The encoder that you select will affect FBX’s performance and the quality of the saved video.
Go to the Settings tab and select Video in the left side menu.
Select from the available encoders in the Encoder drop down menu.
The encoders available to you will depend on your PC hardware. All PCs will have software encoders available but not all PCs will have hardware encoders.
TIP If a hardware encoder is available on your PC, choose that ahead of any of the software encoders.
Hardware encoders will give better performance than software encoders because they make use of special hardware on graphics cards or CPUs. This means that the PC’s CPU doesn’t have to work as hard to encode the video and can be dedicated to making the game run as fast as possible.
Not all PCs will include the hardware required for hardware encoders but if yours does, FBX will automatically select it for you.
A hardware encoder should be available for the following hardware:
FBX will automatically detect any of these that are available on your PC so you can choose which one to use.
TIP Graphics card encoders will give better performance than a CPU encoder, so they will allow you to record at up to 144 fps. CPU encoders are limited to 60 fps.
When a software encoder is selected, the encoding is handled by the PC’s CPU instead of using dedicated hardware. This does mean that the CPU will have to work harder, so the software encoders will not perform as well as the hardware encoders. But since they do not require any specific hardware, they will be available for all PCs. This is particular useful if you are using an older PC.
There are two software encoders available – one gives better quality but is more demanding on the CPU and the other is less demanding on the CPU but gives lower quality.
TIP FBX also supports the x264 encoder which can be downloaded separately – a download link will appear in the Video settings if FBX does not detect any hardware encoders. The x264 encoder tends to give better quality while using less CPU than either of the other software encoders so is recommended if you don’t have a hardware encoder.
If a software encoder is selected, the recording frame rate will be limited to 60 fps, since it will mostly be older or low-spec PCs that have to use software encoders. Recording at higher frame rates on this sort of hardware will usually put too much strain on the PC’s CPU and harm performance.
