X265 is a free software library and application for encoding video streams into the H.265/MPEG-H HEVC compression format, and is released under the terms of the GNU GPL.
- Premiere Hevc Codec
- Hevc Codec Mac El Capitan
- Hevc/h.265 Codec For Mac
- Hevc Codec Adobe Premiere
- Hevc Codec For Mac
- Part 1: Can VLC Play HEVC/H.265 Video. To put it in a simple way, yes, VLC can play HEVC or H.265 videos. As an all-inclusive video player application, VLC Player has the HEVC support built-in for both the Windows version and the Mac version. So theoretically, VLC should have no problem handling HEVC or H.265 video materials.
- Microsoft hid another version of the HEVC codec on the Microsoft Store and it was for device manufacturers to install the codec on their desktops and laptops before shipping them out to customers. To install the codec, follow this link to download HEVC Video Extension and follow this link to download HEIF Image Extension.
HEVC (aka H.265) earned its reputation from Sep, 2014 when Blu-ray Disc Association and Apple announced HEVC support for their products. Then, this video codec is widely applied to a wide range of fields, operation system (Windows 10, macOS High Sierra or later, Android 6.0 or later, iOS 11 or later), online video (YouTube 4K/8K), graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD) and media software (VLC, HandBrake) and so on.
In this article, we will focus on HEVC/H.265 codec, explaining what is HEVC codec and how to free download HEVC/H.265 codec for 4K/8K video playback.
Looking for the Best Solution to Play 4K/8K Videos Encoded with HEVC/H.265?
WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe - Transcode HEVC to fix incompatible problem on PC/Mac or devices.
It can easily and efficiently convert 4K/8K videos encoded with HEVC/H.265 to 1080P HD in formats MP4, H.264, AVI, MOV etc, for smooth playback on incompatible PCs/Macs, TVs and portable devices.
It will cost you about 6 mins to read through the article, you can skip to:
- Part 1: What Is HEVC Codec?
- Part 2: Does Your Device Support HEVC Codec?
- Part 3: Are There Any HEVC Codec Packs on Windows 10?
- Part 4: How to Download HEVC Codec for 4K Video Playback on Windows 10?
- Part 5: Will HEVC Be the Next Mainstream Codec?
Part 1: What Is HEVC/H.265 Codec?
HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)[1], a video compression standard, is developed to have a higher coding efficiency and improved video quality. With double data compression ratio, HEVC only requires half bitrate to keep the same video quality compared to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC. In other words, HEVC delivers better video quality at the same bitrate. Target at next-generation HDTV display and content capture systems, it can support 4K and 8K UHD resolution. >> What You May Be Insterested In: H.265 vs H.264, H.265 vs H.266
The Core Technologies That Make HEVC Codec Stand Out
The reason why HEVC codec owns better compression ratio and same high quality lies in the following core technologies it adopts:
- • Coding tree unit: Subdivides picture into variable sized structures with 64×64 samples (H.264 uses 16×16 ones) to improve coding efficiency.
- • Intra Coding: HEVC intra coding increases the Prediction directivity to 33 and adds Planar Prediction to produce a smooth sample surface.
- • Inter Coding: Motion compensation is used for HEVC inter coding to eliminate redundancy in video sequence.
- • Entropy Coding: HEVC uses the same CABAC algorithm of H.264/AVC High Profile for entropy coding, abandoned CAVLC.
HEVC codec is the software to compress or decompress HEVC video. It can be an encoder for compression only or decoder for decompression only. With H.265 codec, people can create a 4K/8K video or convert HEVC videos to a more compatible format for flawlessly playing on computers or devices.
Part 2: Make Sure Your Device Support HEVC codec.
Now we have better acknowledgment about what is HEVC/H.265 codec. The following issue is that whether your device support HEVC codec or the playback function could be done well by your device.
We could see different attitudes that companies towards this new video codec & its technical deployment. As one of the key participants of the MPEG association, Apple announced its HEVC support to Apple products in the very early stage during the implementation of HEVC/H.265 codec. On the other hand, Google reacting comparatively slow compared to Apple because of the concern that the market share of Google’s VP9 & AV1 codecs could wear away.
In the 2018 Q2 Mobile Overview Report (MOVR), we found the support for hardware-accelerated HEVC decoding is growing among mobile devices. 78% of iPhone and 57% of Android smartphone requests come from devices that support hardware-accelerated HEVC decoding. And still a great number of iOS and Android devices have no support for H.265, which could lead HEVC not playing error.
