Shrinking X265 ~upd~ (FRESH – EDITION)
If your goal is simply to convert a format quickly and you have plenty of storage space, hardware encoding ( NVENC HEVC ) is up to 10 times faster, though the resulting file might be marginally larger for the same visual quality.
x265, an open-source implementation of the HEVC standard, has become a widely adopted codec for video encoding. Its impressive compression ratios and high video quality have made it a favorite among developers and content creators. Compared to its predecessor, x265 offers significantly better compression efficiency, reducing file sizes by up to 50% while maintaining similar video quality.
For 1080p video, an RF of 22–24 is generally recommended.
Here’s a feature article on the phenomenon of — a trend in digital video encoding where file sizes are aggressively reduced, often at the cost of quality. shrinking x265
If you are reading this because you downloaded a 5GB x265 movie and want to turn it into a 2GB x265 movie,
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libx265 -crf 26 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 128k output.mp4
The x265 codec, or High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), is the industry standard for compressing high-resolution video. It delivers the same visual quality as its predecessor, x264 (AVC), at roughly half the file size. If your goal is simply to convert a
ffmpeg -i input_large.mp4 -c:v libx265 -crf 23 -preset slow -pix_fmt yuv420p10le -c:a aac -b:a 192k output_shrunk.mp4 Use code with caution. -c:v libx265 : Invokes the x265 software encoder library.
High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), commonly known as x265, is already an incredibly efficient codec. However, when dealing with massive 4K Blu-ray rips or high-bitrate encodes, you can still shrink these files by 30% to 50% further by optimizing your encoding workflow. Why Shrink x265 Further?
CRF is the most important setting for quality-based encoding. Instead of forcing a specific file size, CRF targets a specific visual quality level. It allocates more data to complex, fast-moving scenes and saves space on simple, static scenes. If you are reading this because you downloaded
-pix_fmt yuv420p10le : Forces the highly efficient 10-bit color space.
provide an accessible interface for these optimizations [1]. A standard workflow for shrinking 1080p or 4K content includes: Selecting the H.265 (x265) H.265 10-bit Setting the Frame Rate to "Same as source" and using Constant Frame Rate to prevent playback choppiness [1]. Adjusting the Quality Slider to roughly RF 22 [1]. 4. Challenges and Considerations Shrinking x265 isn't without its downsides. Compatibility:
Higher RF numbers result in lower quality and smaller files.
Shrinking x265 (HEVC) files is an essential skill for managing high-quality media libraries. While x265 is already designed for high efficiency, you can further reduce file sizes by up to 50% or more by optimizing specific encoding parameters. Why x265 is the Standard for Shrinking Video
and Intel QuickSync are faster than CPU x265, but they produce 20–40% larger files for the same visual quality. For shrinking, GPU encoding is the enemy.