--- name: "x264" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "x264" version: "2:0.164.3108+git31e19f9-2+b1" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/x264" --- # x264(1) fast h264 encoder ## NAME x264 - fast h264 encoder ## DESCRIPTION x264 core:164 r3108 31e19f9 Syntax: x264 \[options\] **-o** outfile infile Infile can be raw (in which case resolution is required), - or YUV4MPEG (\*.y4m), or Avisynth if compiled with support (yes). or libav\* formats if compiled with lavf support (yes) or ffms support (yes). ### Outfile type is selected by filename: - .264 -\> Raw bytestream .mkv -\> Matroska .flv -\> Flash Video .mp4 -\> MP4 if compiled with GPAC or L-SMASH support (no) Output bit depth: 8/10 ## OPTIONS - **-h**, **--help** List basic options - **--longhelp** List more options - **--fullhelp** List all options Example usage: - Constant quality mode: - x264 **--crf** 24 **-o** \ \ - Two-pass with a bitrate of 1000kbps: - x264 **--pass** 1 **--bitrate** 1000 **-o** \ \ x264 **--pass** 2 **--bitrate** 1000 **-o** \ \ - Lossless: - x264 **--qp** 0 **-o** \ \ - Maximum PSNR at the cost of speed and visual quality: - x264 **--preset** placebo **--tune** psnr **-o** \ \ - Constant bitrate at 1000kbps with a 2 second-buffer: - x264 **--vbv-bufsize** 2000 **--bitrate** 1000 **-o** \ \ Presets: - **--profile** \ Force the limits of an H.264 profile Overrides all settings. - baseline: - **--no-8x8dct** **--bframes** 0 **--no-cabac** **--cqm** flat **--weightp** 0 No interlaced. No lossless. - \- main: **--no-8x8dct** **--cqm** flat No lossless. - \- high: No lossless. - \- high10: No lossless. Support for bit depth 8-10. - \- high422: No lossless. Support for bit depth 8-10. Support for 4:2:0/4:2:2 chroma subsampling. - \- high444: Support for bit depth 8-10. Support for 4:2:0/4:2:2/4:4:4 chroma subsampling. - **--preset** \ Use a preset to select encoding settings \[medium\] Overridden by user settings. - ultrafast: - **--no-8x8dct** **--aq-mode** 0 **--b-adapt** 0 **--bframes** 0 **--no-cabac** **--no-deblock** **--no-mbtree** **--me** dia **--no-mixed-refs** **--partitions** none **--rc-lookahead** 0 **--ref** 1 **--scenecut** 0 **--subme** 0 **--trellis** 0 **--no-weightb** **--weightp** 0 - \- superfast: **--no-mbtree** **--me** dia **--no-mixed-refs** **--partitions** i8x8,i4x4 **--rc-lookahead** 0 **--ref** 1 **--subme** 1 **--trellis** 0 **--weightp** 1 - \- veryfast: **--no-mixed-refs** **--rc-lookahead** 10 **--ref** 1 **--subme** 2 **--trellis** 0 **--weightp** 1 - \- faster: **--no-mixed-refs** **--rc-lookahead** 20 **--ref** 2 **--subme** 4 **--weightp** 1 - \- fast: **--rc-lookahead** 30 **--ref** 2 **--subme** 6 **--weightp** 1 - \- medium: Default settings apply. - \- slow: **--direct** auto **--rc-lookahead** 50 **--ref** 5 **--subme** 8 **--trellis** 2 - \- slower: **--b-adapt** 2 **--direct** auto **--me** umh **--partitions** all **--rc-lookahead** 60 **--ref** 8 **--subme** 9 **--trellis** 2 - \- veryslow: **--b-adapt** 2 **--bframes** 8 **--direct** auto **--me** umh **--merange** 24 **--partitions** all **--ref** 16 **--subme** 10 **--trellis** 2 **--rc-lookahead** 60 - \- placebo: **--bframes** 16 **--b-adapt** 2 **--direct** auto **--slow-firstpass** **--no-fast-pskip** **--me** tesa **--merange** 24 **--partitions** all **--rc-lookahead** 60 **--ref** 16 **--subme** 11 **--trellis** 2 - **--tune** \ Tune the settings for a particular type of source