H.265 (HEVC) High Efficiency Video Coding video playback in SSP
Applicable SongShow Plus Versions:
This article applies to all versions of SongShow Plus on Windows 10 or later. with the Windows HEVC Video Extensions H.265 Plug-in.
This article applies to all versions of SongShow Plus on Windows 11 build 22H2 or later.
Background:
H.265, also known as (HEVC) High Efficiency Video Coding, is a newer video encoding method for video content that previously was not playable within SSP. These file types commonly have the .mp4 extension. This newer was developed as a successor to the widely used Advanced Video Coding (AVC, H.264, or MPEG-4 Part 10). In comparison to AVC, HEVC offers from 25% to 50% better data compression at the same level of video quality, or substantially improved video quality at the same bit rate. While HEVC supports resolutions up to 8192×4320, including 8K UHD, we do not recommend video resolution higher than 1920x1080 for use in SongShow Plus.
Implementation:
SongShow Plus version 9.3 and later uses Windows Media Foundation for video playback. Additionally, Windows (and SSP) need HEVC support to play these videos.
- HEVC support in Windows 10 OR Windows 11 builds PRIOR to 22H2 does require the Windows HEVC Video Extensions plug-in to work as expected. This can be purchased from the Microsoft Store.
- HEVC support in Windows 11 build 22H2 and later natively. Microsoft added the HEVC Video Extension support in Windows 11 build 22H2.
System Requirements:
- Windows 10 compliant Video Card
- High-End Graphics (Full Graphics Mode) must be Enabled in SSP
- SSP 9.3 or later
- Windows Support for HEVC (either with the Windows HEVC Video Extensions H.265 Plug-in OR using Windows 11 build 22H2 or later.
File Requirements:
- The video portion of the file must be encoded with the H.265 CODEC. In most cases this will be described as H.265/MPEG-4 or HVC1 HEVC.
- The audio portion of the file must be encoded with the AAC CODEC. In most cases this will be described as mp4a: MPEG-4 AAC LC.
- Videos should be rendered at as close to 30 fps (frames per second) as possible for the smoothest playback. Lower or higher frame rates may play acceptably but can also induce "choppiness" or "judder" during playback.
- Video resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080 (1080p - FullHD) may be acceptable - Typical resolutions are 720 x 480 (480p DVD quality SD), 1280 x 720 (720p - HD) and 1920 x 1080 (1080p - FullHD). There are other variations in the width x height ratio that are valid but these are the most common. Higher resolutions are possible but may cause increased CPU Utilization and poor playback performance. Consider your target display resolution and aspect ratio to avoid unnecessarily using an "over-rendered" video. If your display or projector is only SD capable then it is a waste of time and system resources to push HD video to the output. This can be affected by the specs of your projection system.
- Target video bitrate of 4500 kbps or lower is recommended - Higher bitrates are possible but may cause increased CPU Utilization and poor playback performance. Higher bitrates will also create unnecessarily large video files. This spec has the biggest impact on playback in SongShow Plus. A difference of as little as 2x the recommended video bitrate can make the video unacceptable to use in SongShow Plus.
File extensions supported for H.265 files are:
- Video (*.mp4)
- Video (*.m4v)
- Video (*.mov)
NOTE: These extensions are enabled in SongShow Plus so that the files are visible but the extension alone does not make the file playable. It still must be encoded appropriately.
Considerations/Limitations:
- Files must be encoded correctly - The most common issue will be that the audio type is not supported.
- Files including any kind of encryption or DRM, such as the iPod or iTunes DRM protection, will not play using this plug-in.
- It appears that only some of the HEVC profile types are supported with SSP and Windows. It is recommended to use only feature profile Version 1 Main when rendering videos for use in SSP.
Samples and Tools:
- Download the following sample videos to check on your system. These should play without any issues. If they do not, take a look at other factors on your system that could be affecting video playback. This link is to 3rd party content samples and provided "as is".
- If you need to adjust your H.265 video or want to re-render the file to H.264, try the video tool called HandBrake. This is a pretty powerful tool. It is a free software tool that will allow the end user to adjust video frame rate, bit rate and resolution (among other things) to improve the video playback in SongShow Plus.
If you follow the above guidance and still have problems with playback of H.265 videos, refer to the Troubleshooting Knowledge Base section and then contact the support team.
(MI20)