Minimum Hardware Requirement for 4K+ H.265

[tonydead]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

[Subtitles]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

I think you have a good PC specification to do the job without investing in an expensive GPU and probably change the PSU, depending on the PSU rating.
Which software have you used to convert to H.265?
I use Wondefox HD Video Converter Factory Pro. It has also other features like downloader, screen recorder and other stuff.
Install the free trial version I think they have 100 free trials before they ask to pay and it is not expensive with a discount.
H.265 does take a long time anyway even with a GPU. Why do you need it instead of H.264? If it is question of getting a smaller file size, then think of the cost of adding extra hardware and if it is worth it.

If that doesn't help then a GPU of 8GB RAM might be a good option, but you will need a motherboard with two adjacent free expansion slots.
Also you didn't say what is your system memory. 32GB is recommended.

Edit: I checked the software. It has 4K HEVC coverter option but it doesn't say 4K H.265 or 4K H.264

[usually_quiet]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

I have no experience editing 4K HDR HEVC GoPro footage but I do know that the choice of video card and other hardware is somewhat dependent on what the editing software that you plan to use supports for hardware-assisted decoding and encoding, so it would be useful for people reading this thread to know what that is.

A new processor with an iGPU that does H.265 hardware decoding could be helpful.

[Subtitles]

I did some test with a 4K video from Nasa UHD TV channel from satellite dish duration 2 minutes in *.ts
My current PC is also 10 years old with Intel i5 and Intel motherboard so this a good test. DIMM memories 16GB
Conversion to 4K H.265 took 2 minutes with 8GB VRAM GPU using the software mentined above and with hardware accelaration
Conversion using CPU i5 without enabling the GPU, took 4 minutes after 10% so 100% would be about 40 minutes.
Your i7 CPU might take less time if you want to try that first before ordering a GPU.
Conclusion: A GPU of 8GB VRAM on your current system might be a good solution. You can always use the GPU in a new computer in the future.

[tonydead]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

I think you have a good PC specification to do the job without investing in an expensive GPU and probably change the PSU, depending on the PSU rating.
Which software have you used to convert to H.265?
I use Wondefox HD Video Converter Factory Pro. It has also other features like downloader, screen recorder and other stuff.
Install the free trial version I think they have 100 free trials before they ask to pay and it is not expensive with a discount.
H.265 does take a long time anyway even with a GPU. Why do you need it instead of H.264? If it is question of getting a smaller file size, then think of the cost of adding extra hardware and if it is worth it.

If that doesn't help then a GPU of 8GB RAM might be a good option, but you will need a motherboard with two adjacent free expansion slots.
Also you didn't say what is your system memory. 32GB is recommended.

Edit: I checked the software. It has 4K HEVC coverter option but it doesn't say 4K H.265 or 4K H.264

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I don't want to have to convert. I just want to be able to play and edit the 4K H.265. Right now it's choppy and lags unless I convert to H.264.

H.265 is the default container for the new GoPros and there isn't an option to change it back to H.264.

I use VLC and Shotcut. Both lag and studder when trying to play 4K H.265. If I use handbrake to covert to H.264 then they play and edit just fine. But, I don’t want to have to covert every single video.

[tonydead]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

I have no experience editing 4K HDR HEVC GoPro footage but I do know that the choice of video card and other hardware is somewhat dependent on what the editing software that you plan to use supports for hardware-assisted decoding and encoding, so it would be useful for people reading this thread to know what that is.

A new processor with an iGPU that does H.265 hardware decoding could be helpful.

Thanks. I use Shotcut and VLC

[tonydead]

I did some test with a 4K video from Nasa UHD TV channel from satellite dish duration 2 minutes in *.ts
My current PC is also 10 years old with Intel i5 and Intel motherboard so this a good test. DIMM memories 16GB
Conversion to 4K H.265 took 2 minutes with 8GB VRAM GPU using the software mentined above and with hardware accelaration
Conversion using CPU i5 without enabling the GPU, took 4 minutes after 10% so 100% would be about 40 minutes.
Your i7 CPU might take less time if you want to try that first before ordering a GPU.
Conclusion: A GPU of 8GB VRAM on your current system might be a good solution. You can always use the GPU in a new computer in the future.

Thanks. I wasn't clear in my earlier post. I don't want to covert. I want to be able to play and edit H.265. Right now the 4K H.265 is choppy, studders and lags when playing in VLC or in Shotcut. Once I covert to H.264 everything is fine. I just don't what to have to do that every time. H.265 is the new default for GoPro and there isn't an ability to change that.

