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HEVC video with Alpha channel in Compressor

There used to be a feature in Compressor when encoding video into HEVC codec, that allowed you to click a box to enable an 'Alpha Channel' as supported by the H.265/HEVC spec...

What happened to that checkbox in the latest 4.4.x versions of Compressor ?


Here is a screenshot of an earlier version of Compressor:


I'm trying to use a ProRes 4444 video file with an alpha channel as source and export as an H.265/HEVC file with the alpha channel intact and cannot find a method to do so any longer with new Compressor version.

Posted on Mar 13, 2020 11:07 PM

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Posted on Mar 16, 2020 9:07 PM

Hello Tom,


At first I wasn't quite sure what you meant by suggesting 'HEVC in Quicktime'

My first thought was that you were suggesting to open the file in Quicktime Player, and we all know there are limited exports from there...


But then I finally came across the solution and it is precisely what you mentioned... Using a preset of 'Quicktime' in Compressor.


For anyone reading this and for future reference for users of Compressor version 4.4.6 :


• Create a new preset with the "New Setting..." option

• Choose 'Quicktime' as the file container (don't select H.264 or MPEG-4)


• Select HEVC as the codec from dropdown list



• Check the box at the bottom of listing for "Preserve Alpha"


Now you'll have an HEVC (H.265 codec) file with an Alpha channel embedded !




8 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Mar 16, 2020 9:07 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hello Tom,


At first I wasn't quite sure what you meant by suggesting 'HEVC in Quicktime'

My first thought was that you were suggesting to open the file in Quicktime Player, and we all know there are limited exports from there...


But then I finally came across the solution and it is precisely what you mentioned... Using a preset of 'Quicktime' in Compressor.


For anyone reading this and for future reference for users of Compressor version 4.4.6 :


• Create a new preset with the "New Setting..." option

• Choose 'Quicktime' as the file container (don't select H.264 or MPEG-4)


• Select HEVC as the codec from dropdown list



• Check the box at the bottom of listing for "Preserve Alpha"


Now you'll have an HEVC (H.265 codec) file with an Alpha channel embedded !




Mar 16, 2020 8:06 AM in response to Alchroma

Hello Al,


Thanks for response but unfortunately you have selected the ‘Prores 4444’ codec which does indeed support Alpha channel...


I’m doing specific encodes for a client that requires ‘HVEC’ codec (also known as H.265) It is an MPEG-4 codec that does support alpha channels, and compressor version 4.4.5 used to have. a checkbox to allow to “preserve alpha” channel when selecting HVEC...


Now that checkbox is gone in version 4.4.6 when selecting HVEC as your encoding codec...

HEVC video with Alpha channel in Compressor

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