Sonarr Prefer X265 ((exclusive)) -

Instead, consider these complementary tools:

Almost all 4K (UHD) content is encoded in HEVC; preferring it ensures you get the best modern encodes. Automation:

To prevent grabbing those "junk" re-encodes mentioned in Part 2, you should add a "Low Quality" custom format with a negative score.

By linking Sonarr to a tool like , you can automatically sync Trash Guides' custom formats into your Sonarr instance. This ensures your system correctly differentiates between high-quality x265 encodes (like Tier 1 release groups) and low-bitrate, highly compressed encodes that suffer from visual artifacts. Potential Drawbacks to Consider

Name your custom format something easily identifiable, such as x265 / HEVC . In the block, click Add Specification . Set the Type to Release Title (or Regular Expression ).

: Decoding x265 video requires modern hardware. Older streaming sticks, legacy smart TVs, and aging computers may struggle to play it.

. If they don’t, your media server will have to "transcode" the video, which puts a massive heavy load on your CPU. Regex strings

In the value field, enter the regular expression to match x265 releases:

This review covers the "Why," the "How," and the potential pitfalls of setting up an x265 preference in Sonarr.

You cannot simply tell Sonarr, "I want a x265 720p file." If your quality profile ranks WEBDL-1080p higher than HDTV-720p , Sonarr will always download a x264 1080p WEBDL file if it sees one, completely ignoring your x265 preference.

Under , add a "Release Title" condition with the regular expression: \b([xh].?265|HEVC)\b . Assign Scores in Quality Profiles :

In the regex field, use a pattern like: [xh][ ._-]?265|\bHEVC(\b|\d) . Click . 2. Assign Scores in Quality Profiles Quality and Custom Format help - sonarr :: forums

Click the "+" button to add a new custom format. Give it a meaningful name, such as "x265 Preferred." Then add a condition by clicking "Add Condition" and selecting as the condition type.

Set the to 0 (this ensures Sonarr still downloads x264 files if an x265 version is unavailable). Click Save . Method 2: Configuring Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)

The primary argument for x265 is its superior compression. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) can deliver the same visual quality as its predecessor, x264 (AVC), at roughly . For a Sonarr user, this means a 20GB season of a drama can be reduced to 10GB without a perceptible loss in clarity. Over a library of hundreds of series, this translates to terabytes of reclaimed storage, delaying the need for expensive new hard drives. Integration via Custom Formats

If two files have the same Quality (e.g., both are Bluray-1080p), Sonarr will now choose the one with the higher Custom Format score. Alternative: Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)

Sonarr Prefer X265 ((exclusive)) -

Instead, consider these complementary tools:

Almost all 4K (UHD) content is encoded in HEVC; preferring it ensures you get the best modern encodes. Automation:

To prevent grabbing those "junk" re-encodes mentioned in Part 2, you should add a "Low Quality" custom format with a negative score.

Name your custom format something easily identifiable, such as x265 / HEVC . In the block, click Add Specification . Set the Type to Release Title (or Regular Expression ). sonarr prefer x265

: Decoding x265 video requires modern hardware. Older streaming sticks, legacy smart TVs, and aging computers may struggle to play it.

. If they don’t, your media server will have to "transcode" the video, which puts a massive heavy load on your CPU. Regex strings

In the value field, enter the regular expression to match x265 releases:

This review covers the "Why," the "How," and the potential pitfalls of setting up an x265 preference in Sonarr. Instead, consider these complementary tools: Almost all 4K

Under , add a "Release Title" condition with the regular expression: \b([xh].?265|HEVC)\b . Assign Scores in Quality Profiles :

In the regex field, use a pattern like: [xh][ ._-]?265|\bHEVC(\b|\d) . Click . 2. Assign Scores in Quality Profiles Quality and Custom Format help - sonarr :: forums

Click the "+" button to add a new custom format. Give it a meaningful name, such as "x265 Preferred." Then add a condition by clicking "Add Condition" and selecting as the condition type. Set the Type to Release Title (or Regular Expression )

Set the to 0 (this ensures Sonarr still downloads x264 files if an x265 version is unavailable). Click Save . Method 2: Configuring Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)

If two files have the same Quality (e.g., both are Bluray-1080p), Sonarr will now choose the one with the higher Custom Format score. Alternative: Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)

Trending Tags