[usually_quiet]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

I have no experience editing 4K HDR HEVC GoPro footage but I do know that the choice of video card and other hardware is somewhat dependent on what the editing software that you plan to use supports for hardware-assisted decoding and encoding, so it would be useful for people reading this thread to know what that is.

A new processor with an iGPU that does H.265 hardware decoding could be helpful.

Thanks. I use Shotcut and VLC

Shotcut doesn't permit the use of hardware-assisted decoding so installing a new video card won't make viewing smoother. See https://shotcut.org/FAQ/#why-does-shotcut-not-use-hardware-accelerated-video-decoding

VLC can use hardware-assisted decoding. I haven't seen anything indicating that it works better or worse with AMD than it does with NVIDIA. The new Intel Arc cards are not an option you can use because both your processor and motherboard lack certain features that are required for them.

[usually_quiet]

tonydead, what video connections do you need on the graphics card and what is your budget? Do you want 2160p60Hz output for a 4K monitor or 4K HDR TV?

Like you, for years I have only used my Intel processor's iGPU. However, recently I bought a 4K HDR TV. I have been looking at ITX form-factor graphics cards to add an HDMI 2.0b port that supports 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. However it's possible even those may not fit in my HTPC case, and I'll be upgrading from Comet Lake to Alder Lake.

[usually_quiet]

I've settled on a graphics card for myself although I may need a DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.1 active adapter too. However, I have yet to open up my HTPC to find out if there is room for it. If there isn't enough room then I have to start buying parts to build a new system. Unfortunately, an Intel Arc a380 graphics card won't work for your PC because Intel Arc cards require a Comet Lake processor or newer and ideally a motherboard that supports Resizable Bar = Smart Access Memory or Clever Access Memory.

A GeForce RTX 3050 card would be one good option for you for 4K HEVC editing and it is new enough that it might still be useful in a future build a couple of years from now. Shotcut can use NVENC for encoding HEVC and it has HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 so you can use a 4K display at 60 Hz. Some cost as little as $210.00 to $250.00. Video encoding for your edits will be somewhat faster using NVENC and the Windows version of VLC can use NVDEC for hardware decoding. However, somewhat better quality will probably result from encoding with only your CPU.

[jagabo]

Ivy Bridge doesn't have HEVC decoding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video#Hardware_decoding_and_encoding

But modern (last 5+ years) Nvidia an AMD graphics card support HEVC decoding, both 8 bit and 10 bit. That will take care of playing videos with VLC and most other media players.

[tonydead]

I've settled on a graphics card for myself although I may need a DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.1 active adapter too. However, I have yet to open up my HTPC to find out if there is room for it. If there isn't enough room then I have to start buying parts to build a new system. Unfortunately, an Intel Arc a380 graphics card won't work for your PC because Intel Arc cards require a Comet Lake processor or newer and ideally a motherboard that supports Resizable Bar = Smart Access Memory or Clever Access Memory.

A GeForce RTX 3050 card would be one good option for you for 4K HEVC editing and it is new enough that it might still be useful in a future build a couple of years from now. Shotcut can use NVENC for encoding HEVC and it has HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 so you can use a 4K display at 60 Hz. Some cost as little as $210.00 to $250.00. Video encoding for your edits will be somewhat faster using NVENC and the Windows version of VLC can use NVDEC for hardware decoding. However, somewhat better quality will probably result from encoding with only your CPU.

Thanks. My PC is over 10 years old. Used to be I'd have to build a new one every 5 years. Hitting the 10 year mark isnt bad. I'm going to build a whole new system with as forward looking compatible vs price point components as possible. Maybe I'll make it more than 10 years this time. I'll try and post what components I get.

[tonydead]

Ivy Bridge doesn't have HEVC decoding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video#Hardware_decoding_and_encoding

But modern (last 5+ years) Nvidia an AMD graphics card support HEVC decoding, both 8 bit and 10 bit. That will take care of playing videos with VLC and most other media players.

Perfect. Thank you!

[usually_quiet]

I've settled on a graphics card for myself although I may need a DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.1 active adapter too. However, I have yet to open up my HTPC to find out if there is room for it. If there isn't enough room then I have to start buying parts to build a new system. Unfortunately, an Intel Arc a380 graphics card won't work for your PC because Intel Arc cards require a Comet Lake processor or newer and ideally a motherboard that supports Resizable Bar = Smart Access Memory or Clever Access Memory.

