for some files, not all of them. I was hoping there was another app.

the filename contains the codec name (1080p x265) so avoid those, another name for h265 is HEVC

another solution would be to buy a android TV stick that can decode h.265 video
https://www.androidtv-guide.com/streaming-gaming/categories/

[HartsVideo]

Ok, no HEVC will play using the Micca
But AVC will play ?
And MPEG4 will play or will it have to say "Part 10" also?

[jagabo]

Ok, no HEVC will play using the Micca
But AVC will play ?
And MPEG4 will play or will it have to say "Part 10" also?

I'm not familiar with the device. I don't know what it's capabilities are. Try them and find out.

MPEG 4 also includes Part 2, the spec for Divx/Xvid codecs.

[HartsVideo]

another solution would be to buy a android TV stick that can decode h.265 video
https://www.androidtv-guide.com/streaming-gaming/categories/

I have no idea how to use one of these. I'm a very senior senior citizen who grew up with rabbit ears and a fine tuner until I was in my late 20's. I'm lucky that I learned how to use a computer, set up my tv and use Alexa. I can't even figure out how to get my receiver and speakers to work with my tv no matter what I try but I did figure out the Micca. I don't have Netflix, Hulu or the others because I don't need them, I have thousands of HD movies and tv shows stored in my pc. I just need something that I can attach to an external hard drive and connect it to my tv. Any suggestions?

[HartsVideo]

I'm trying to avoid having to try them out because I have the choice of x264 and x265 in the name. Some of the movies only come in x265 in the filename but, from past experience, they won't play on the Micca so I have to miss out on them. I've tried converting them to x264 but the files will go from being ~2G to ~12G which is too large.

[jagabo]

x264 is a particular h.264 encoder. Anything that plays "h.264" should be able to play most x264 encoded videos. So just look for files with h.264, x264, AVC in the name. Though h.264 is a very wide spec -- not all features are supported by all players.

I don't know which Micca player you have but at least some don't support 10 bit or 4K resolution, even they are h.264 encoded. For example:

https://www.miccatron.com/micca-mplay-hd-mini-1080p-digital-media-player/

DOES NOT SUPPORT HEVC/H.265, 10-bit MKV, and 4K videos

So avoid any files that indicate 10 bit or 4K.

[jagabo]

I've tried converting them (h.265) to x264 but the files will go from being ~2G to ~12G which is too large.

Then specify a lower bitrate or a higher CRF value when encoding. And you will have to downscale 4K videos to 1080p.

[HartsVideo]

Thanks. I didn't know that HEVC is the same as H.265. When I run a movie through MediaInfo, if it doesn't say x265, it says that it's HEVC so I now know that it won't work with Micca. I won't have to first copy it onto an external and trying to play it on the Micca to find out.

Can you give me the name of a simple TV stick that will play HEVC/H.265 movies when connected to my tv?

[johns0]

Any usb 2or3 flash drive that has 8+ gb of storage space will work.

[jagabo]

Any 4K Android TV or Google TV device should be able to play h.265, including 10 bit and HDR.

If you have a WiFi network consider setting up a share on your computer and streaming from there to the Android TV. This is a remarkable Android TV player for US$20:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-Android-TV-4K-UHD-Streaming-Device-with-Voice-Remote-Co...3?athbdg=L1102

It plays pretty much everything (except the latest AV1 codec). But you really need WiFi to use it. Otherwise you'll need to also get a USB hub with Power Delivery to access an external USB drive.

[johns0]

If you have an xbox one s it will play those types of files.

[Cornucopia]

Just because some file has "x265", "h.265", or "HEVC" in the name doesn't necessarily mean that that is in the contents. I could be a mistake/misunderstanding or a deliberate fake. Keep using MediaInfo to analyze the contents.


Scott

[HartsVideo]

Then specify a lower bitrate or a higher CRF value when encoding. And you will have to downscale 4K videos to 1080p.

I get my .mkv movies from other people, I don't rip them myself. They're usually around 2Gb. Some are 720p and others are 1080p when I get them. When only 265 is available and I want to convert to 264, I use Handbrake. This is the example that's on the handbrake instruction page and it's exactly what I do but it enlarges it a lot even though I leave the 720p and 1080p as is. Do you know what setting I'd have to change to get a smaller movie?

[HartsVideo]

Any usb 2or3 flash drive that has 8+ gb of storage space will work.

I don't have a USB port on my tv.

[HartsVideo]

If you have an xbox one s it will play those types of files.

I don't have an xbox I'm too old.

[HartsVideo]

Any 4K Android TV or Google TV device should be able to play h.265, including 10 bit and HDR.

If you have a WiFi network consider setting up a share on your computer and streaming from there to the Android TV. This is a remarkable Android TV player for US$20:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-Android-TV-4K-UHD-Streaming-Device-with-Voice-Remote-Co...3?athbdg=L1102

It plays pretty much everything (except the latest AV1 codec). But you really need WiFi to use it. Otherwise you'll need to also get a USB hub with Power Delivery to access an external USB drive.

I have WiFi and I checked it out and it looks good. It's cheaper than a Micca too (I'm on my third one, they don't last long). Thanks.

[HartsVideo]

Just because some file has "x265", "h.265", or "HEVC" in the name doesn't necessarily mean that that is in the contents. I could be a mistake/misunderstanding or a deliberate fake. Keep using MediaInfo to analyze the contents.


Scott

I check the movies with MediaInfo. I don't understand a lot of the info it gives me but there's some info that I want to know. Thanks.

[JN-]

Hi HartsVideo. You could use a simple batch file script to check out each file whether its h264 or hevc, outputting to a log file. It would require you to download the latest ffmpeg say static build and add the ffmpeg utils to say a ffmpeg folder on your Windows PATH.

I have made up a simple util that does that. It uses ffmpegs ffprobe, but it give a lot more than just that. Simply drag and drop all video files onto the util then see the output log file.

If you think you can manage the PATH part and ffmpeg static build download I could make a modified version with just the output you need.