Advanced Command Line Options

General / Global Options

Command	Description	Example Usage
--help	Show usage options and exit	--help
--output	Output filename	--output=encode.ivf
--passes	Number of passes (1/2)	--passes=2
--pass	Pass to execute (1/2)	--passes=2 --pass=1
--fpf	First pass statistics file - needed for both passes	--fpf=firstpass.log
--limit	Stop encoding after n input frames	--limit=100
--skip	Skip the first n input frames	--skip=50
--good	Use Good Quality Deadline	--good
--rt	Use Realtime Quality Deadline	--rt
--threads	Max number of threads to use.	--threads=4
--width	Frame width	--width=1920
--height	Frame height	--height=1080
--stereo-mode	Stereo 3D video format - mono, left-right, bottom-top, top-bottom, right-left	--stereo-mode=mono
--fps	Stream frame rate (rate/scale)	--fps=24000/1001 (=23.976)
--bit-depth	Bit depth for codec - 8, 10, 12 - aomenc can convert 8bit to 10bit or 12bit, not the other way around	--bit-depth=10
--lag-in-frames	If set, this value allows the encoder to consume a number of input frames before producing output frames. This allows the encoder to base decisions for the current frame on future frames. This does increase the latency of the encoding pipeline, so it is not appropriate in all situations (ex: realtime encoding). Note that this is a maximum value -- the encoder may produce frames sooner than the given limit. Set this value to 0 to disable this feature.	--lag-in-frames=0
--large-scale-tile	Large scale tile coding (0: off (default), 1: on (ivf output only))	--large-scale-tile=0
--monochrome	Monochrome video (no chroma planes)	--monochrome
--full-still-picture-hdr	Use full header for still picture	--full-still-picture-hdr

Rate Control Options

Command	Description
--drop-frame	Temporal resampling allows the codec to "drop" frames as a strategy to meet its target data rate. This can cause temporal discontinuities in the encoded video, which may appear as stuttering during playback. This trade-off is often acceptable, but for many applications is not. It can be disabled in these cases. This threshold is described as a percentage of the target data buffer. When the data buffer falls below this percentage of fullness, a dropped frame is indicated.
--resize-mode	Spatial resampling allows the codec to compress a lower resolution version of the frame, which is then upscaled by the decoder to the correct presentation resolution. This increases visual quality at low data rates, at the expense of CPU time on the encoder/decoder.
--resize-denominator	Frame resize denominator. The denominator for resize to use, assuming 8 as the numerator. Valid denominators are 8 - 16 for now.
--resize-kf-denominator	Keyframe resize denominator. The denominator for resize to use, assuming 8 as the numerator. Valid denominators are 8 - 16 for now.
--superres-mode	Frame super-resolution scaling mode. Similar to spatial resampling, frame super-resolution integrates upscaling after the encode/decode process. Taking control of upscaling and using restoration filters should allow it to outperform normal resizing. (0: SUPERRES_NONE, 1: SUPERRES_FIXED, 2: SUPERRES_RANDOM, 3:S UPERRES_QTHRESH)
--superres-denominator	Frame super-resolution denominator. The denominator for superres to use. If fixed it will only change if the cumulative scale change over resizing and superres is greater than 1/2; this forces superres to reduce scaling. Valid denominators are 8 to 16. Used only by SUPERRES_FIXED.
--superres-kf-denominator	Keyframe super-resolution denominator. Similar to --superres-denominator
--superres-qthresh	Frame super-resolution q threshold. The q level threshold after which superres is used. Valid values are 1 to 63. Used only by SUPERRES_QTHRESH
--superres-kf-qthresh	Keyframe super-resolution q threshold. Similar to --superres-qthresh
--end-usage	Rate control mode (vbr, cbr, cq, q) (cq = Constrained Quality (CQ); q = Constant Quality (Q); cbr = Constant Bit Rate; vbr = Variable Bit Rate)
--target-bitrate	Target Bitrate, in kilobits per second. (kbps)
--min-q	Minimum (Best Quality) Quantizer.
--max-q	Maximum (Worst Quality) Quantizer.
--undershoot-pct	Rate control adaptation undershoot control. This value, expressed as a percentage of the target bitrate, controls the maximum allowed adaptation speed of the codec. This factor controls the maximum amount of bits that can be subtracted from the target bitrate in order to compensate for prior overshoot. Valid values in the range 0-1000.
--overshoot-pct	Rate control adaptation overshoot control. This value, expressed as a percentage of the target bitrate, controls the maximum allowed adaptation speed of the codec. This factor controls the maximum amount of bits that can be added to the target bitrate in order to compensate for prior undershoot. Valid values in the range 0-1000.
--buf-sz	Decoder Buffer Size. This value indicates the amount of data that may be buffered by the decoding application. Note that this value is expressed in units of time (milliseconds). For example, a value of 5000 indicates that the client will buffer (at least) 5000ms worth of encoded data.
--buf-initial-sz	Decoder Buffer Initial Size. This value indicates the amount of data that will be buffered by the decoding application prior to beginning playback. This value is expressed in units of time (milliseconds).
--buf-optimal-sz	Decoder Buffer Optimal Size. This value indicates the amount of data that the encoder should try to maintain in the decoder's buffer. This value is expressed in units of time (milliseconds).