A GeForce RTX 3050 card would be one good option for you for 4K HEVC editing and it is new enough that it might still be useful in a future build a couple of years from now. Shotcut can use NVENC for encoding HEVC and it has HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 so you can use a 4K display at 60 Hz. Some cost as little as $210.00 to $250.00. Video encoding for your edits will be somewhat faster using NVENC and the Windows version of VLC can use NVDEC for hardware decoding. However, somewhat better quality will probably result from encoding with only your CPU.

Thanks. My PC is over 10 years old. Used to be I'd have to build a new one every 5 years. Hitting the 10 year mark isnt bad. I'm going to build a whole new system with as forward looking compatible vs price point components as possible. Maybe I'll make it more than 10 years this time. I'll try and post what components I get.

After opening the case and looking inside, I decided to get a new motherboard and an Alder Lake i5 12400 processor to upgrade my HTPC for an improved 4K experience. It might be possible to fit an Intel Arc a380 in my HTPC case but it would be a tight fit and re-routing some of the SATA power and data cables would be challenging.

[Subtitles]

I've settled on a graphics card for myself although I may need a DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.1 active adapter too. However, I have yet to open up my HTPC to find out if there is room for it. If there isn't enough room then I have to start buying parts to build a new system. Unfortunately, an Intel Arc a380 graphics card won't work for your PC because Intel Arc cards require a Comet Lake processor or newer and ideally a motherboard that supports Resizable Bar = Smart Access Memory or Clever Access Memory.

A GeForce RTX 3050 card would be one good option for you for 4K HEVC editing and it is new enough that it might still be useful in a future build a couple of years from now. Shotcut can use NVENC for encoding HEVC and it has HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 so you can use a 4K display at 60 Hz. Some cost as little as $210.00 to $250.00. Video encoding for your edits will be somewhat faster using NVENC and the Windows version of VLC can use NVDEC for hardware decoding. However, somewhat better quality will probably result from encoding with only your CPU.

Thanks. My PC is over 10 years old. Used to be I'd have to build a new one every 5 years. Hitting the 10 year mark isnt bad. I'm going to build a whole new system with as forward looking compatible vs price point components as possible. Maybe I'll make it more than 10 years this time. I'll try and post what components I get.

After opening the case and looking inside, I decided to get a new motherboard and an Alder Lake i5 12400 processor to upgrade my HTPC for an improved 4K experience. It might be possible to fit an Intel Arc a380 in my HTPC case but it would be a tight fit and re-routing some of the SATA power and data cables would be challenging.

If you are using a 3.5" HDD, it might be a good idea to buy 2.5" SSD. They are not expensive these days, small in size and cable management is so much easier.

[usually_quiet]

If you are using a 3.5" HDD, it might be a good idea to buy 2.5" SSD. They are not expensive these days, small in size and cable management is so much easier.

Yes, there are 3 x 3.5" 4TB HDDs for storage. Replacing them with 4TB SSDs would not be inexpensive. I have a Blu-ray drive in there too. The boot drive is an NVMe drive. Cable routing is more difficult mainly because I have a Lian Li PC-C50 HTPC case, not a standard tower.

[tonydead]

I've settled on a graphics card for myself although I may need a DisplayPort 1.4 to HDMI 2.1 active adapter too. However, I have yet to open up my HTPC to find out if there is room for it. If there isn't enough room then I have to start buying parts to build a new system. Unfortunately, an Intel Arc a380 graphics card won't work for your PC because Intel Arc cards require a Comet Lake processor or newer and ideally a motherboard that supports Resizable Bar = Smart Access Memory or Clever Access Memory.

A GeForce RTX 3050 card would be one good option for you for 4K HEVC editing and it is new enough that it might still be useful in a future build a couple of years from now. Shotcut can use NVENC for encoding HEVC and it has HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 so you can use a 4K display at 60 Hz. Some cost as little as $210.00 to $250.00. Video encoding for your edits will be somewhat faster using NVENC and the Windows version of VLC can use NVDEC for hardware decoding. However, somewhat better quality will probably result from encoding with only your CPU.

Thanks. My PC is over 10 years old. Used to be I'd have to build a new one every 5 years. Hitting the 10 year mark isnt bad. I'm going to build a whole new system with as forward looking compatible vs price point components as possible. Maybe I'll make it more than 10 years this time. I'll try and post what components I get.

After opening the case and looking inside, I decided to get a new motherboard and an Alder Lake i5 12400 processor to upgrade my HTPC for an improved 4K experience. It might be possible to fit an Intel Arc a380 in my HTPC case but it would be a tight fit and re-routing some of the SATA power and data cables would be challenging.

i7 12700K Alder Lake CPU
ASRock Z790 PG Lightning Motherboard
64GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5 Memory
ASRock Phantom Radeon Rx5600 Video Card
Samsung 980 Pro 1TB SSD
Seasonic 850W
Coolmaster HAF 500 Case
Coolmaster Hyper 212 CPU cooler

All for under $1000 plus a couple bonuses like a memory card or whatever at Newegg. Waiting until Cyber Monday to pull the trigger though to see if I can get anymore discounts.

