default settings for FFMPEG-codecs

[gelo333]

How to see what default settings are set in libx264 and libx265? I use:

-h encoder=libx265
x265 --help

but this does not give complete information.

[davexnet]

Encode a short test in each and check in mediainfo

[pandy]

How to see what default settings are set in libx264 and libx265? I use:

-h encoder=libx265
x265 --help

but this does not give complete information.

You can check ffmpeg source or encode sample video and verify information placed on header.

[gelo333]

The FFMPEG site says options, but no values. So for almost all options. There is no information about libx265 at all. Mediainfo does not include all information.

[davexnet]

The FFMPEG site says options, but no values. So for almost all options. There is no information about libx265 at all. Mediainfo does not include all information.

What info is missing ?

[gelo333]

For example "tune". It is not clear what the codec is using. Profile, one is specified when encoding, and another in media info.

[davexnet]

For example "tune". It is not clear what the codec is using. Profile, one is specified when encoding, and another in media info.

It's not mentioned directly, but it's inferred by other values

[gelo333]

thanks for answers.

Can we conclude that the default is tune:none?

And yet, why does FFMPEG nowhere indicate which codec settings are used by default?

[gelo333]

I also noticed. The FFMPEG encoding log says profile High. Then I look in the mediainfo and it says Main@L3.1@Main. Why?

[davexnet]

I believe it is tune none as the default.
FFmpeg assumes the defaults of the encoder unless you override them

[gelo333]

The main problem is that it is not clear what settings the encoder uses. I heard that there is an option for libx264/265 to use exactly the settings that are set to x264/265 by default. But probably there will be a following problem, where to find the description of settings and values for x264/265.

Last question. Is it better to use libx264/265 or x264/265 with FFMPEG?

[pandy]

The FFMPEG site says options, but no values. So for almost all options. There is no information about libx265 at all. Mediainfo does not include all information.

You need to check source - information about defaults should be there

[gelo333]

The FFMPEG site says options, but no values. So for almost all options. There is no information about libx265 at all. Mediainfo does not include all information.

You need to check source - information about defaults should be there

Sorry, I didn't understand you.

[davexnet]

I don't understand your issue. You pick a preset, and it adjusts all the settings to the correct values
for that preset. Default preset is "medium".

To see absolute defaults run x264 without any operands, do a test encode, then use Mediainfo for the details.
Here's a simple BAT file

[gelo333]

I don't understand your issue.

My task is to control the process and understand what the encoder is doing.

[pandy]

The FFMPEG site says options, but no values. So for almost all options. There is no information about libx265 at all. Mediainfo does not include all information.

You need to check source - information about defaults should be there

Sorry, I didn't understand you.

Ok, if you will be more specific then it can be easier to help you. If you check ffmpeg source then information about used details should be there - ffmpeg is this type of software that you need sometimes check source to get detailed information.

[gelo333]

I give another example.

I write in the bat file
-profile main10 -level 50 -tier main

in the encoding log it is written
x265 [info]: Main profile, Level-3.1 (Main tier)

in mediainfo it is written
Main@L3.1@Main, level-idc=0, high-tier=1

my brain is breaking trying to understand this. Why can’t I just specify the parameters I need?

[davexnet]

I give another example.

I write in the bat file
-profile main10 -level 50 -tier main

in the encoding log it is written
x265 [info]: Main profile, Level-3.1 (Main tier)

in mediainfo it is written
Main@L3.1@Main, level-idc=0, high-tier=1

my brain is breaking trying to understand this. Why can’t I just specify the parameters I need?

What is level 50 ? Should that be 5.0 ?

[gelo333]

Doesn't matter. The result is the same.

[davexnet]

Something specific to your methods?
The results from an encode in VidCoder looks OK:

[gelo333]

I don't have any specific methods. Only the simplest things. I've tried several different builds of FFMPEG.
Are you using some build from dave1?

[gelo333]

How difficult is it to use non-included libx codecs in FFMPEG, but some third-party x264/265 builds?

[poisondeathray]

I give another example.

I write in the bat file
-profile main10 -level 50 -tier main

in the encoding log it is written
x265 [info]: Main profile, Level-3.1 (Main tier)

in mediainfo it is written
Main@L3.1@Main, level-idc=0, high-tier=1

my brain is breaking trying to understand this. Why can’t I just specify the parameters I need?

You can use -x265-params from libx265 to enter x265 cli commands. e.g. main10@level5

x265 reference
https://x265.readthedocs.io/en/latest/cli.html

-x265-params profile=main10:level-idc=5

How difficult is it to use non-included libx codecs in FFMPEG, but some third-party x264/265 builds?

You would have to compile it yourself to use it directly as ffmpeg libx264/5 ; or pipe ffmpeg to to a specific x264/5 binary . The latter is what most people do

[pandy]

Doesn't matter. The result is the same.

Hope you are aware that some encoder aspects can be controlled by their private settings - this is separate from regular ffmpeg settings

For x264 you are using:

-x264opts

and

-x264-params

Similarly for x265 you are using:

-x265opts

and

-x265-params

[gelo333]

x265-params profile=main10:level-idc=5

This code helped. So I will use the variant FFMPEG with x265-params. And learn how to use x264/265 binary.

Thank you.

[pandy]

x265-params profile=main10:level-idc=5

This code helped. So I will use the variant FFMPEG with x265-params. And learn how to use x264/265 binary.

ffmpeg can be tricky (that's why in case of doubts i recommend to ffmpeg inspect source), if you can try to use both '-x265opts' and '-x265-params' at the same time - i usually use command like this:

@SET x265opts=
@ffmpeg.exe -c:v libx265 -x265opts %x265opts% -x265-params %x265opts%

This efficiently repeat same settings but in past ffmpeg ignored settings if this was not repeated - now it is probably redundant but i keep it anyway.