HEVC Support on different platforms:
Apple devices that support HEVC playback:
• An iPhone shipped with Apple A9 chips or better (released Aug 2015)
• Apple MacBook 'Core i7' series ( MacBook released after Mid-2017)
• An IPad 5th Gen and later model (Released March 21, 2017 )
• Apple TV 4K series (Released September 12, 2017)
Android devices that support HEVC playback:
• An Android phone that shipped with Snapdragon 610/ Kirin 950 or better processor
• An Android TV box with Mstar 6A928/ Amlogic S905 or better chips
For personal computer domain, in the year 2015 Nvidia released its GTX 960, from then, all PC installed GTX series or higher Nvidia graphic card will sufficiently support HEVC playback. If you don’t have an Nvidia card, a CPU with Intel i7/ AMD Athlon X4 835 or higher grade CPU will handle the HEVC playback jobs.
Note: If you have installed Windows 10 Fall Creators Update[2], you might be facing HEVC not playing on PCs issues since Microsoft removed inbuilt support for HEVC codec. To play HEVC videos on Windows 10 v1709 and later, you need to download and install HEVC codec manually.
Minimum hardware to decode HEVC on Windows 10:
• Intel 6th generation 'Skylake' or newer CPUs
• AMD 6th generation 'Carizzo' or newer APUs
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950, 960, or newer graphics cards
• AMD Radeon R9 Fury, R9 Fury X, R9 Nano, or newer graphics cards
Common Errors with Inadequate Hardware for HEVC
- 1. 'Video codec is not supported' error message when playing HEVC on Netflix, Movies & TV app, VLC etc.
- 2. The HEVC video plays fine for the first few seconds then it becomes choppy and finally freezes.
- 3. The audio is playing while you see a black screen.
- 4. Your computer goes overheated and the CPU utilisation during playback is around 100%.
5. VLC won't support HVC1 hevc files. - ...
Part 3: Are There Any HEVC Codec Packs on Windows 10?
Beginners may search HEVC codec on Google or software download sites for having a direct download link. But the random results are quite confused. So, we list the following reliable HEVC (H.265) codecs for your reference.
• x265
x265 is an open-source HEVC encoder application library enabling users to encode video/images into a HEVC bitstream. It is under GNU General Public License (GPL) 2 license and also available under a commercial license. x265 projects aims to provide the best HEVC/H.265 encoder and deliver the most efficient compression, highest encoding speed and visual quality. This HEVC codec has been adopted by many video converters like WinX Video Converter, Handbrake etc.
• DivX 10
DivX is one of the most popular video codecs with implementation of several mainstream video and audio standards, DivX, HEVC/H.265, H.264, MPEG-4 Part 14, MKV, AAC, Dolby, DTS etc. Built-in free DivX HEVC Plug-in, this HEVC codec makes users create and watch HEVC videos up to 4K UHD on Windows (10) PC/Mac.
• K-Lite Mega Codec Pack
Supporting many popular video/audio codecs, K-Lite Codec Pack[3], a collection of DirectShow filters, VFW/ACM codecs and tools, drives users to play more video/audio formats on Windows 10/8/7/XP (64 & 32 bit). Since the version 10.10, the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack added support for decoding HEVC helping watch HEVC videos on Windows without trouble.
WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe - the Best HEVC Encoder and Decoder
- • Encode/Decode videos from HEVC to other formats (H.264, AVI, WebM etc.) or from other formats to HEVC.
- • Fully taking advantage of hardware acceleration, it can deliver an ultra fast speed of HEVC transcoding.
Part 4: Download HEVC Codec for 4K HEVC Video Playback on Windows 10
Step 1: Go this link to get free HEVC Video Extensions from Manufacturer.
Step 2: Click 'Install' button to download and install it on your Windows 10 PC.
Step 3: Tap 'Launch' button when it done. And you're able to play 4K HEVC videos on Movies & TV app.
Video Tutorial: Download HEVC Codec to Play HEVC Files on Windows 10
Part 5: Will HEVC Be the Next Mainstream Codec?
You see, more and more videos are encoded in HEVC codec or packaged into HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) format in HEVC. Will HEVC be the next major codec? 6 years after being an international standard, HEVC plays in 17.17% of all browsers tracked by caniuse.com, 78% for iOS devices and 57% for Android. In contrast, H.264 plays in 96.96% of all browsers, while VP9 plays in 86.39%. All these are derived from disastrous royal policy of HEVC, hindering it from accessing market on a large scale.
On the other hand, the momentum of AV1 codec and VVC codec[4] cannot be underestimated.
It's not surprising that AV1 plays in 32.02% of all browsers since both Google and Mozilla are AOMedia members. Meanwhile, in Nov, 2018, Microsoft released the beta AV1 Video Extension, which allows AV1 playback on Windows 10 devices.
