Video encoder in Xiaomi: analysis of technology, supported formats and configuration

What is a video encoder and why you need it in Xiaomi devices

When you shoot video on a Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 smartphone or watch a movie in 4K HDR on the Mi TV Q2, the smooth playback and compact file size is the responsibility of a video encoder, a specialized processor that encodes and decodes video streams. Without it, modern multimedia simply would not work: a lack of CPU power will lead to lags, and raw video will take hundreds of gigabytes.

Xiaomi devices use both hardware video encoders (built into a chipset, such as the Mali-G610 in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2) and software solutions (such as the AV1 codec in MIUI 14 firmware). Their type depends on whether you can record video in 8K@30fps or play a file with the.mkv extension without brakes. Next, we will analyze how this works in practice – from budget Poco to the flagship Mi 14 Ultra.

Types of video encoders in smartphones and TV Xiaomi

All Xiaomi devices are equipped with one of three types of video encoders, each of which has its own pros and limitations:

• 🔹 Hardware encoder - built into the graphics processor (GPU) or a separate chipset block (e.g., Hexagon) DSP It's in Snapdragon. It's processing video without loading on it. CPU, It supports a limited set of codecs (usually H.264, H.265, VP9).
• 🔹 Software coder – works through CPU (for example, libx264 Flexible but voracious: recording 4K@60fps can discharge the battery in an hour.
• 🔹 Hybrid encoder – combines hardware acceleration and software processing (used in the Mi 13 Pro for writing in Dolby Vision) and provides better quality, but requires optimized software.

In Xiaomi TVs (such as the Mi TV Q1E), the video encoder is integrated into the MediaTek MT9638 or Amlogic T972 chipset. It is responsible for decoding streaming services (Netflix, YouTube) and playing local files. If your TV does not pull HDR10+, the problem may be precisely the limitations of the codec.

Supported formats and codecs in Xiaomi devices

The video encoder’s capabilities are directly dependent on the device model and firmware version. For example, smartphones on the Snapdragon 8xx (like Xiaomi 14) support recording in H.265 (HEVC) with a bitrate of up to 100 Mbps, and budget Redmi 10A are limited to H.264 and 30 Mbps. Below is a comparison table for popular devices:

A critical feature for Mi TV owners: Xiaomi TVs on Amlogic chipsets (such as Mi TV 4S) do not support hardware decoding AV1 on YouTube, which makes 4K video slow down even with good Internet, the solution is to use external players like VLC or upgrade to MIUI TV 3.0+.

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If your Xiaomi doesn’t play video to AV1, try converting the file to H.265 with HandBrake, which will reduce the CPU load and eliminate the lag.

How to Check Which Video Encoder Is Used on Your Device

There are a number of ways to find out which codec is used when writing or playing, and for smartphones, DevCheck (Hardware → GPU) is the app that lists the standards that are supported, for example, if you have H.265 (HEVC) encoder on the list, your device can record video in this format.

To check the playback on Mi TV:

1. Download test files from Jellyfish (AV1, VP9, H.265).
2. Run the video through a standard player or Kodi.
3. If the video slows down or not the image, the codec is not supported hardware.

Download the test video in AV1/H.265|Check playback in a standard player|Install an alternative player (VLC, Kodi)|View the logs through ADB (advanced)|Update the firmware to the latest version-->

On smartphones, you can also use the ADB command for detailed diagnosis:

adb shell dumpsys media.codec --list

In the output, look for lines from OMX.qcom.video.encoder.hevc (for H.265) or OMX.MTK.video.decoder.avc (for H.264 on MediaTek).

Common problems with video encoders in Xiaomi and their solutions

Even Xiaomi’s flagship devices may face video coding issues, and here are the most common scenarios and ways to fix them:

• 🎥 Video is recorded in jerks - the cause may be overheating of the chipset (especially on Snapdragon). 7xx) Or limit bitrate in firmware. Solution: lower resolution to 1080p Or use third-party cameras like Filmic Pro.
• 📺 Mi TV reproduce MKV-Files are a problem in the lack of support for Matroska containers with certain codecs. MP4 or install a Kodi.
• 🔊 No sound in the video after recording - firmware bug when codec AAC conflict HEVC. Solution: Update MIUI or write in H.264.
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge when shooting is a sign of using software encoding. Check camera settings: turn off HDR 60 fps.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note) 11 s MIUI 13) recording 4K The software encoding is automatically activated, even if the hardware encoder is in this mode, and this leads to overheating and lag. | grep -i "encoder".

How to improve video quality through video encoder settings

If your device supports hardware coding, but the video quality leaves much to be desired, try the following settings:

1. Raising bitrate (routed devices only): change the parameter in the file /system/media_profiles.xml or through the Magisk module Camera2 API Probe, for example, for 4K You can install bitrate="50000000" (50 Mbps).
2. HDR Enablement: In Xiaomi’s camera, activate HDR10+ mode (available on Mi 11 Ultra and later).This will increase dynamic range, but require more resources.
3. Use of the LOG-Profile: Xiaomi mode is available in Mi 13 Pro and 14 Ultra LOG, It's going to be a dark video, but after the color correction in DaVinci Resolve, the quality will improve.

For Mi TV, improving playback will help:

• 🔧 Disconnecting energy saving mode in Settings → Eco-mode (it limits the performance of the codec).
• 📶 Connect via Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi for streaming 4K HDR.
• 🔄 Update the firmware through Settings → On TV. → Software update (new versions add support) AV1 Dolby Vision and).

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On the flagship Xiaomi smartphones (13/14 series), the H.265 hardware codec allows you to record video in 8K without overheating, but only with bitrate up to 60 Mbps. Exceeding this value automatically switches processing to the CPU.

Comparison of Xiaomi video encoders with competitors (Samsung, Apple, Google)

Video encoders in Xiaomi devices often outperform Apple (A16 Bionic chips) or Google (Tensor G3) in terms of energy efficiency, but benefit from flexibility. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro only records ProRes LOG in 4K@30fps, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra offers 8K@24fps in H.265 with no time limits.

Xiaomi’s main advantage is the openness of the platform, which allows you to manually configure coding options through an engineering menu (code #4636##) or modified firmware on most devices, such as Poco F5, which offers AV1 support and increased bitrate after installing Pixel Experience.

The future of video encoders in Xiaomi: what to expect in 2026-2026

In the next generation of Xiaomi devices, you should expect:

• 🚀 Full support AV1 — already in Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (used by Xiaomi 14) hardware decoding added AV1 8K@60fps, But there's no coding yet. 2026 This could change in the year.
• 🎬 Improved. HDR — Mi 15 Ultra will probably be recorded in Dolby Vision 8K with a bitrate of up to 120 Mbps, like the iPhone.
• 🔋 More energy efficient encoders – MediaTek Dimensity 9300 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipsets promise to reduce power consumption when encoding by 30%.
• 📱 Unification of codecs – Xiaomi may abandon proprietary formats (like Xiaomi) LOG) standard-benefit HLG or HDR10+ compatiblely.

Important for Mi owners TV: In 2026, Xiaomi announced an update for TVs with chipsets MediaTek MT9638, which will add hardware support AV1 It's going to solve the problem of the brakes when you watch it on YouTube and Netflix. 4K-content.

⚠️ Note: If you are planning to buy Xiaomi for professional video shooting, pay attention to models with Snapdragon chipsets 8xx — They support 10-bit H.265 Dolby Vision: MediaTek Dimensity devices (e.g. Redmi) K60) Often have limitations on bitrate and color space.

FAQ: Frequent questions about video encoders in Xiaomi