P: 4K H264 exports producing glitches and pixelation from media encoder Hardware Accelerated 2025

[alexandre_2086]

I've been dealing with files getting rejected from various clients from my 4K h264 exports.  I've tried different settings like rendering in Software Only CBR, etc..  It's a hit or miss for me.  Either way, I'm expecting more rejects to come.  No matter what I do with the 4K h264 settings, it's never consistent.   Now I have to use my old Imac to make these exports which is much slower but I'll deal with that until there's a resolve.  I would love to show you the images but they're adult related.  I can't post that here.  I've updated my Adobe apps and Mac OS to the latest update, hoping that will solve the issue.  That's not the case. 

Model Name: Mac Studio

   Chip: Apple M2 Ultra

  Total Number of Cores: 24 (16 performance and 8 efficiency)

  Memory: 64 GB

  System Firmware Version: 11881.81.4

Sequoia 15.3.1

Please look into this.  

[DocFel]

Hi, when I export to H264 using hardware acceleration 1 VBR, the video during playback (Quicktime or preview on mac) is fine, but if I go back and forth with the cursor, for example to reach a certain scene, during this movement you can see some pixelated, square gliths.

Attached is the example. Why? Before I didn't have the problem that occurred since I updated to MacOs Sequoia on a macbook pro 16" M3 Max.

If I export without hardware acceleration, or in H265 (with hardware acceleration) I have no problems during the movement during playback.

How do I solve it?

Thanks.

[jamieclarke]

Hi @alexandre_2086 - There is a potential fix in beta version 25.3.0 build 11 and higher.  Can you try it out and let us know if this fixes your issue.

[alexandre_2086]

I would love to but I don't see that update available yet.  25.1 is the latest.  

[alexandre_2086]

Spoke too soon.  I see it and will give it a go.  Thanks!

[alexandre_2086]

YES!  It worked!

[IanB_360]

Hi @DocFel 
 and welcome to the Premiere Pro Forum community. Do you notice the glitches in just quick time player? Or are you also seeing this in the Premiere Pro's sequence? Have you attempted to open the exported video in  any other software and noticed the same glitches baked into the video.  If you could also just jump to the link here  How do I write a bug report and follow the steps to providing more information about your bug, we will gladly take a look.
Thank you
Ian

[DocFel]

it happens on all players (even on iPhone), because the export seems to have a bug, on the premiere sequence there is no problem.

Basically when I go back and forth during playback, these glitches appear.

If I export only in software mode (not hardware acceleration) the problem does not occur.

If I export in H265 even with hardware acceleration the problem does not occur.

EXAMPLE WITH PROBLEM (export hardware acceleration) going forward and backward during playback

From here you can download the exported example (both correct and not)

https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/e430d3c2-7844-4ded-88cd-8e4b61573825 

Oh it also happens with ADOBE MEDIA ENCODER.

THANKS.

[IanB_360]

@DocFel 
Are you mainly seeing this issue when working with certain camera files or all files? What type of camera file are you using to export in the examples provided ? Would you be able to share a file sample with us of the camera you are using? 
Thank you for the information.
Ian

[DocFel]

Any type of files, even though they are only stock, does not depend on the camera.

[IanB_360]

 Thank you @DocFel  for taking your time to file a bug report. I know it is not always easy to take the time and share details. We would like to help figure this out with you. The team just needs a little more information to begin troubleshooting. If you could just jump to the link here  How do I write a bug report and follow the steps to providing more information about your bug, it will help point us in the direction to start solving this. Of course providing project files or example files will help us test this further. 
Ian

[DocFel]

Issue

When I export in H264 (hardware acceleration) any video from any file, when I then play it on quicktime, preview or iphone (any player) and I want to go forward or backward, some pixelated glitches appear. This does not happen if I export (without hardware acceleration) or in H265 (hardware acceleration). Same thing also exporting directly to Adobe media encoder.

-------

Adobe Premiere Pro version number:

V. 25.1

-------

Operating system

MAC OS SEQUOIA 15.3.1

-------

System Info:

MacBook Pro
16", novembre 2023
Apple M3 Max
36 GB

-------

Hard Drive

Internal SSD 1TB

-------

Video format:

Any formats, any videos.
From here you can download the exported example (both correct and not)
https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/e430d3c2-7844-4ded-88cd-8e4b61573825

-------

Workflow details:

it happens on all players (even on iPhone), because the export seems to have a bug, on the premiere sequence there is no problem.
Basically when I go back and forth during playback, these glitches appear.
If I export only in software mode (not hardware acceleration) the problem does not occur.
If I export in H265 even with hardware acceleration the problem does not occur.

[DocFel]

Basically now I can't export with hardware acceleration anymore, otherwise I get those glitches if I go forward and back during playback, so all the files I export are "broken".

[jamieclarke]

Hi @DocFel -  A fix is available in beta version 25.3.0 build 11 and higher, and applies only to Macs.  Can you try it out and let us know if this fixes your issue.

This will be in the next release of Premiere Pro version 25.2.0

[DocFel]

I'm waiting for the stable version, in the meantime I export (unfortunately) only software.

[MyerPj]

I downloaded the two files, and I see very little difference in them, they both play fine!

I watched and scrubbed thru with PotPlayer, and then PP, then VLC, both played w/out pixelation.

I put the clips on top of each other (it's great that you sent both clips same frames) and applied the Difference blend mode to the upper clip, and there was some very slight image showing, which I essentially always get with h.264. Meaning the clips are very similar.

[MyerPj]

It's not very interesting, but this is about the most difference I saw between the clips, it's the upper left corner of the leaves.

[MyerPj]

I should have said:

Win11 - 23H2, PP (beta) 23.3.0 b14 and 23.1 (stable)

[DocFel]

They are the same, the problem occurs when you go back and forth between scenes, this is not normal, pixelated glitches are created, a sign that there is something wrong with the file and therefore incorrect export.

EXAMPLE WITH PROBLEM (h264 export hardware acceleration) going forward and backward during playback

EXAMPLE CORRECT (h264 export software) going forward and backward during playback normal

This is a bug in premiere on MAC.

[MyerPj]

This is a bug in premiere on MAC.

By @DocFel

Yes, it must be a MAC thing.

[raphaelg18477722]

thank you so much for this comment @jamieclarke !!!! i've been trying to fix this for weeks now! i almost returned my new mac studio! the beta version fixed it. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

[jamieclarke]

Updating Status to Fixed in 25.2