# Identify the output encodes
Step 1: Identify the output encodes

When you prepared the downstream systems, you [identified the output groups](identify-downstream-system.md) that you need. Now, as part of the planning of the channel, you must identify the encodes to include in each output group you have decided to create. An *encode* refers to the audio, video, or captions streams in the output.

**Topics**
+ [

# Identify the video encodes
](channel-planning-video-encodes.md)
+ [

# Identify the audio encodes
](channel-planning-audio-encodes.md)
+ [

# Identify the captions encodes
](channel-planning-captions-encodes.md)
+ [

# Summary of encode rules for output groups
](encode-rules.md)
+ [

# Example of a plan for output encodes
](plan-encodes-example.md)

# Identify the video encodes
Identify video

You must decide on the number of video encodes and their codecs. Follow this procedure for each output group. 

1. Determine the maximum number of encodes that are allowed in the output group. The following rules apply for each type of output group.  
****    
[\[See the AWS documentation website for more details\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/medialive/latest/ug/channel-planning-video-encodes.html)

1. If the output group allows more than one video encode, decide how many you want. Keep in mind that you can create multiple output encodes from the single video source that MediaLive ingests.

1. Identify the codec or codecs for the video encodes. 
   + For most types of output groups, the downstream system dictates the codec for each video encode, so you obtained this information when you [identified the output encodes](#channel-planning-video-encodes). 
   + For an Archive output group, you decide which codec suits your purposes.

1. Identify the resolution and bitrate for each video encode. You might have obtained requirements or recommendations from your downstream system when you [identified the output encodes](#channel-planning-video-encodes).

1. Identify the frame rates for each video encode. If you are using more than one video encode, you can ensure compatibility by choosing output frame rates that are multiples of the lowest frame rate used. 

   Examples:
   + 29.97 and 59.94 frames per second are compatible frame rates.
   + 15, 30, and 60 frames per second are compatible frame rates.
   + 29.97 and 30 frames per second are *not* compatible frame rates.
   + 30 and 59.94 frames per second are *not* compatible frame rates. 

    

# Identify the audio encodes
Identify audio

You must decide on the number of audio encodes. Follow this procedure for each output group. 

1. Determine the maximum number of encodes that are allowed in the output group. The following rules apply for each type of output group.  
****    
[\[See the AWS documentation website for more details\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/medialive/latest/ug/channel-planning-audio-encodes.html)

1. If the output group allows more than one audio encode, decide how many you want. These guidelines apply:
   + Each different combination of output codec, coding mode, and language is one encode.

     MediaLive can produce a specific coding mode only if the source contains that coding mode or a higher mode. For example, MediaLive can create 1.0 from a 1.0 or a 2.0 source. It can't create 5.1 from a 2.0 source. 
   + MediaLive can produce a specific language only if the source contains that language. 
   + MediaLive can produce more than one encode for a given language. 

     For example, you could choose to include Spanish in Dolby 5.1 and in AAC 2.0.
   + There is no requirement for the count of encodes to be the same for all languages. For example, you could create two encodes for Spanish, and only one encode for the other languages.

1. Identify the bitrate for each audio encode. You might have obtained requirements or recommendations from your downstream system when you [identified the output encodes](#channel-planning-audio-encodes). 

# Identify the captions encodes
Identify captions

You must decide on the number of captions encodes. Follow this procedure for each output group. 

1. Determine the maximum number of captions encodes that are allowed in the output group. The following rules apply for each type of output group.  
****    
[\[See the AWS documentation website for more details\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/medialive/latest/ug/channel-planning-captions-encodes.html)

1. Identify the category that each caption format belongs to. See the list in [Captions categories](categories-captions.md). For example, WebVTT captions are sidecar captions.

1. Use this category to identify the number of captions encodes you need in the output group.
   + For embedded captions, you always create one captions encode.
   + For object-style captions and sidecar captions, you create one captions encode for each format and language that you want to include.

# Summary of encode rules for output groups
Summary of encode rules

 This table summarizes the rules for encodes for each output group. In the first column, find the output group that you want, then read across the row.


****  

| Type of output group | Rule for video encodes | Rule for audio encodes | Rule for captions encodes | 
| --- | --- | --- | --- | 
| Archive | One or more video encodes. | Zero or more audio encodes. | Zero or more captions encodes. The captions are either embedded or object-style captions. | 
| CMAF Ingest | One or more video encodes. Typically, there are multiple video encodes. | Zero or more audio encodes. Typically, there are multiple audio encodes.  | Zero or more captions encodes. Typically, there are caption languages to match the audio languages. The captions are embedded or sidecar captions. | 
| Frame Capture | One video encode. | Zero audio encodes. | Zero captions encodes. | 
| HLS or MediaPackage | One or more video encodes. Typically, there are multiple video encodes. | Zero or more audio encodes. Typically, there are multiple audio encodes.  | Zero or more captions encodes. Typically, there are caption languages to match the audio languages. The captions are either embedded or sidecar captions. | 
| Microsoft Smooth | One or more video encodes. Typically, there are multiple video encodes. | Zero or more audio encodes. Typically, there are multiple audio encodes.  | Zero or more captions encodes. Typically, there are caption languages to match the audio languages. The captions are always sidecar captions. | 
| RTMP |  One video encode.  | Zero or one audio encodes.  | Zero or one caption encodes. The captions are either embedded or object-style captions. | 
| SRT caller |  One or more video encodes.  | One or more audio encodes. | Zero or more captions encodes. The captions are either embedded or object-style captions. | 
| UDP |  One or more video encodes.   | One or more audio encodes.  | Zero or more captions encodes. The captions are either embedded or object-style captions. | 

Some output groups also support audio-only outputs. See [Setting up the output](audio-only-outputs-and-outputgroups.md).

Some output groups also support outputs that contain JPEG files, to support trick play according to the Roku specification. See [Trick-play track via the Image Media Playlist specification](trick-play-roku.md).

# Example of a plan for output encodes
Example of a plan

After you have performed this procedure, you should have information that looks like this example.


**Example**  
[\[See the AWS documentation website for more details\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/medialive/latest/ug/plan-encodes-example.html)