Video Codecs

Below is a list of video files (codecs) that have been verified to work in Composer R1 2025.
However, which codecs that are supported depends on several things: version of Composer, the GPU-model, the GPU-driver version, and how the video file is encoded. Most file formats can be decoded using nvdec (hardware accelerated decoding on the GPU), but not all.
For most use cases, we recommend the h264 video codec combined with hardware accelerated decoding (nvdec) is activated. This combination is efficient in terms of decode speed and system load.

Limitations and recommendations

  • Hardware decoding of ProRes, or QuickTime files, is not supported by Nvidia (and Composer).

  • Hardware decoding support for 10/12-bit files is limited.

  • In general, avoid using B-frames as they will introduce more load and add playback latency.

  • If you use BlackMagic Design Resolve Studio to export video clips, activate the Network Optimization option.

Video

Format

Video codec

Profile

B-frames

Bit depth

Chroma format

Alpha channel

Color primates

Writing library

NVDEC support

Verified in R1 2025

Audio codec

Comment

h264

AVC

Main@L5

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High@L3.1

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High@L4

0

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High@L4.2

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

Yes

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High@L5

0

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High@L5.1

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

0

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High@L5.2

Yes

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Yes

OK

AAC LC

Avoid using b-frames

High 4:2:2@L4.1

Yes

10

4:2:2

No

BT.709

(Sony A7 IV camera)

No

No

PCM, Big / Signed, 16 bit, 48k

Avoid using b-frames

h265

HEVC

"Main"

Main@L4@Main

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

Yes

OK

(No audio channel)

Avoid using b-frames

Main@L5@Main

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

Yes

OK

(No audio channel)

Avoid using b-frames

Main@L6.1@Main

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

Yes

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

Main@L6.1@High

0

8

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

Yes

OK

AAC LC 192Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

Main 10@L6.1@Main

0

10

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

"Main422 10 bit"

Main422

0

10

4:2:2

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

"Main10"

Main 10@L5@Main

0

10

4:2:0

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

(No audio channel)

Avoid using b-frames

"444 Intra"

Format Range@L5@Main

0

8

4:4:4

No

BT.709

HandBrake 1.8.2

No

OK

AAC LC 140Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

Quicktime

ProRes

422 HQ

0

10

4:2:2

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

422 LT

0

10

4:2:2

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

422

0

10

4:2:2

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

422 Proxy

0

10

4:2:2

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

4444

0

12

4:4:4:4

Yes

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

Avoid using b-frames

0

4:4:4

Yes

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

PCM, Little / Signed, 16 bit, 48Khz

4444 XQ

0

12

4:4:4

No

BT.709

Resolve

No

OK

AAC LC 320Kbit

YUVA

QTRLE "QT Anim"

Run-length encoding

0

8

4:4:4:4

Yes

BT.709

Apple QuickTime

No

OK

PCM, Little / Signed, 16 bit, 48Khz


NOTE!

Media files with a width or height not evenly dividable by 32 could render decode glitches.