Is it possible to record with x265 (the CPU encoder) or some other h265 software encoder? If so how

YousufSSyed

New Member
To be clear, I don't want to hardware encode h265 with AMD AMF nor NVENC. Whatever I record (not stream), it will end up as an h265 video.
 

koala

Active Member
No, it isn't possible to use a h.265 software encoder with OBS. It isn't there, not even in custom ffmpeg output.

Usually it's no loss, because the CPU power required to live encode a full hd or bigger video with h.265 is more than the common CPU is able to provide. Only hardware encoders have the power to do this.

If you want h.265 software-encoded recordings, record in simple mode with indistinguishable quality, then use the command line ffmpeg tool or a tool like Handbrake to recode to h.265.
 

YousufSSyed

New Member
A year later, I looked at this again and again found nothing. You said "not even with ffmpeg custom output." Is it possible to use encoders lot listed under Output > Recording > Custom Output (FFmpeg)? Can I specify which codec to encode with using ffmpeg custom output? If so, how?

Also, how does OBS internally work with ffmpeg and the encoders it supports? Would it be possible to add support for an encoder by myself into OBS (without forking and editing OBS code to then compile).
 

koala

Active Member
You can use every encoder listed in Custom output (ffmpeg), and you cannot use encoders not listed there, and you cannot use external encoders that don't come with OBS. OBS comes with a (probably obs-specific customized) integrated version of Ffmpeg.

If you want h.265, use the hevc hardware encoders that come with nvidia and amd GPUs.
 

sandrix

Member
I want to add that the ability to stream using HEVC is available on Nvidia and Radeon video cards. This is only available for YouTube, as the platform has support for the HLS protocol. Broadcasting is done in OBS using ffmpeg. Unfortunately, I will not be able to send the manual, since the links are moderated, and the manual itself is in Russian. It’s a mystery to me why no one has talked about this in English-language videos yet.
 

sandrix

Member
The whole problem is that I speak English very badly to write a manual.
Here are the test cases:
 

sandrix

Member
Of course, recording video using H.265/HEVC is even easier. It's easy to implement with StreamFX. Maybe you should try this.
 

YousufSSyed

New Member
You can use every encoder listed in Custom output (ffmpeg), and you cannot use encoders not listed there, and you cannot use external encoders that don't come with OBS. OBS comes with a (probably obs-specific customized) integrated version of Ffmpeg.

If you want h.265, use the hevc hardware encoders that come with nvidia and amd GPUs.
Well I should mention that I'm on a Mac, and while the H265 VT isn't available in OBS (or at least not yet), like most hardware encoders, it has much less video quality per storage space compared to software encoders, x265 in this case.
 

koala

Active Member
like most hardware encoders, it has much less video quality per storage space compared to software encoders

From where do you have this information? Is it actually true for current hevc encoders? It is a common misunderstanding or hearsay, carried through from long ago, from the first hardware encoders that came up 20-30 years ago, mostly for portable devices such as digital cameras and camcorders.

You can see what quality current encoders reached for example from this test and review from EposVox.
By the way, he doesn't really cover hevc any more, because it isn't relevant for streaming any more with the current AV1 being on the doorstep.
 
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