Being the next-gen (after HEVC) standards-based codec developed jointly by MPEG and the ITU, the quality of VVC codec is 30% bitrate reduction over HEVC at the same perpetual quality. And the BBC found HEVC (HM) and AV1 to be about the same, with VVC (JEM) substantially better than both.
To a great degree, the codec future will be dictated by AV1's royalty-free status. But at present stage, HEVC still plays a crucial part in high compression efficiency.
See More: AV1 vs HEVC - Which is the Codec of the Future?
External Source Links:
1. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) [wiki]: also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2, is a video compression standard, designed as a successor to the widely used Advanced Video Coding (AVC, H.264, or MPEG-4 Part 10).
2. Windows 10 Fall Creators Update broke HEVC support in Films/Movies & TV app.
3. K-Lite Codec Pack[wiki] is a collection of audio and video codecs for Microsoft Windows that enables an operating system and its software to play various audio and video formats generally not supported by the operating system itself. The K-Lite Codec Pack also includes several related tools, including Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC), Media Info Lite, and Codec Tweak Tool.
4. Versatile Video Coding (VVC) [wiki] is a future video compression standard being developed for finalization around mid-2020 by the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), a united video expert team of the MPEG working group of ISO/IEC JTC 1 and the VCEG working group of ITU-T. At times, it has also been referred to as Future Video Coding (FVC) and as ITU-T H.266. It will be the successor to High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC, also known as ITU-T H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2).
What is HEVC?
High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) – also known as H.265 – is a video compression standard that allows GoPro to capture large video content, such as 4K60 and 1080p240, at roughly half the file size with equivalent image quality. Adoption for this new standard is increasing, and is natively supported on Android™ 5.0+ and iOS™ 11 and 12 on newer phones and tablets with more powerful processors. Moreover, HEVC is natively supported on Windows® 10 and MacOS® High Sierra on newer desktop computers with more powerful processors.Your cameras HEVC modes can be found below. If you do not have an HEVC-compatible computer or smart device, all resolution/frame rate combinations not listed below use the familiar H.264 codec (as found on HERO5 and earlier cameras).
What Video Settings Utilize HEVC?
HERO7 Black and HERO8 Black use HEVC for the following video modes:| Video Resolution | Frame Rate (NTSC) | Frame Rate (PAL) |
|---|---|---|
| 4K | 60 fps | 50 fps |
| 4K (4:3) | 30, 24 fps | 25 fps |
| 2.7K | 120 fps | 100 fps |
| 2.7K (4:3) | 60 fps | 50 fps |
| 1440p | 120 fps | 100 fps |
| 1080p | 240 fps | 200 fps |
| 960p | 240 fps | 200 fps |
MAX uses HEVC for the following video modes:
| Mode | Resolution |
|---|---|
| 360 Video | All Resolutions |
| Timewarp | All Resolutions |
| TL Video | 5.6K 30/25/24 fps |
| HERO Mode | 1440-60/30/24 fps 1080-60/30/24 fps Note* - HEVC or H.264 are available in both resolutions. |
With HERO7 & HERO8 Black, you also have the option of recording the following settings using either HEVC or H.264 codecs.
| Video Resolution | Frame Rate (NTSC) | Frame Rate (PAL) |
|---|---|---|
| 4K | 30, 24 fps | 25, 24 fps |
| 2.7K | 60, 30, 24 fps | 50, 25, 24 fps |
| 2.7K (4:3) | 30, 24 fps | 25, 24 fps |
| 1440p | 60, 30, 24 fps | 50, 25, 24 fps |
| 1080p | 120, 60, 30, 24 fps | 100, 50, 25, 24 fps |
| 960p | 120 fps | 100 fps |
| 720p | 240, 60 fps | 200, 50 fps |
HERO6 Black uses HEVC for the following video modes:
| Video Resolution | Frame Rate (NTSC) | Frame Rate (PAL) |
|---|---|---|
| 4K | 60 fps | 50 fps |
| 4K (4:3) | 30, 24 fps | 25, 24 fps |
| 2.7K | 120 fps | 100 fps |
| 2.7K (4:3) | 60 fps | 50 fps |
| 1080p | 240 fps | 200 fps |
When utilizing an HEVC video setting, a warning message will appear on the camera giving you a heads up that your phone or computer need to be HEVC compatible for playback and editing. We display warnings on the GoPro app and the Quik for desktop app as well.
Is My Mobile Device Compatible with HEVC?
