[Feature request] Codec selection instead of format

[opusforlife2]

• I checked if the issue/feature exists in the latest version.

What matters is that the user should be able to select the most efficient codec if they have the required hardware decoder, or a battery friendly/non-CPU-intensive codec if they don't. The container format doesn't really matter.

So I think it would be better to offer these options in order from most efficient to least:

Video:

• AV1 (if Android 10+)
• VP9
• AVC/H.264

Audio:

• Opus
• AAC

Can Newpipe query the OS for available hardware decoders? If so, it should select the most efficient codec by default whose hardware decoder is available.

[wb9688]

Our video playback should be really improved. I don't know anything about the ExoPlayer side of things though. What we should do is add all the Itags to NewPipeExtractor (i.e. TeamNewPipe/NewPipeExtractor#71, which I opened years ago, e.g. we don't extract AV1 streams at all), and properly implement DASH support. We should also indeed automatically detect what codec to use, instead of having a setting that defaults to MPEG-4

[opusforlife2]

Any progress on this, @wb9688? I'm also interested in seeing if this possibly solves the #2934 weirdness as well.

[opusforlife2]

I don't know anything about the ExoPlayer side of things though.

@Redirion does. What say, Red?

[Redirion]

I need to check, if we can obtain the name of the decoder or, probably more meaningful, the extractor score of each decoder and then select the one with the highest score as this most likely indicates an efficient decoder.

[wb9688]

@Redirion: While of course also keeping in mind what codecs a device supports (preferably hardware accelerated)…

[Stypox]

Closing in favour of #4358

[opusforlife2]

Reopening after discussion.

[n-ce]

@opusforlife2
Can you discuss about this?

1. Setting for UltraLow Bandwidth Audio Mode for 50kbps Opus Background Playback, I use vanced only for this one reason.
2. Setting for Forced AV1/VP9/AVC mode , if the desired codec is not available switch to available one.

[opusforlife2]

@n-ce The app already falls back to the available container format when the default one isn't available. I don't see why this behaviour wouldn't be retained for codec selection. Regarding your second point, see #1583 (comment). ;)

[n-ce]

Reasoning is clear
For no. 1.
Data speed reduces to theoretical 64kbps (actual 55kbps), currently no other app than the youtube app itself can stream audio smoothly at that speed.
Audio playing smoothness : Youtube Background Play > Spotify data saver > Ymusic compact mode > Newpipe background play.

For no. 2.
Some people want highest quality codec playing in their phones and not care about hw support so theyd likely want av1 always. Some people want to conserve battery and hardware support in old phones theyd want AVC.

[opusforlife2]

This is implemented in Piped.