Lossless transcoding x265 to x264?
Forum rules
Please make sure you follow the Problem Reporting Guidelines before posting if you want a reply
Please make sure you follow the Problem Reporting Guidelines before posting if you want a reply
Lossless transcoding x265 to x264?
Since my TV only support x264, I transcode all HEVC files to x264 using ffmpeg.
However, even if I select the lossless option in UMS settings for x264, the resulting quality is significantly poorer than the original x264 file.
If I instead convert the file using a software such as Handbrake, the quality mostly matches the original.
Is there anything else I can do to improve the encoding quality in UMS?
However, even if I select the lossless option in UMS settings for x264, the resulting quality is significantly poorer than the original x264 file.
If I instead convert the file using a software such as Handbrake, the quality mostly matches the original.
Is there anything else I can do to improve the encoding quality in UMS?
Re: Lossless transcoding x265 to x264?
Not really. It is possible to specify FFmpeg or MEncoder options manually in UMS' configuration, but this is for the very advanced user only.
There's a reason why this happens, and it's not that much one can do about it. There's a big difference between UMS transcoding and when another software transcodes the file in advance: UMS has to do it in real-time. The other software can spend as much time as it needs to maintain as much quality as possible, but UMS can't dwell on that. It must make sure, first and foremost, that the transcoding will always be 1x speed or better. Worse yet, there's no way to "tune" this while the transcoding is running (and you see what "room" there is for more quality), so very "safe" choices must be made before the transcoding starts. Add to this that these settings must apply to a wide range of different systems, with very different capabilities, and it's quite evident why transcoding will always lead to a substantial loss of quality.
Most people are content with the results over having to convert things manually though, but there definitely is a trade-off. If you want full quality, convert the files outside UMS to the quality you want.
There's a reason why this happens, and it's not that much one can do about it. There's a big difference between UMS transcoding and when another software transcodes the file in advance: UMS has to do it in real-time. The other software can spend as much time as it needs to maintain as much quality as possible, but UMS can't dwell on that. It must make sure, first and foremost, that the transcoding will always be 1x speed or better. Worse yet, there's no way to "tune" this while the transcoding is running (and you see what "room" there is for more quality), so very "safe" choices must be made before the transcoding starts. Add to this that these settings must apply to a wide range of different systems, with very different capabilities, and it's quite evident why transcoding will always lead to a substantial loss of quality.
Most people are content with the results over having to convert things manually though, but there definitely is a trade-off. If you want full quality, convert the files outside UMS to the quality you want.