What is an encoding profile?
When a video is uploaded to a streaming platform, it must be converted into multiple renditions — different combinations of resolution and bitrate — so the player can adapt to each viewer's bandwidth (adaptive bitrate streaming). An encoding profile bundles all these decisions into a coherent configuration: which video codecs to produce (H.264, VP9, AV1), which resolutions to include (360p through 4K), what bitrate to target at each level, and how audio tracks are encoded. Choosing a profile is simpler than configuring each parameter individually and ensures consistent, optimized output.
- Defines the video codecs to produce (e.g., H.264 only, or H.264 + VP9 + AV1)
- Specifies each resolution and its target/max bitrate (the encoding ladder)
- Configures audio tracks: codec (AAC, Opus), bitrate, and sample rate
- Sets the HLS segment duration for streaming delivery
What Videas produces on every upload
Videas exposes no encoding settings: no profile, no codec, no resolution to choose in the interface. The same treatment is applied to every video, calibrated as a trade-off between quality, compatibility and speed. Here is the ladder it produces, capped by the resolution of the source file.
- Every level is encoded twice: in H.264 and in VP9
- Audio is encoded in AAC, at 128 kbps in 48 kHz stereo
- HLS segments are four seconds long
- No upscaling: a 720p source only yields 720p, 480p and 360p
| Level | Resolution | Target bitrate | Maximum bitrate |
|---|
| 1080p | 1920 × 1080 | 2.5 Mbps | 3.75 Mbps |
| 720p | 1280 × 720 | 1.2 Mbps | 1.8 Mbps |
| 480p | 854 × 480 | 600 kbps | 900 kbps |
| 360p | 640 × 360 | 300 kbps | 450 kbps |
How multi-rendition encoding works
Every profile defines an encoding ladder — a list of resolution/bitrate pairs. When a video is uploaded, the platform compares the source resolution against the ladder and produces only the levels at or below the source. A 720p source is never upscaled to 1080p, which avoids wasting storage on artificial quality. Each retained level is then encoded in each of the profile's codecs — on Videas, H.264 and VP9. The output is packaged as HLS with fragmented MP4 segments, and the player picks the codec and resolution based on the viewer's device and bandwidth.
- No upscaling: renditions larger than the source are automatically excluded
- Multi-codec: each rendition is encoded in every codec defined by the profile
- HLS packaging: segments are delivered as fragmented MP4 over HTTP
- Adaptive bitrate: the player switches between renditions in real time
Progressive encoding by priority tiers
Videas encodes in priority tiers rather than video by video. The system produces the most urgent rendition for every queued video first, then moves to the next tier: a batch of a hundred uploads therefore becomes playable in full before the first video reaches its 1080p.
- Tier 0 — playability: the audio track and H.264 360p, so the video starts as soon as possible
- Tier 1 — watchable: H.264 480p then 720p
- Tier 2 — full quality: H.264 1080p
- Tier 3 — alternative codec: VP9 at every resolution, for better compression
How Videas manages encoding profiles
On Videas there is nothing to set. On upload, the platform reads the source resolution, drops the levels larger than it from the ladder, then queues the renditions in priority order. The video becomes playable before encoding finishes — expect one to two minutes after upload for a short video — and the higher qualities appear on their own afterwards. On the viewer's side, the player picks the level and the codec by itself; the only exposed setting is eco mode, which caps playback at 720p.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose an encoding profile on Videas?+
No, deliberately. The interface offers no profile, no codec and no resolution: Videas applies the same treatment to every video, calibrated as a trade-off between quality, compatibility and speed. What you control is the source.
What resolution does Videas encode up to?+
1080p. The levels produced are 1080p, 720p, 480p and 360p, capped by the resolution of the source file.
Does Videas upscale low-resolution videos?+
Never. If you upload a 720p source, only the 720p, 480p and 360p levels are produced. That avoids spending storage and bandwidth on artificially enlarged images that add no real detail.
Why two codecs rather than one?+
Because no single codec is both universal and efficient. H.264 plays everywhere, including on older devices; VP9 reaches the same quality at roughly 30% less bitrate, but not every browser decodes it. Videas produces both and lets the player choose.
How many files does one video produce?+
A 1080p source yields four levels, each in H.264 and VP9, plus the audio track. Since storage is billed per hour of video — EUR 0.20 per hour per month — the number of renditions makes no difference to the bill.
Is my video playable before encoding finishes?+
Yes. Processing is progressive: as soon as the audio track and the first level are ready, the video plays — typically one to two minutes after upload for a short video. The higher qualities come up on their own afterwards.
What happens when I upload a hundred videos at once?+
The queue completes one priority tier for every video before starting the next. In practice the whole batch becomes playable before the first video reaches its 1080p level.
Which audio codec is used?+
AAC, at 128 kbps in 48 kHz stereo. The audio track belongs to the first priority tier: it is encoded before the higher video qualities, because without it the video is not playable.
Can an already-uploaded video be re-encoded?+
Not from the interface. If you want to start again from a better master, upload the file again: Videas derives the levels from the new source and you gain the level that was missing.
Does eco mode change the encoding?+
No. Eco mode is a playback setting: it caps the quality served to the viewer at 720p to save their data. The levels produced on upload stay the same.