Tessact accepts a broad spectrum of professional and consumer media formats. To minimise ingest latency, avoid unnecessary transcoding, and ensure immediate AI analysis and browser playback, we strongly recommend conforming to the Preferred (web-safe) profile defined below. Files that deviate from these specifications will still be accepted, but they enter a transcoding queue that increases processing time.Documentation Index
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Preferred (Web-Safe) Profile
| Aspect | Required / Recommended Setting | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Container | MP4 (.mp4) | Universally supported in all browsers, mobile SDKs, and most broadcast playout systems. |
| Video Codec | H.264/AVC, Baseline, Main, or High profile, Level ≤ 4.2 (up to 1080p60) • CBR or 2-pass VBR • Average bitrate ≤ 10 Mb/s | Keeps files “analysis-ready” while preserving quality. Higher bitrates trigger server-side transcode. |
| Audio Codec | AAC-LC, 48 kHz, 2 channels, ≤ 320 kb/s CBR | Widely supported; maintains sync and loudness accuracy for speech models. |
| Pixel Format | 4:2:0, 8-bit YUV | Aligns with GPU decoding pipelines; avoids colour-space conversions. |
| Resolution | Any up to 4K (3840 × 2160). 1080p (1920 × 1080) recommended for fastest turnaround. | |
| Frame Rate | Constant frame rate (CFR) 23.976–60 fps. AI modules calibrate faster on CFR; VFR files are re-timed. | |
| Scan Type | Progressive; interlaced sources should be de-interlaced before upload. | |
| File Header | Fast-start / Web Optimised: moov atom placed at file head; correct duration metadata; indexed key-frames at GOP boundaries. | |
| GOP Structure | Closed GOP, ≤ 2 s (≈48–60 frames). Short, regular GOPs accelerate seek requests and temporal segmentation in analysis. |
Alternative Containers/Codecs Accepted (Transcoding Required)
| Container | Typical Codecs Seen | Action Taken |
|---|---|---|
| MOV | ProRes 422 / 444, DNxHD/R, Animation | Always transcoded to H.264/AAC. |
| MKV | H.265/HEVC, VP9, FLAC | Always transcoded to H.264/AAC. |
| WEBM | VP9 + Opus (bitrate > 10 Mb/s) | Re-encoded to compliant H.264/AAC. |
| AVI, MPEG-TS, M2TS, MXF, VOB, FLV, WMV, 3GP | MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV9, CineForm, others | Full transcode; longer queue times expected. |
Header & Stream Integrity Requirements
- Files must be free of DRM, encryption, truncation, or broken indexes.
- Time-code discontinuities (PTS/DTS jumps) should be corrected prior to upload.
- Closed captions or subtitle tracks are supported in MP4 (CEA-608/708 or WebVTT) and MKV/WEBM (SRT, WebVTT). Unsupported caption tracks are stripped during transcode.
Performance Impact Summary
| Upload Scenario | Playback Availability | AI Analysis Start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preferred profile (MP4, H.264/AAC ≤ 10 Mb/s) | Instant | Within seconds | No server transcode. |
| Preferred container but bitrate > 10 Mb/s | Delayed (∝ file size) | After transcode | Bitrate down-conversion required. |
| Non-preferred codec/container | Delayed | After transcode | Full re-encode; queue length depends on resolution/codec complexity. |
Preparing Files
Recommended toolchain presets (example CLI flags shown for FFmpeg):Questions? For workflow-specific encoding recommendations (e.g., broadcast mezzanine archives, HDR pipelines, or high-frame-rate sports captures), please contact support@tessact.ai. Our solutions team can provide tailored presets and guidance to balance quality, speed, and storage across your ingest pipeline.