[FFmpeg-user] What is option -level ?

[Carl Eugen Hoyos]

2019-02-12 18:12 GMT+01:00, Ted Park <kumowoon1025 at gmail.com>:
> It is a set of constraints on the encoding parameters. Basically
> the encoder sets the level to indicate the decoder capabilities
> necessary and sufficient to decode the stream.

In addition, I'd like to note that with software decoding, the
level chosen at encoding time has absolutely no relevance.
For hardware decoding, it is said to have some usefulness
but note that afaik all hardware suppliers do not guarantee
to support a particular level in their hardware. The only known
effect of "level" is that some hardware decoders in software
(read: FFmpeg) refuse to start decoding certain levels...

Carl Eugen