or situation - Overridden by user settings. Multiple tunings are separated by commas. Only one psy tuning can be used at a time. - film (psy tuning): - **--deblock** **-1**:-1 **--psy-rd** \:0.15 \- animation (psy tuning): - **--bframes** {+2} **--deblock** 1:1 **--psy-rd** 0.4:\ **--aq-strength** 0.6 **--ref** {Double if \>1 else 1} - \- grain (psy tuning): **--aq-strength** 0.5 **--no-dct-decimate** **--deadzone-inter** 6 **--deadzone-intra** 6 **--deblock** **-2**:-2 **--ipratio** 1.1 **--pbratio** 1.1 **--psy-rd** \:0.25 **--qcomp** 0.8 - \- stillimage (psy tuning): **--aq-strength** 1.2 **--deblock** **-3**:-3 **--psy-rd** 2.0:0.7 - \- psnr (psy tuning): **--aq-mode** 0 **--no-psy** - \- ssim (psy tuning): **--aq-mode** 2 **--no-psy** - \- fastdecode: **--no-cabac** **--no-deblock** **--no-weightb** **--weightp** 0 - \- zerolatency: **--bframes** 0 **--force-cfr** **--no-mbtree** **--sync-lookahead** 0 **--sliced-threads** **--rc-lookahead** 0 - **--slow-firstpass** Don't force these faster settings with **--pass** 1: **--no-8x8dct** **--me** dia **--partitions** none **--ref** 1 **--subme** {2 if \>2 else unchanged} **--trellis** 0 **--fast-pskip** Frame-type options: **-I**, **--keyint** \ Maximum GOP size \[250\] - **-i**, **--min-keyint** \ Minimum GOP size \[auto\] - **--no-scenecut** Disable adaptive I-frame decision - **--scenecut** \ How aggressively to insert extra I-frames \[40\] - **--intra-refresh** Use Periodic Intra Refresh instead of IDR frames - **-b**, **--bframes** \ Number of B-frames between I and P \[3\] - **--b-adapt** \ Adaptive B-frame decision method \[1\] Higher values may lower threading efficiency. - 0: Disabled - 1: Fast - 2: Optimal (slow with high **--bframes**) - **--b-bias** \ Influences how often B-frames are used \[0\] - **--b-pyramid** \ Keep some B-frames as references \[normal\] - none: Disabled - strict: Strictly hierarchical pyramid - normal: Non-strict (not Blu-ray compatible) - **--open-gop** Use recovery points to close GOPs Only available with b-frames - **--no-cabac** Disable CABAC - **-r**, **--ref** \ Number of reference frames \[3\] - **--no-deblock** Disable loop filter - **-f**, **--deblock** \ Loop filter parameters \[0:0\] - **--slices** \ Number of slices per frame; forces rectangular slices and is overridden by other slicing options - **--slices-max** \ Absolute maximum slices per frame; overrides slice-max-size/slice-max-mbs when necessary **--slice-max-size** \ Limit the size of each slice in bytes **--slice-max-mbs** \ Limit the size of each slice in macroblocks (max) **--slice-min-mbs** \ Limit the size of each slice in macroblocks (min) - **--tff** Enable interlaced mode (top field first) - **--bff** Enable interlaced mode (bottom field first) - **--constrained-intra** Enable constrained intra prediction. - **--pulldown** \ Use soft pulldown to change frame rate - none, 22, 32, 64, double, triple, euro (requires cfr input) - **--fake-interlaced** Flag stream as interlaced but encode progressive. Makes it possible to encode 25p and 30p Blu-Ray streams. Ignored in interlaced mode. - **--frame-packing** \ For stereoscopic videos define frame arrangement \- 0: checkerboard - pixels are alternatively from L and R - 1: column alternation - L and R are interlaced by column - 2: row alternation - L and R are interlaced by row - 3: side by side - L is on the left, R on the right - 4: top bottom - L is on top, R on bottom - 5: frame alternation - one view per frame - 6: mono - 2D frame without any frame packing - 7: tile format - L is on top-left, R split across Ratecontrol: - **-q**, **--qp** \ Force constant QP (0-81, 0=lossless) - **-B**, **--bitrate** \ Set bitrate (kbit/s) - **--crf** \ Quality-based VBR (**-12-51**) \[23.0\] **--rc-lookahead** \ Number of frames for frametype lookahead \[40\] **--vbv-maxrate** \ Max local bitrate (kbit/s) \[0\] **--vbv-bufsize** \ Set size of the VBV buffer (kbit) \[0\] - **--vbv-init** \ Initial VBV buffer occupancy \[0.9\] - **--crf-max** \ With CRF+VBV, limit RF to this value May cause VBV underflows! - **--qpmin** \ Set min QP \[0\] - **--qpmax** \ Set max QP \[81\] - **--qpstep** \ Set max QP step \[4\] - **--ratetol** \ Tolerance of ABR ratecontrol and VBV \[1.0\] - **--ipratio** \ QP factor between I and P \[1.40\] - **--pbratio** \ QP factor between P and B \[1.30\] - **--chroma-qp-offset** \ QP difference between chroma and luma \[0\] - **--aq-mode** \ AQ method \[1\] - 0: Disabled - 1: Variance AQ (complexity mask) - 2: Auto-variance AQ - 3: Auto-variance AQ with bias to dark scenes - **--aq-strength** \ Reduces blocking and blurring in flat and textured areas. \[1.0\] - **-p**, **--pass** \ Enable multipass ratecontrol - 1: First pass, creates stats file - 2: Last pass, does not overwrite stats file - 3: Nth pass, overwrites stats file - **--stats** \ Filename for 2 pass stats \["x264\_2pass.log"\] - **--no-mbtree** Disable mb-tree ratecontrol. - **--qcomp** \ QP curve compression \[0.60\] - **--cplxblur** \ Reduce fluctuations in QP (before curve compression) \[20.0\] - **--qblur** \ Reduce fluctuations in QP (after curve compression) \[0.5\] - **--zones** \/\/... Tweak the bitrate of regions of the video Each zone is of the form - \,\,\ where \ is either - q=\ (force QP) or b=\ (bitrate multiplier) - **--qpfile** \ Force frametypes and QPs for some or all frames Format of each line: framenumber frametype QP QP is optional (none lets x264 choose). Frametypes: I,i,K,P,B,b. - K=\ depending on open-gop setting QPs are restricted by qpmin/qpmax. Analysis: - **-A**, **--partitions** \ Partitions to consider \["p8x8,b8x8,i8x8,i4x4"\] - p8x8, p4x4, b8x8, i8x8, i4x4, none, all (p4x4 requires p8x8. i8x8 requires **--8x8dct**.) - **--direct** \ Direct MV prediction mode \["spatial"\] - none, spatial, temporal, auto - **--no-weightb** Disable weighted prediction for B-frames - **--weightp** \ Weighted prediction for P-frames \[2\] - 0: Disabled - 1: Weighted refs - 2: Weighted refs + Duplicates - **--me** \ Integer pixel motion estimation method \["hex"\] - dia: diamond search, radius 1 (fast) - hex: hexagonal search, radius 2 - umh: uneven multi-hexagon search - esa: exhaustive search - tesa: hadamard exhaustive search (slow) - **--merange** \ Maximum motion vector search range \[16\] - **--mvrange** \ Maximum motion vector length \[-1 (auto)\] - **--mvrange-thread** \ Minimum buffer between threads \[-1 (auto)\] - **-m**, **--subme** \ Subpixel motion estimation and mode decision \[7\] - 0: fullpel only (not recommended) - 1: SAD mode decision, one qpel iteration - 2: SATD mode decision - 3-5: Progressively more qpel - 6: RD mode decision for I/P-frames - 7: RD mode decision for all frames - 8: RD refinement for I/P-frames - 9: RD refinement for all frames - 10: QP-RD - requires trellis=2, aq-mode\>0 - 11: Full RD: disable all early terminations - **--psy-rd** \ Strength of psychovisual optimization \["1.0:0.0"\] #1: RD (requires subme\>=6) #2: Trellis (requires trellis, experimental) - **--no-psy** Disable all visual optimizations that worsen both PSNR and SSIM. - **--no-mixed-refs** Don't decide references on a per partition basis - **--no-chroma-me** Ignore chroma in motion estimation - **--no-8x8dct** Disable adaptive spatial transform size - **-t**, **--trellis** \ Trellis RD quantization. \[1\] - 0: disabled - 1: enabled only on the final encode of a MB - 2: enabled on all mode decisions - **--no-fast-pskip** Disables early SKIP detection on P-frames - **--no-dct-decimate** Disables coefficient thresholding on P-frames - **--nr** \ Noise reduction \[0\] - **--deadzone-inter** \ Set the size of the inter luma quantization deadzone \[21\] - **--deadzone-intra** \ Set the size of the intra luma quantization deadzone \[11\] Deadzones should be in the range 0 - 32. - **--cqm** \ Preset quant matrices \["flat"\] - flat, jvt - **--cqmfile** \ Read custom quant matrices from a JM-compatible file Overrides any other **--cqm**\* options. - **--cqm4** \ Set all 4x4 quant matrices Takes a comma-separated list of 16 integers. - **--cqm8** \ Set all 8x8 quant matrices Takes a comma-separated list of 64 integers. - **--cqm4i**, **--cqm4p**, **--cqm8i**, **--cqm8p** \ Set both luma and chroma quant matrices - **--cqm4iy**, **--cqm4ic**, **--cqm4py**, **--cqm4pc** \ Set individual quant matrices Video Usability Info (Annex E): The VUI settings are not used by the encoder but are merely suggestions to the playback equipment. See doc/vui.txt for details. Use at your own risk. - **--overscan** \ Specify crop overscan setting \["undef"\] - undef, show, crop - **--videoformat** \ Specify video format \["undef"\] - component, pal, ntsc, secam, mac, undef - **--range** \ Specify color range \["auto"\] - auto, tv, pc - **--colorprim** \ Specify color primaries \["undef"\] - undef, bt709, bt470m, bt470bg, smpte170m, - smpte240m, film, bt2020, smpte428, smpte431, smpte432 - **--transfer** \ Specify transfer characteristics \["undef"\] - undef, bt709, bt470m, bt470bg, smpte170m, - smpte240m, linear, log100, log316, iec61966-2-4, bt1361e, iec61966-2-1, bt2020-10, bt2020-12, smpte2084, smpte428, arib-std-b67 - **--colormatrix** \ Specify color matrix setting \["???"\] - undef, bt709, fcc, bt470bg, smpte170m, - smpte240m, GBR, YCgCo, bt2020nc, bt2020c, smpte2085, chroma-derived-nc, chroma-derived-c, ICtCp - **--chromaloc** \ Specify chroma sample location (0 to 5) \[0\] - **--mastering-display** \ Specify 'G(x,y)B(x,y)R(x,y)WP(x,y)L(max,min)' for primaries, white point, and display brightness - **--cll** \ Specify 'max\_content,max\_frame\_average' content light levels - **--alternative-transfer** \ Specify an alternative transfer characteristics \["undef"\] - \- same values as **--transfer** - **--nal-hrd** \ Signal HRD information (requires vbv-bufsize) - none, vbr, cbr (cbr not allowed in .mp4) - **--filler** Force hard-CBR and generate filler (implied by **--nal-hrd** cbr) - **--pic-struct** Force pic\_struct in Picture Timing SEI - **--crop-rect** \ Add 'left,top,right,bottom' to the bitstream-level cropping rectangle Input/Output: - **-o**, **--output** \ Specify output file - **--muxer** \ Specify output container format \["auto"\] - auto, raw, mkv, flv - **--demuxer** \ Specify input container format \["auto"\] - auto, raw, y4m, avs, lavf, ffms - **--input-fmt** \ Specify input file format (requires lavf support) - **--input-csp** \ Specify input colorspace format for raw input - valid csps for \`raw' demuxer: - i400, i420, yv12, nv12, nv21, i422, yv16, nv16, yuyv, uyvy, i444, yv24, bgr, bgra, rgb - \- valid csps for \`lavf' demuxer: yuv420p, yuyv422, rgb24, bgr24, yuv422p, yuv444p, yuv410p, yuv411p, gray, monow, monob, pal8, yuvj420p, yuvj422p, yuvj444p, uyvy422, uyyvyy411, bgr8, bgr4, bgr4\_byte, rgb8, rgb4, rgb4\_byte, nv12, nv21, argb, rgba, abgr, bgra, gray16be, gray16le, yuv440p, yuvj440p, yuva420p, rgb48be, rgb48le, rgb565be, rgb565le, rgb555be, rgb555le, bgr565be, bgr565le, bgr555be, bgr555le, vaapi, yuv420p16le, yuv420p16be, yuv422p16le, yuv422p16be, yuv444p16le, yuv444p16be, dxva2\_vld, rgb444le, rgb444be, bgr444le, bgr444be, ya8, bgr48be, bgr48le, yuv420p9be, yuv420p9le, yuv420p10be, yuv420p10le, yuv422p10be, yuv422p10le, yuv444p9be, yuv444p9le, yuv444p10be, yuv444p10le, yuv422p9be, yuv422p9le, gbrp, gbrp9be, gbrp9le, gbrp10be, gbrp10le, gbrp16be, gbrp16le, yuva422p, yuva444p, yuva420p9be, yuva420p9le, yuva422p9be, yuva422p9le, yuva444p9be, yuva444p9le, yuva420p10be, yuva420p10le, yuva422p10be, yuva422p10le, yuva444p10be, yuva444p10le, yuva420p16be, yuva420p16le, yuva422p16be, yuva422p16le, yuva444p16be, yuva444p16le, vdpau, xyz12le, xyz12be, nv16, nv20le, nv20be, rgba64be, rgba64le, bgra64be, bgra64le, yvyu422, ya16be, ya16le, gbrap, gbrap16be, gbrap16le, qsv, mmal, d3d11va\_vld, cuda, 0rgb, rgb0, 0bgr, bgr0, yuv420p12be, yuv420p12le, yuv420p14be, yuv420p14le, yuv422p12be, yuv422p12le, yuv422p14be, yuv422p14le, yuv444p12be, yuv444p12le, yuv444p14be, yuv444p14le, gbrp12be, gbrp12le, gbrp14be, gbrp14le, yuvj411p, bayer\_bggr8, bayer\_rggb8, bayer\_gbrg8, bayer\_grbg8, bayer\_bggr16le, bayer\_bggr16be, bayer\_rggb16le, bayer\_rggb16be, bayer\_gbrg16le, bayer\_gbrg16be, bayer\_grbg16le, bayer\_grbg16be, xvmc, yuv440p10le, yuv440p10be, yuv440p12le, yuv440p12be, ayuv64le, ayuv64be, videotoolbox\_vld, p010le, p010be, gbrap12be, gbrap12le, gbrap10be, gbrap10le, mediacodec, gray12be, gray12le, gray10be, gray10le, p016le, p016be, d3d11, gray9be, gray9le, gbrpf32be, gbrpf32le, gbrapf32be, gbrapf32le, drm\_prime, opencl, gray14be, gray14le, grayf32be, grayf32le, yuva422p12be, yuva422p12le, yuva444p12be, yuva444p12le, nv24, nv42, vulkan, y210be, y210le, x2rgb10le, x2rgb10be, x2bgr10le, x2bgr10be, p210be, p210le, p410be, p410le, p216be, p216le, p416be, p416le, vuya, rgbaf16be, rgbaf16le, vuyx, p012le, p012be, y212be, y212le, xv30be, xv30le, xv36be, xv36le, rgbf32be, rgbf32le, rgbaf32be, rgbaf32le, p212be, p212le, p412be, p412le, gbrap14be, gbrap14le - **--output-csp** \ Specify output colorspace \["i420"\] - i400, i420, i422, i444, rgb **--input-depth** \ Specify input bit depth for raw input **--output-depth** \ Specify output bit depth - **--input-range** \ Specify input color range \["auto"\] - auto, tv, pc - **--input-res** \ Specify input resolution (width x height) - **--index** \ Filename for input index file - **--sar** width:height Specify Sample Aspect Ratio - **--fps** \ Specify framerate - **--seek** \ First frame to encode - **--frames** \ Maximum number of frames to encode - **--level** \ Specify level (as defined by Annex A) - **--bluray-compat** Enable compatibility hacks for Blu-ray support - **--avcintra-class** \ Use compatibility hacks for AVC-Intra class \- 50, 100, 200, 300, 480 - **--avcintra-flavor** \ AVC-Intra flavor \["panasonic"\] \- panasonic, sony - **--stitchable** Don't optimize headers based on video content Ensures ability to recombine a segmented encode - **-v**, **--verbose** Print stats for each frame - **--no-progress** Don't show the progress indicator while encoding - **--quiet** Quiet Mode - **--log-level** \ Specify the maximum level of logging \["info"\] - none, error, warning, info, debug - **--psnr** Enable PSNR computation - **--ssim** Enable SSIM computation - **--threads** \ Force a specific number of threads **--lookahead-threads** \ Force a specific number of lookahead threads - **--sliced-threads** Low-latency but lower-efficiency threading - **--thread-input** Run Avisynth in its own thread **--sync-lookahead** \ Number of buffer frames for threaded lookahead - **--non-deterministic** Slightly improve quality of SMP, at the cost of repeatability - **--cpu-independent** Ensure exact reproducibility across different cpus, as opposed to letting them select different algorithms - **--asm** \ Override CPU detection - **--no-asm** Disable all CPU optimizations - **--opencl** Enable use of OpenCL **--opencl-clbin** \ Specify path of compiled OpenCL kernel cache **--opencl-device** \ Specify OpenCL device ordinal - **--dump-yuv** \ Save reconstructed frames - **--sps-id** \ Set SPS and PPS id numbers \[0\] - **--aud** Use access unit delimiters - **--force-cfr** Force constant framerate timestamp generation - **--tcfile-in** \ Force timestamp generation with timecode file - **--tcfile-out** \ Output timecode v2 file from input timestamps - **--timebase** \ Specify timebase numerator and denominator - \ Specify timebase numerator for input timecode file or specify timebase denominator for other input - **--dts-compress** Eliminate initial delay with container DTS hack Filtering: **--vf**, **--video-filter** \/\/... Apply video filtering to the input file - Filter options may be specified in \:\=\ format. - Available filters: crop:left,top,right,bottom - removes pixels from the edges of the frame - resize:\[width,height\]\[,sar\]\[,fittobox\]\[,csp\]\[,method\] - resizes frames based on the given criteria: - resolution only: resizes and adapts sar to avoid stretching - sar only: sets the sar and resizes to avoid stretching - resolution and sar: resizes to given resolution and sets the sar - fittobox: resizes the video based on the desired constraints - \- width, height, both - \- fittobox and sar: same as above except with specified sar - csp: convert to the given csp. syntax: \[name\]\[:depth\] - \- valid csp names \[keep current\]: i400, i420, yv12, nv12, nv21, i422, yv16, nv16, yuyv, uyvy, i444, yv24, bgr, bgra, rgb - depth: 8 or 16 bits per pixel \[keep current\] - note: not all depths are supported by all csps. - method: use resizer method \["bicubic"\] - \- fastbilinear, bilinear, bicubic, experimental, point, - area, bicublin, gauss, sinc, lanczos, spline - select\_every:step,offset1\[,...\] - apply a selection pattern to input frames step: the number of frames in the pattern offsets: the offset into the step to select a frame see: http://avisynth.nl/index.php/Select#SelectEvery (libswscale 7.5.100) (libavformat 60.16.100) (ffmpegsource 3.0.1.0) built on Apr 12 2023, gcc: 13.2.0 x264 configuration: **--chroma-format**=*all* libx264 configuration: **--chroma-format**=*all* x264 license: GPL version 2 or later libswscale/libavformat/ffmpegsource license: GPL version 2 or later