To the earlier post about SSD. A must for boot and programs read write speeds. Then go ahead and store files on the 3.5-inchers. I have a server with 12TB or so of hot swapable 3.5s that mirror using Microsoft storage spaces.

Eh, you might not need it for a HTPC. I looked and my HTPC does have a small SSD, but it doesn't do much as it always on running security camera software too.

[tonydead]

Almost foked up. Need RX6000 series video card or better to do 4K.

Looking at rx6600 xt

Video encoding (VCN 3.0)
Supported formats H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC), H.265 (HEVC)
H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) max resolution 7680×4320
H.265 (HEVC) max resolution 7680×4320
Video decoding (VCN 3.0)
Supported formats H.262 (MPEG-2), H.263 (MPEG-4 ASP), VC-1/ WMV 9, H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC), H.265 (HEVC), VP9, AV1

Comparable to rtx3060

[usually_quiet]

@tonydead Looks good. I think you will be very pleased with your upgrade.

I will be satisfied if I can get video output up to 4K 60Hz for my 4K TV. As you said, I don't need as much power for an HTPC/DVR as you need for 4K video encoding. I went with an Alder Lake i5 12400 processor and an MSI MAG B660M Mortar MAX WiFi DDR4 motherboard to upgrade my HTPC. I also have a new 500W SFX PSU on order because the SFX PSU that I have has been in use for 8+ years, running 24/7. The old motherboard and CPU from the HTPC will be used to upgrade my home office desktop.

[Anonymous84]

--

[usually_quiet]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

Stay with H264.
It is much less hardware demanding then H265 and you'll hardly see quality difference between these on HD monitor.

IMO tonydead did the right thing. Since tonydead's GoPro 4K camera only has the ability to record H.265 video, having the ability to watch and edit it in its native format is a significant convenience. Under the circumstances, the only good reason for him not to upgrade a system that is over 10 years old would be if money was just too tight. Support for HEVC has improved greatly in the past 5 years.

[4kblurayguru]

For persons who are financially/equipment challenged who might be reading this, another option is to convert to proxies, edit then link to original files then export. Saves time and still use old equipment.

[tonydead]

Finished the build with all the specs listed above except the power supply, Corsair 750W. And went with Corsair case too as the coolmaster was sold out when I went to purchase it. ~$1000

Hooked it up to a new Samsung G5 monitor and video is gorgeous. ~$250. No issues playing or editing any of the 4K GoPro files in H265.

Went to reinstall windows to give my old rig to my wife and it was so old it's not even compatible with Windows 11. Lol.

[tonydead]

For persons who are financially/equipment challenged who might be reading this, another option is to convert to proxies, edit then link to original files then export. Saves time and still use old equipment.

Ah, tricky devil.

Half the videos I'm producing are downsized by the editor anyway because they are posting to social media platforms etc. I wanted to avoid the initial convertion mainly. But also have the 4k files, watch them and produce 4k final videos too.

[tonydead]

My 10 year old PC can't handle H.265 coding. I have to convert to H.264 first before I can play/edit video from GoPro12. This is the CPU with no video card:

Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor

A- With the CPU above is it possible to just add a video card to offload the HVEC processing to? If so, what's the minimum spec card? I've briefly read some people say you need the CPU to be capable of 4K HVEC too, if so:

B- What's the minimum spec CPU and GPU to handle the processing?

Stay with H264.
It is much less hardware demanding then H265 and you'll hardly see quality difference between these on HD monitor.

Cant. GoPro 12 spits out H265 exclusively.

[tonydead]

I guess I'll talk about the monitor for a minute because the video enthusiasts will note that I didnt get a 4k monitor.

From what I understand is that for a 27" screen pixelizetion is pretty much maximized at 1440p. And the G5 has a refresh rate at 165hrz. If you pull a normal reasonably priced 4k monitor it likely only has 60hrz. So I went with 1440p with enough refresh rate to match the GoPro files.

[TreeTops]

Don't you wonder how all the kiddies with their new Christmas GoPro 12 attached to their helmets will edit their videos.

[usually_quiet]

Don't you wonder how all the kiddies with their new Christmas GoPro 12 attached to their helmets will edit their videos.

With their PC gaming rig?