Twopass Rate Control Options

Command	Description	Example Usage
--bias-pct	Two-pass mode CBR/VBR bias. Bias, expressed on a scale of 0 to 100, for determining target size for the current frame. The value 0 indicates the optimal CBR mode value should be used. The value 100 indicates the optimal VBR mode value should be used. Values in between indicate which way the encoder should "lean."	--bias-pct=60
--minsection-pct	Two-pass mode per-GOP minimum bitrate. This value, expressed as a percentage of the target bitrate, indicates the minimum bitrate to be used for a single GOP (aka "section")	--minsection-pct=20
--maxsection-pct	Two-pass mode per-GOP maximum bitrate. This value, expressed as a percentage of the target bitrate, indicates the maximum bitrate to be used for a single GOP (aka "section")	--maxsection-pct=70

Keyframe Placement Options

Command	Description	Example Usage
--enable-fwd-kf	Enable forward reference keyframes. This value indicates whether the encoder should place keyframes at a fixed interval, or determine the optimal placement automatically.	--enable-fwd-kf=1
--kf-min-dist	Minimum keyframe interval (frames). This value, expressed as a number of frames, prevents the encoder from placing a keyframe nearer than kf_min_dist to the previous keyframe. Set kf_min_dist equal to kf_max_dist for a fixed interval.	--kf-min-dist=100 (100frames/25fps=4s)
--kf-max-dist	Maximum keyframe interval (frames). A value of 0 implies all frames will be keyframes.	--kf-max-dist=1000 (1000frames/25fps=40s)
--disable-kf	Disable keyframe placement.	--disable-kf

AV1 Specific Options

Command	Description	Example Usage
--cpu-used	Speed setting (0..5 in good mode, 6..8 in realtime mode)	--cpu-used=3
--auto-alt-ref	Enable automatic alt reference frames.	--auto-alt-ref=0
--sharpness	Loop filter sharpness (0..7)	--sharpness=2
--static-thresh	Motion detection threshold
--row-mt	Enable row based multi-threading (0: off, 1: on (default))	--row-mt=1
--tile-columns	Number of tile columns to use, log2	--tile-columns=2 (log2 of 2 = 4)
--tile-rows	Number of tile rows to use, log2	--tile-rows=1 (log2 of 1 = 2)
--enable-tpl-model	RDO based on frame temporal dependency (0: off, 1: backward source based). This is required for deltaq mode.	--enable-tpl-model=1
--arnr-maxframes	AltRef max frames (0..15)	--arnr-maxframes=8
--arnr-strength	AltRef filter strength (0..6)	--arnr-strength=3
--tune	Distortion metric tuned with psnr, ssim, vmaf_with_preprocessing, vmaf_without_preprocessing, vmaf	--tune=ssim
--cq-level	Constant OR Constrained Quality level (set with --end-usage)	--cq-level=30
--max-intra-rate	Max I-frame bitrate (pct). Maximum Percentage of the Target Bitrate given to I-Frames.	--max-intra-rate=80
--max-inter-rate	Max P-frame bitrate (pct). Maximum Percentage of the Target Bitrate given to P-Frames.	--max-inter-rate=50
--gf-cbr-boost	Boost for Golden Frame in CBR mode (pct)	--gf-cbr-boost=80
--lossless	Lossless mode (0: false (default), 1: true)	--lossless=0
--sframe-dist	S-Frame interval (frames)	--sframe-dist=15
--sframe-mode	S-Frame insertion mode (1..2) - useful for Livestreaming	--sframe-mode=0