Maximum video resolution for full compatibility on most Android Devices

  • Monoscopic: Up to 4096×2048 @ 30 FPS 100 Mbit H.264 (AVC) or H.265 (HEVC) codec
  • Stereoscopic: Up to 3840×2160 @ 30 FPS 100 Mbit H.264 (AVC) or H.265 (HEVC) codec
  • 180 Side by Side: Up to 4096×2048 @ 30 100 Mbit FPS H.264 (AVC) or H.265 (HEVC) codec

Of course, many Android smartphones can playback much higher video resolutions than the above. However, if you are looking to distribute your videos to as many devices as possible, this is a reasonably good standard. These video resolutions will ensure that most lower-end Android devices and Higher-End devices from around 4 to 5 years back will still playback your video. 

Headjack Cloud Transcoding Android Mobile

For Headjack users, we developed Headjack Cloud Transcode, which is the go-to solution when you need to deploy your videos to multiple headsets or various devices at once. Suppose you don’t know how to encode your videos properly for playback in a dedicated XR video app or the Unity Game Engine. In that case, Headjack Cloud Transcode is also the right solution for you.

Simply upload your master distribution video file to the CMS, and within a couple of minutes, we transcode your video to the highest resolution your device can playback. For more information on Headjack Cloud Transcoding, please read the following article or visit the website.

Specification Cloud Transcode for Android Mobile:

Max Download Quality dynamic bitrate up to 85 Mbit/s (CRF 17) H265

360 3D: 2880×2880 60 FPS

360 Mono: 3840×2160 60 FPS

Flat 3D: 2880×2880 60 FPS

Flat Mono: 3840×2160 60 FPS

Max Streaming Quality (HLS Playlist) fixed bitrate up to 32 Mbit/s H264

360 3D: 2880×2880 60 FPS

360 Mono: 3840×2160 60 FPS

Flat 3D: 2880×2880 60 FPS

Flat Mono: 3840×2160 60 FPS

The specifications mentioned above is the maximum quality we transcode to; if you want to take complete control over your video quality, please use the “use original.” profile in the playback settings

Make sure the video you are uploading is higher or the same quality as described below to get the best result after transcoding.

Resolution Table Android Devices

It is possible to experiment with higher resolution video if the devices you are targetting are capable of playing back higher resolutions than 4K and have the appropriate display tech to display all of these extra pixels. 

Another significant element to keep in mind is file size, especially when you are distributing to mobile Android devices. Compared to VR devices, users generally have much less space available to store their video content, which also advocates for lower resolutions than the Android device is capable of playing back. Another option is to stream the video, of course.

FFmpeg Encoding Scripts For Android Devices:

4096 x 2048 Monoscopic

ffmpeg -i "monoscopic_video.mp4" -c:v libx265 -crf 17 -maxrate 80M -bufsize 100M -vf "scale=4096x2048" -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a aac -b:a 192k -r 30 -movflags faststart "monoscopic_output.mp4"

We have written extensively about video compression for VR headsets in multiple blogs; below, you will find the two most recent ones with our latest findings and insights.

Pixel Perfect Part 1: Headjack 360 video Cloud Encoding profiles

Pixel Perfect Part 2: An in-depth look into 360 video playback