Encoder options for old/crappy devices

[hngjms]

I'm trying to make some videos that will play on crappy devices.
I was wondering if the encoder options for preset (ultrafast vs. placebo) affected the decoding side of things at all.

My basic instinct is that a faster encode might lead to a faster decode, but it could very well mean the same amount of decoding during playback.
If I want to optimize for playback resources, should I do a fast (ultrafast) encode, or does it not matter at all?

[rollin_eng]

It will vary, is there a specific older device (or group of devices) you are aiming for?

[Woodstock]

The faster the ENcode is, the larger the data, higher the bit rate, or the lower the quality.

There is a "fast decode" tune that helps with lower-powered devices, but that slows the ENcode down a bit.

Have you actually TRIED any of the presets, to see how they work on your "crappy devices"? Were there specific issues with playback that you want to correct?

[Deleted User 11865]

Actually IIRC fastdecode disableds CABAC, with CAVLC coding the bitrate has almost no impact on binary coding performance and thus almost no impact of encoding speed despite a potentially higher output bitrate. If any thing, fastdecode will make encoding faster too, given it disables a lot of things…

[Deleted User 13735]

This is my Normal-Dumb preset which will play on anything you throw it at.
CABAC is retained, because of its huge compression advantage. Most everything else has been eliminated.
As a result it's fast!
If you are truly playing video on a museum piece, use Baseline/Universal instead.

Code: Select all

level=4.0:mixed-refs=0:vbv-bufsize=25000:vbv-maxrate=20000:rc-lookahead=10:b-adapt=2:b-pyramid=none:weightp=0:me=umh:8x8dct=0:deblock=-1,0

[hngjms]

Thanks guys, I'm trying to play videos off of an embedded device, and I'm afraid of it getting too hot. So basically the less work it's doing on a decode the better. I don't really care about encoding time, or compression performance at all.

[Deleted User 13735]

Lots of dodginess about your "device."
Exactly what is it?

[mduell]

fastdecode is your friend.

[hngjms]

Lots of dodginess about your "device."
Exactly what is it?

raspberry pi. but I want to stick it in a box, so it will wont heat sink well.

[Deleted User 13735]

Well thats a homebrew question, and i welcome your eventual solution.
You may want to ignore my previous code, and go Baseline all the way.
That involves the.lowest cpu demand, and logically the lowest heat index.

With whole computers now well under $100, and the cost to outfit a rasberry pi now well over $100, you may want to treat yiur hardware project as a hobby instead of an inexpensive solution, just my impression.

[rollin_eng]

I think the pi does high profile level 4.1, so as long as you select that you should be ok.