Allow configuring hardware encoder sw_format#2332
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WyattBlue merged 1 commit intoJun 29, 2026
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CarlosRDomin
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Jun 29, 2026
| stream.pix_fmt = hw_format | ||
| stream.codec_context.sw_format = "yuv420p" | ||
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| assert stream.codec_context.sw_format.name == "yuv420p" |
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Note that this used to return None (hw_frames_ctx was NULL), now we allow getting (and setting) the value
CarlosRDomin
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Jun 29, 2026
| container.mux(packet) | ||
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| assert stream.codec_context.pix_fmt == hw_format | ||
| assert stream.codec_context.sw_format.name == "yuv420p" |
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Note that this used to return "nv12" (and would make the encoder use nv12 as the pixel format, with no way to control the value), now the sw_format property is respected
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Currently hardware encode setup derives
AVHWFramesContext.sw_formatfromAVCodecContext.pix_fmt. If the user setspix_fmt="cuda", PyAV treats that as the hardware format and falls back tonv12for software format, with no public way to request a different software format such asyuv420p.This PR adds a setter for
VideoCodecContext.sw_formatand makes_setup_encode_hwframes()preferAVCodecContext.sw_pix_fmtwhen it is set, while preserving the existingstream.pix_fmt = "nv12"path and the currentnv12default.The new
test_hardware_encode_honors_sw_formattest verifies thatpix_fmt="cuda"plussw_format="yuv420p"opens the encoder with a CUDA hardware frames context whose software format remainsyuv420pinstead ofnv12(before this PR). Also tested on Mac withvideotoolboxhwaccel with similar results.