H265 format not working. Episodes downloading as h264

Help & Support
1

Sonarr version: 4.0.14.2939-ls283 by linuxserver.io
Mono version (if Sonarr is not running on Windows): Not sure where to find that? I see .NET (6.0.13)
OS: RaspberryPi OS (6.12.25+rpt-rpi-2712 aarch64), Docker-CE v28.1.1
Debug logs: PrivateBin

Description of issue:

Hi all,

I’d appreciate some advice on what I’m doing wrong. I’m new to all the *arr.

I’m trying to

  • Restrict all new downloads of episodes in Sonarr to 1080p x265.
  • Prioritise ELiTE rips over any other (like Megusta), unless there are no ELiTE then it would download other rips.

So far, I’ve done the following:

  • Created 2 custom formats.

Format 1:
Condition 1:

  • Release Title
  • Regex: [xh][ ._-]?265|\bHEVC(\b|\d)
  • Required = true

Condition 2:

  • Release Title name: Elite
  • Regex: (?i)\bELiTE\b

But that didn’t seem to work… So I also created another format:

Format 2 name: x265
Condition 1:
- Release Title
- Regex: [xh][ ._-]?265|\bHEVC(\b|\d)
- Required = true

Condition 2:
- Name: Not Remux
- Source: Blueray Raw
- Negate: true
- Required: true

Quality Profile:

Name: 1080p HEVC
Custom Format:
    - Format 1 (Score 10)
    - Format 2 (Score 9) << does this need to be 10?

Qualities selected are Blueray-1080-, WEB 1080p, HDTV-1080p.

But again it’s still not working. Instead, it seems to only download h264 rips for series I have monitoring for new episodes.

For example - an automated download below:

$ tree
.
├── Law & Order - Organized Crime
│   └── law.and.order.organized.crime.s05e07.1080p.web.h264-successfulcrab[EZTVx.to].mkv[eztvx.to].mkv
<snip>

Every other attempt from all the other shows I have monitoring still download h264.

I just did a test with the episode in the above debug log link, by hitting “quick search” - please let me know if there’s another recommended way and I’ll do so. The result, it’s downloading an h264 version of it, not h265.

Let me know if there’s anything else you need.

Ta.

2

Take a look here: has a huge collection of CF and how to combine them with a QP

https://trash-guides.info/Sonarr/sonarr-collection-of-custom-formats/

3

Thanks @fanboy ,

Sorry for the delay… was sick…

This is actually where I got my format/condition from. If you refer to the x265 one notice it’s the same regex.

I’m going to simplify this and delete all my formats, and test again with “x265 (no HDR/DV)” only, and let you know if it still doesn’t work.

By the way, do I need a second format (with higher score?) to dis-allow x264, in order for the above to work?

4

Thanks! After a lot more reading and testing, I think I finally got it to work.

Below is for anyone else who comes across this and wants the answer:

  • x265/h265/HEVC only.
  • No h264.
  • 1080p only. nothing lower, or higher

Import the below Custom Formats:

  • Custom Format #1: x265 + 1080p (Positive)
{
  "trash_id": "custom-x265-1080p",
  "name": "x265 1080p Only",
  "includeCustomFormatWhenRenaming": false,
  "trash_scores": {
    "default": 1000
  },
  "specifications": [
    {
      "name": "x265/HEVC",
      "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification",
      "negate": false,
      "required": true,
      "fields": {
        "value": "[xh][ ._-]?265|\\bHEVC(\\b|\\d)"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Must be 1080p",
      "implementation": "ResolutionSpecification",
      "negate": false,
      "required": true,
      "fields": {
        "value": 1080
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Exclude HDR/DV",
      "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification",
      "negate": true,
      "required": false,
      "fields": {
        "value": "\\b(dv|dovi|dolby[ .]?v(ision)?|hdr(10(P(lus)?)?)?|pq)\\b"
      }
    }
  ]
}
  • Custom Format #2: Block x264 (Negative)
{
  "trash_id": "custom-block-x264",
  "name": "Block x264",
  "includeCustomFormatWhenRenaming": false,
  "trash_scores": {
    "default": -10000
  },
  "specifications": [
    {
      "name": "x264",
      "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification",
      "negate": false,
      "required": false,
      "fields": {
        "value": "[xh][ ._-]?264|\\bAVC(\\b|\\d)"
      }
    }
  ]
}
  • Custom Format 3: Prefer ELiTE over Megusta (or whatever you like)
{
  "trash_id": "custom-elite-vs-megusta",
  "name": "Prefer ELiTE over MeGusta",
  "includeCustomFormatWhenRenaming": false,
  "trash_scores": {
    "default": 50
  },
  "specifications": [
    {
      "name": "ELiTE group preferred",
      "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification",
      "negate": false,
      "required": false,
      "fields": {
        "value": "(?i)elite"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Avoid MeGusta group",
      "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification",
      "negate": true,
      "required": false,
      "fields": {
        "value": "(?i)megusta"
      }
    }
  ]
}

In your Prifiles (Quality Profiles), create one. I called mine “1080p HEVC only”

From the Qualities, choose:

  • Blueray-1080p
  • WEB 1080p
  • HDTV-1080p

For the custom format score,

  • x265 1080p only: 1000
  • Prefer ELiTE over MeGusta: 50
  • Block x264: -10000

So far so good!

Thanks for your advice on this.

1 Like