Using accelerated transcoding in AWS Elemental MediaConvert - MediaConvert
Setting up accelerated transcodingJob limitations and requirements

Using accelerated transcoding in AWS Elemental MediaConvert

AWS Elemental MediaConvert jobs that create premium content may have high computational requirements and can take longer to complete. Such jobs may include Ultra High Definition (UHD) or High Dynamic Range (HDR) content. To reduce the transcoding time required to run these jobs, you can use accelerated transcoding. Consider using accelerated transcoding for jobs that would otherwise take 10 minutes or longer to run.

For example, jobs that generate the following assets might benefit from accelerated transcoding:

  • Ultra High Definition content

  • High dynamic range content in HEVC

  • Any long-duration, visually complex video

Note

Accelerated transcoding is a Professional tier feature. You pay more per minute of transcoded output for outputs that use Professional tier features. For more information about MediaConvert pricing tiers, see MediaConvert pricing.

Topics

Setting up accelerated transcoding in AWS Elemental MediaConvert

You set up accelerated transcoding for your AWS Elemental MediaConvert jobs in the same way that you set up unaccelerated jobs, except that you enable acceleration.

Note

We recommend that you use a dedicated transcoding queue for your accelerated transcoding jobs. This will provide isolation between the resources that you use for your accelerated jobs and your other jobs.

To set up your transcoding job with accelerated transcoding (console)

  1. Set up your transcoding job as usual. For more information, see Configuring jobs in MediaConvert.

    Make sure that your job input files and output settings conform to the limitations and requirements listed in Job limitations for accelerated transcoding in AWS Elemental MediaConvert.

  2. Change your timecode settings from the default value Embedded to Start at zero.

    1. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, under Job settings, choose Settings.

    2. In the Timecode configuration pane, for Source, choose Start at 0.

    3. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, under Inputs, choose the input.

    4. In the Video selector pane, for Timecode source, choose Start at 0.

  3. If you don't already have a dedicated queue for accelerated transcoding jobs, create one. For more information, see Create an on-demand queue.

  4. On the Create job page, in the Job pane on the left, in the Job Settings section, choose Settings.

  5. For Acceleration, choose Enabled or Preferred.

    With both Enabled and Preferred, if your input files and transcoding settings are compatible with accelerated transcoding, MediaConvert runs the job with accelerated transcoding.

    If your input files or transcoding settings aren't compatible with accelerated transcoding, MediaConvert handles the job differently, depending on the value that you set for Acceleration:

    • Enabled – The service fails the incompatible job.

    • Preferred – The service runs the job without accelerated transcoding.

      Setting Acceleration to Preferred incurs Professional tier pricing only when MediaConvert runs the job with accelerated transcoding.

    For more information about what files and settings are compatible with accelerated transcoding, see Job limitations for accelerated transcoding in AWS Elemental MediaConvert.

If you use the API or an SDK, you can find this setting in the JSON file of your job. The setting name is AccelerationMode, under AccelerationSettings.

Job limitations for accelerated transcoding in AWS Elemental MediaConvert

Before you enable accelerated transcoding, make sure that your job conforms to the following requirements and limitations.

Video inputs supported with accelerated transcoding

The following table shows the video input codecs and containers that MediaConvert supports with accelerated transcoding.

Container Video Codecs Supported with Container
HLS (MPEG-2 TS segments) AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
IMF JPEG 2000 (J2K)
Matroska AVC (H.264), MPEG-2, MPEG-4 part 2, VC-1
MPEG Transport Streams AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265), MPEG-2, VC-1
MPEG-4 AVC Intra 50/100, AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265), MPEG-2
MXF Apple ProRes, AVC Intra 50/100, AVC (H.264), JPEG 2000 (J2K), MPEG-2, SonyXDCam, SonyXDCam (as an MPEG-2 variant only)
QuickTime Apple ProRes, AVC Intra 50/100, AVC (H.264), JPEG 2000 (J2K), MPEG-2
Note

For HLS inputs, your package must conform to the requirements listed in HLS input package requirements.

Video outputs supported with accelerated transcoding

The following table shows the video output codecs and containers that MediaConvert supports with accelerated transcoding.

Container Codecs Supported with Container
CMAF AV1, AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
DASH AV1, AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
HLS AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
MPEG-2 TS AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
MPEG-4 (.mp4) AV1, AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
MPEG-4 Flash (.f4v) AVC (H.264)
MXF AVC (H.264)
QuickTime AVC (H.264)
Smooth (ISMV) AVC (H.264)
WebM VP8, VP9
Raw (no container) AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265)
Note

For MPEG-2 TS outputs, to use accelerated transcoding, you must change the default value of CBR for Transport stream settings > Rate mode to VBR.

Output restrictions

  • Your output must have a video component. MediaConvert doesn't support accelerated transcoding with audio-only outputs.

  • Use only supported combinations of container and codec. The preceding table shows the supported video output codecs and containers.

  • Use any output audio codec other than Dolby Atmos. MediaConvert doesn't support accelerated transcoding with Dolby Atmos.

  • Use only supported output captions formats. For accelerated transcoding, MediaConvert doesn’t support the following output captions formats:

    • Not supported: Burn-in

    • Not supported: SCTE-20

    For a list of supported captions formats, see Supported captions workflows, input captions in the same file as video.

Transcoding features not supported with accelerated transcoding

  • Avail blanking

  • Motion image inserter (Motion graphic overlay)

  • Interpolated frame rate conversion

  • VBI passthrough

  • Timecode passthrough

  • SEI timecode

  • Timecode anchor

  • Telecine output

  • Inverse telecine output

  • Embedded timecode source

    Note

    With accelerated transcoding, you can set the input setting Timecode source to Embedded, but not the job-wide setting Source under Timecode configuration.

  • ESAM

  • SCTE-35 passthrough

  • Black video generator

  • Pad video

  • Inputs with variable frame rates

  • Inputs with discontinuities