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Dreamy_hand15A8
Participating Frequently
May 25, 2017
Answered

Adobe Media Encoder CBR Export Problems

  • May 25, 2017
  • 5 replies
  • 7067 views

I have the latest version of Adobe media encoder installed and have had the same problem for over a year now.  I do a lot of computer screen recordings that do not have a video camera feed and or just presentation based.  No matter what CBR settings I I try in Adobe media encoder, the final export always seems to be variable and significantly lower than the chosen data rate. If I use CBR for a video camera recording, the output is still variable according to media info but the data rate is a lot closer to what I choose in Adobe media encoder.  I feel like I Adobe media encoder is still doing some variable bit rate analysis to screen based only recordings for some reason. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer TheAdamBomb

    Changing the Encode Settings under performance from "Hardware Encoding" to "Software Encoding" seems to have helped on my side. Cross-referenced that solution from this discussion: https://community.adobe.com/t5/adobe-media-encoder-discussions/bitrate-settings-ignored/td-p/10456388

    5 replies

    TheAdamBomb
    TheAdamBombCorrect answer
    Participant
    December 8, 2023

    Changing the Encode Settings under performance from "Hardware Encoding" to "Software Encoding" seems to have helped on my side. Cross-referenced that solution from this discussion: https://community.adobe.com/t5/adobe-media-encoder-discussions/bitrate-settings-ignored/td-p/10456388

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    michaelh65929319
    Participant
    August 9, 2019

    I can confirm, now in 2019, that I have that very same problem. I have selected a CBR 40 Mbit/s H.264 encoding and ended out with a 30 Mbit/s export.

    I have also noticed that the export settings now default to hardware encoding, even though I previously saved my presets with software encoding.

    Could these two have been swapped around, so that hardware is software and software is hardware? Because, as far as I am aware, the hardware (QS) encoder can bump down bitrates.

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    EDIT:

    I did some further testing. Setting my export as H.264 CBR 80 MBit/s with both software and hardware encoding, the software encoding gave 56.3 Mbit/s variable bitrate and the hardware encoding gave 14.8 Mbit/s variable bitrate. So the hardware and software encodings are the correct ones.

    The source is a CFR VBR game recording from Bandicam. The framerate is however almost constant, being that the lowest framerate is 0.594 and the highest 60.06. There is a lot of parts that are relatively stationary in the recording.

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    Cheers,
    Michael

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    default56qszft8mwff
    Participant
    March 30, 2021

    Still no fix for this 3 years later?  My CBR exports are all over the place.

    jpelc
    jpelc
    Participating Frequently
    January 31, 2018

    Please include me in a comment if an issue is found. I'm running into the same problem. Why can't selecting CBR create a CBR file... I also have Handbrake available but I can't find an option to produce a CBR file. Both "Constant Quality" and "Average Bitrate" options produce VBR files, just with different degrees of variation in the bit rate

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    Dreamy_hand15A8Author
    Participating Frequently
    October 14, 2017

    Kevin-Monahan ...  Stefan Gruenwedel ... Any updates on this confirmed AME CBR export problem after I sent a big report in about a month ago? I really need this issue resolved by November for a major job of at all possible. Otherwise I might have to resort to a very long workflow involving Handbrake that I would rather not have to do.

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    Dreamy_hand15A8Author
    Participating Frequently
    November 10, 2017

    Just bumping this thread again to see if anyone has any updates - Kevin-Monahan ...  Stefan Gruenwedel - RoninEdits or Vidya Sagar

    elizabethc71898284
    elizabethc71898284
    Participant
    November 16, 2017

    I'm having this issue as well. Need to export as CBR per local broadcast station specs...of course the data reads as variable...

      Horshack
      Horshack
      Legend
      May 25, 2017

      Does your screen recording source video use variable frame rates? Premiere only supports constant frame-rate video so perhaps that's why the encoder is not acting as expected for CBR renders.

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      Dreamy_hand15A8Author
      Participating Frequently
      May 30, 2017

      I actually use Atomos Blade recorders with ProRes LT as the source recorder for these 720p60 screen recordings. I wouldn't think that would cause any problems with Adobe Media Encoder and CBR but I suppose ProRes technically isn't a CBR source format? I will definitely have to test further. Thanks so much for your response. I really appreciate it. I did notice the following link that seems to be a similar issue but the thread seems closed although I am still having a similar problem with MediaInfo saying a CBR encoding from AME is variable. All continued thoughts are welcomed. Warmest Regards! NM

      How to change variable frame rate to constant?

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      Dreamy_hand15A8Author
      Participating Frequently
      August 16, 2017

      Anyone have any other thoughts? I am bumping my thread again bc I still don't have a resolution of how to consistently export CBR only Mp4 / h.264 files with the latest version of AME. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

      Thanks!

      NM

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