> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tessact.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Supported Media Formats

> Encoding guidelines for your content to work seamlessly with Tessact

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.

***

## 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.          |                                                                                                       |

When exporting from Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, FFmpeg, or HandBrake, use presets labelled “H.264 High-Quality 1080p” and then enforce the 10 Mb/s ceiling.

***

## 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. |

Audio-only formats (.mp3, .aac, .wav, .ogg/Opus, .flac) are accepted; files exceeding 320 kb/s or 48 kHz are normalised to AAC/48 kHz/320 kb/s.

***

## 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):

```shellscript theme={null}
ffmpeg -i input.mov \
  -c:v libx264 -profile:v high -level 4.2 -pix_fmt yuv420p \
  -b:v 8M -maxrate 10M -bufsize 16M \
  -g 48 -keyint_min 48 -sc_threshold 0 \
  -c:a aac -b:a 320k -ar 48000 \
  -movflags +faststart \
  output.mp4
```

This command guarantees compatibility with Tessact’s preferred profile, avoids transcoding delays, and enables immediate playback across modern browsers.

***

**Questions?**

For workflow-specific encoding recommendations (e.g., broadcast mezzanine archives, HDR pipelines, or high-frame-rate sports captures), please contact [**support@tessact.ai**](mailto:support@tessact.ai). Our solutions team can provide tailored presets and guidance to balance quality, speed, and storage across your ingest pipeline.