HEVC Upcoming potential issues?

[js28194 43]

Hello all,

I'll be honest, not sure where this belongs nor if this will be / become an issue moving forward.  Please read and make your own determination.  I won't pretend I understand it all myself as I have never ran into this issue.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/04/lawsuits-licensing-and-royalties-are-complicating-4k-video-support-in-gadgets/

 

Best,

[visproduction 356]

JS,

Thanks. Interesting to see that German courts upheld the patent and forced hardware companies to remove HEVC h.265 codec support from notebook computers.  I'm not surprised.  This HEVC licensing issue has been ongoing since 2015.

This online calculator is of interest to see how much more demand h.265 codec compression is compared to other video codecs. 
Bitrate Calculator for minimum bitrate for acceptable playback:
https://bitratecalculator.org/calculators/

It's interesting to notice that the older h.264 codec does not have the same licensing issue and uses far less CPU demand for transcoding and for playback.  This older codec is used online for many sites, but cannot nicely do 4K.  I've tested h.264 to work on 4K. The file size grows too large and artifacts are difficult to eliminate.  I pesonally do not use HEVC h.265 video, nor 4K at all, and pre-transcode to make all my 1080P and smaller videos using high quality, slow software encode settings for h.264 video (usually inside a .mp4 container).  I do not transcode in real time.  Most Emby users do not use h.264 video, because storage for each quality h.264 is around 30% to 100% larger than a similar looking, smaller file video using h.265.  But, I personally like the h.264 look better, with softer, more natural edges. h.264 video with AAC audio is playable for all browsers, mobile, TV apps, where as h.265 and many audio codecs, usually need to be transcoded to playback for everyone. 

Edited April 22 by visproduction

[sh0rty 739]

On 4/22/2026 at 5:19 PM, visproduction said:

JS,

Thanks. Interesting to see that German courts upheld the patent and forced hardware companies to remove HEVC h.265 codec support from notebook computers.  I'm not surprised.  This HEVC licensing issue has been ongoing since 2015.

Not German Courts in general, vis. IT Complainants know why they file their lawsuits mostly in Munich or Nuremberg 

Edited April 24 by sh0rty

[Apotropaic 71]

Typical just when I’ve started to encode my entire library to HEVC…

This is why I should have gone into patent law, a lifetime of disputes and printing money it seems.

Will be interesting if this dispute ever moves into the space of Android/Google TV boxes and other dedicated streaming boxes or it will remain an issue on laptops and desktops.

[visproduction 356]

Apo,

Computer workstations and notebooks sold in Germany, for example, could be controlled and such a lawsuit to force the hardware manufacturer to turn off codec processing for h.265.  It's a different issue to ban such a feature for all Android, iOS, TV Apps or any browser, in any country.  Browsers are already limited and don't really support HEVC h.265.  I think only an older Edge or Safari supported direct playback.  You can still purchase a plugin to allow HEVC playback in a browser from Microsoft.  I believe this is a $0.99 purchase and each user must do this.  I am not sure if this feature works all the time to allow direct playback from Emby.  Perhpas someone here knows that answer.

 As far as I know, HEVC h.265 is not being used to store content online for professional social media playback sites.  I think 4K storage is using other codecs.  I am not sure.  Does anyone know?
 

[RanmaCanada 524]

Most content online is h.264 and the media cartels are slowly moving over to AV1, which will also have it's day in court like HEVC. Everything is a mess and the only people winning are the oligarchs who control everything. The odds of this affecting everyone is very slim, and at best, will stay isolated to Germany. Patent Trolls should be burned at the stake.

[TMCsw 266]

On 4/26/2026 at 1:37 PM, RanmaCanada said:

Most content online is h.264 and the media cartels are slowly moving over to AV1, which will also have it's day in court like HEVC

Hu?

What information do you have on AV1 that contradicts the official  https://aomedia.org/av1-features/ that would put it to the courts?

Quote

DEVELOPED UNDER A ROYALTY-FREE PATENT POLICY

Interoperable and open

 

[RanmaCanada 524]

On 27/04/2026 at 20:19, TMCsw said:

Hu?

What information do you have on AV1 that contradicts the official  https://aomedia.org/av1-features/ that would put it to the courts?

 

The Sisvel Patent pool..and the fact that Dolby is currently suing Snapchat over their use of AV1 and the patents they infringed upon..
https://ipfray.com/dolby-sues-snapchat-over-av1-and-hevc-patent-infringement-in-u-s-and-brazil-access-advance-vdp-license-would-resolve-issue/

Is that enough information?

 

[tedfroop21 89]

On 25/04/2026 at 10:39, visproduction said:

As far as I know, HEVC h.265 is not being used to store content online for professional social media playback sites.  I think 4K storage is using other codecs.  I am not sure.  Does anyone know?

Advanced Video Coding / H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 seems to the the Codec of choice.  It is as you can see, part of the H264 family.

I would also venture to say that the promised lower bit rates etc. for h265 are not what you get at 60 FPS, 4k, with HDR as H265 was made to make the "between pictures" stuff take less space.  4k 60 fps files converted using Handbrake and Quicksync from AVC to HEVC are LARGER than the original AVC file (in my experience.) 

Edited 51 minutes ago by tedfroop21