AndroidPremiere Hevc Codec
HEVC is supported on Android 5.0+ devices using the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 series (or equivalent) processors and newer. Here are some of the leading Android phones supporting HEVC:
| Manufacturer | Model |
|---|---|
| Samsung | Galaxy® S7 / S7 Plus and newer |
| Galaxy Note 8 and newer | |
| Pixel / Pixel XL and newer | |
| Huawei | Huawei P9 and newer |
| Xiaomi | Xiaomi Mi 5 and newer |
| LG | LG G5 and newer |
| HTC | HTC U10 and newer |
| Sony | Sony Xperia® X and newer |
| Motorola | Moto Z® and newer |
| OnePlus | OnePlus® 3 and newer |
iOS
HEVC is supported on iOS 11 devices using the Apple® A10 processor and newer:
| Device | Model |
|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone® 6 (select bitrates only) |
| iPhone® 7 and 7 Plus | |
| iPhone 8 and 8 Plus | |
| iPhone® X, Xs, Xs Max | |
| iPad | 10.5-inch iPad Pro® |
| 12.9-inch iPad Pro |
What are the limitations with HEVC on mobile?
| Limitation | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Preview While Recording via the GoPro App Even if your mobile device supports HEVC, you will not be able to preview your footage while recording in the GoPro app. You can preview the scene beforehand, but as soon as you start recording, the live view becomes unavailable. | All Devices | |
| Media Playback on Camera via the GoPro App Even if your mobile device supports HEVC, you will not be able to play back HEVC footage on your SD card via the GoPro app. You will need to copy that media to your mobile device to view it. | All Devices | |
| 4K (4:3) Video Play Back No version of Android or iOS supports 4K 4:3 playback. In Android, the GoPro app will copy 4K 4:3 to your mobile device, but you won’t be able to playback those files. In iOS, QuikStories will convert 4K 4:3 to a lower resolution for playback. Otherwise, the GoPro app will prevent you from manually copying 4K 4:3 to your mobile device. | All Devices | |
| Media Playback on Unsupported Operating Systems If your device isn’t running Android 5.0 / iOS 11 or newer, you will not be able to play back HEVC files. For manual offloads through the GoPro app or Quik Key, we block the transfer and display an error message. | Applicable to devices running iOS 10.3.3 and earlier | Applicable to devices running Android 4.4 (KitKat) and earlier |
| Media Playback with Supported Operating Systems, on Older Devices While Android 5.0 and iOS 11 natively support HEVC, your phone must be using a newer processor to playback those files smoothly. The GoPro app will still copy HEVC files to these mobile devices, but beware that those files may struggle to play back. In general, mobile devices manufactured before 2016 will not handle HEVC files very well. Please see a partial list of supported devices above. | Applicable to devices manufactured before 2016 | |
| QuikStories converts HEVC to lower bitrate On iOS 11, the QuikStories feature will copy HEVC files from your camera and convert them to a lower bitrate before sending footage to the Quik app. | Applicable to devices running iOS 11 only | N/A |
Is my Computer Compatible with HEVC?
Windows
Hevc Codec Mac El Capitan
HEVC is supported on Windows 10 computers using the Intel Kaby Lake (or equivalent) processor and newer.Hevc/h.265 Codec For Mac
MacOS
HEVC is supported on macOS High Sierra computers using the A10 processor and newermacOS High Sierra computers supporting HEVC
Hevc Codec Adobe Premiere
- Macbook® – 2016 or newer
- Macbook Pro – 2016 or newer
- iMac – 2017 and newer
- iMac Pro – 2017 or newer
- 27-inch 5K iMac (2015-2017)
What are the limitations with HEVC on a computer?
Playing Media on Unsupported Operating SystemsIf your computer isn’t running Windows 10 / macOS High Sierra or newer, you will not be able to play HEVC files. Quik for desktop will still copy HEVC files to your computer, but they won’t appear in the Quik for desktop Media gallery. Also, third-party apps won’t be able to play HEVC files.
Playing Media on Supported Operating Systems, but Older Computers
While Windows 10 / macOS High Sierra supports HEVC, your computer must use a newer processor to play those files smoothly. Quik for desktop will still copy HEVC files to your computer, but those files may struggle to play back. In general, computers manufactured before 2016 may not handle HEVC files well. See the partial list of supported computers/processors above.
What if I Recorded in an HEVC Setting and Don't Have a Compatible Device?
In the event that you've recorded HEVC video footage and do not have a compatible device to play your recordings, there are a couple of options:
- Convert Your HEVC Videos to the H.264 Codec - Using Handbrake, a free, open source application, you can covert your HEVC videos to H.264 (compatible across all devices) with minimal loss in image quality. Please reference How to Convert GoPro HEVC Videos to H.264 Using HandBrake, for step-by-step instructions.
- Video/File Hosting via Web - Upload your video to YouTube or another video/file hosting service. Once uploaded, you should be able to play your footage on any device compatible with the website, as you'll be able to utilize their compression. *NOTE: Being as you will be using a webservice to play back your videos, there may be a decrease in image quality simply due to web compression or your connection speed.
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