Premiere 2022 - M1 Pro MacBook Pro - Hardware Encoding Poor Quality & Reduced File Size

[anthonygilbert-solihull]

I recently took delivery of a MacBook Pro M1 Pro, and went along with installing the usual suite of Adobe applications I use daily... I started editing a video project I had been working on and noticed that when I came to export the sequence how I normally would for Youtube (choosing Youtube 1080p preset with hardware encoding) and adding to the media encoder queue the exported file was really low quality - blurry and pixelated compared to the original media. I also noticed that the file size was over half of what Premiere Pro had estimated it to be. If I export with software encoding instead the file is 'normal' quality and matches the estimated file size from the export window in Premiere Pro.

I spent the afternoon playing around trying to figure out what is going on but this seems like a fault/error. I exported the exact same project using my Windows desktop computer using the exact same method with hardware encoding and another version with software encoding and both versions exported on Windows matched the file size and were of 'normal' quality. This seems like a M1 Pro issue?

I've attached a couple of screenshots of example exports - I'm pulling my hair out with this and hope someone is able to shed some light on it. Is it normal for hardware encoding on an M1/M1 Pro/M1 Max chip to have this effect, I was wondering if it could be more efficient at compressing or something?! 

Also Premiere Pro on M1 Pro MacBook completely crashes and grinds to a halt if I add any After Effects composition to the sequence. Maybe my MacBook has faulty hardware but everything else I use (non-Adobe) is fine with no issues.

[willteeyang]

I noticed the same exact issue.

i had an old Mac pro and this new M1 MAX Macbook Pro. same timeline. same youtube 1080p preset both 16 bitrate and the one form M1 Max (hardware encoding)  files came out super blocky and blurry.

So i noticed the Mac Pro was only software encoding (AMD D700s)

and just finish trying the M1 Max MBP wtih software encding and it cmae out jsut fine. and the file size is idenitical to the Mac Pro version.

[mayjain]

Hi @anthonygilbert-solihull @willteeyang   ,

Sorry for this problem. We have done some export improvements in the latest beta builds. We expect exports to come out without glitches now. You can download the latest Premiere Pro Beta build from Creative Cloud --> Beta apps --> Premiere Pro (Beta)

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/creative-cloud-public-beta.html

Please try and let us know how it goes in the beta build. If you still see this issue in beta builds, please share your original footage & export settings. We will check it at our end and take quick action.

Thanks,
Mayjain

[Simon2406122642s1]

Hello Mayjain,
Thank you for the response. I just tried testing exports and found the hardware encoding still has more compression, including an end graphic that briefly compresses before becoming clear again. I used the "Match Source - High bitrate" for both and only changed the performance setting under "Encoding Settings."

Screenshots attached of exported video.

[mayjain]

Hi @Simon2406122642s1 ,

Thanks for the detailed report. We will look into it.

Mayjain

[mayjain]

Hi @anthonygilbert-solihull  @Simon2406122642s1 @willteeyang ,

Sorry for this problem again. We have made some fixes to increase the bit rates(file sizes) of exported files in the latest beta build(22.5.0.16 or higher) and consequently improve the quality of exported files. You should see better bit rates(file sizes) now on M1 machines in all exported files.

Please check the latest beta build and let us know how it goes.

Thanks,
Mayjain

[;Dooley]

I just ran into the same issue. One interesting thing is that i was recently borrowowing a mac M1 max studio and the hardware encoding was great but here on the macbook pro M1 Max it is broken. Any reason for the difference in machines? I just bought the macbook and am still in the return window so really want to figure out why the massive quality difference on the studio vs macbook. 

[;Dooley]

Just to add to this I was not on a beta build of premiere with the mac studio or the macbook. I am currently running version 22.5

[;Dooley]

Also I am restricted to release apps at this time due to my current project terms any timeline on when this will be pushed to release status?

[;Dooley]

I wanted to circle back around to update my findings. I actually ended up returning that MacBook to get some extra HD space and the issue was def due to the computer not Premiere. The new MacBook (same model) has flawless hardware encoding. 

[willteeyang]

HI Mayjain, Thanks for keeping us updated.

Im just running on 22.5 non-beta and my solution is to add more bitrate after i choose the preset. ie if i do YouTube 1080p preset. the default option 16 bitrate. ill manually adjust that to 30. In most cases, im able to get higher quality than standard 1080p preset. (although the finaly file size are never what the estimate file size are) 

[willteeyang · Accepted solution]

Actually. my bad! 22.5 seems to fixed the bitrate issue not being accurate.

Thanks for everyone at Adobe for fixing this issue.

[mayjain]

Good to hear.. Thanks for informing 🙂  Regards, mayjain