I Got Tired of Waiting on Transcodes.
So I Built a Tool That Doesn't.
Parallel Media Encoder is a macOS transcoder that runs multiple encodes at once on Apple Silicon. ProRes, DNx, H.264, HEVC, and RAW. 39% faster than single-file tools. No subscription.
Ten Years of Watching Editors Wait on Transcodes
For the last decade I've been the person in the room when a producer says, "We need 200 dailies turned around by morning." I've sat next to assistant editors at 11pm, watching a single transcode bar crawl across the screen while seven of the eight hardware media engines on a brand-new M2 Ultra sat completely idle.
That always drove me crazy. Apple ships these chips with multiple dedicated video engines — that's the whole point of Apple Silicon for media work — and almost no transcoder actually uses more than one at a time.
So I went looking for a tool that did. Adobe Media Encoder is locked behind a Creative Cloud subscription that nobody wants another seat of. Compressor is cheap but slow and stuck in 2014. EditReady was great until it stopped getting updates. ffmpeg works if you enjoy memorizing flags at midnight. Nothing on the market actually let a small post team batch transcode in parallel without paying enterprise money or wiring up a render farm.
So I built one.
Parallel Media Encoder is the tool I wished existed when I was running post. It runs as many simultaneous encodes as your chip can handle. It speaks every codec a real post pipeline touches. It costs $39 once. That's the entire pitch.
Use Every Hardware Engine on Your Mac. At the Same Time.
Your Apple Silicon Mac has dedicated video encode and decode engines built into the chip. An M-series Max has eight. An Ultra has more. Traditional transcoders only feed one engine at a time. PME spreads the work across all of them.
Faster Batch Encoding
Benchmarked on M4 Max: 8 files in 119 seconds parallel vs. 197 seconds sequential. That's 78 seconds saved per batch — and it scales with every batch you run.
Simultaneous Encodes
Up to 10 files at once on M-series Ultra chips. PME automatically detects your hardware and configures the optimal number of parallel encodes. No manual tuning.
One-Time. Forever.
No subscription. No seat licenses. No annual renewal. Pay once for Pro and own it. The free version has no time limit either — use it as long as you like.
Every Codec a Real Post Pipeline Touches
PME ships with the formats post production teams actually need — not a curated subset for hobbyists. If you've ever had to deliver mezzanine files for a colorist, proxies for an offline editor, and a final H.265 for the client all in the same afternoon, this is built for you.
Full ProRes Family
Proxy, 422 LT, 422, 422 HQ, 4444, 4444 XQ. Alpha pass-through for graphics and VFX plates.
DNxHR & DNxHD
LB, SQ, HQ, HQX, 444 — every variant Avid editors expect. Native DNx output without paying for Media Composer.
H.264 & H.265 / HEVC
All profiles. HEVC Main10 4:2:2 for HDR delivery. Hardware accelerated through Apple's media engines.
Camera RAW
Blackmagic RAW, RED R3D, ProRes RAW. Decode, transcode, and apply exposure adjustments before delivery.
3D LUTs & Burn-In
Apply colour LUTs on the way out. Burn in timecode, watermarks, and text overlays for review copies.
Watch Folders
Drop a file on a network share and it transcodes automatically. Works on local drives or NAS — perfect for shared post environments.
Custom Presets
Save your delivery specs once. Apply them to every file with one click. Share presets with the rest of your team.
HDR Pass-Through
Preserve HDR metadata or tone-map down to SDR. Frame rate conversion, resolution scaling, and rotation built in.
MXF & Insta360
Read native Sony and Panasonic MXF containers. Decode Insta360 formats. The codecs cameras actually output.
Pay Once. Or Don't Pay at All.
Try the free version forever. Upgrade to Pro when you need parallel encoding and the rest of the pipeline.
Free
- ✓ H.264, HEVC, and ProRes output
- ✓ One file at a time
- ✓ Built-in delivery presets
- ✓ Drag-and-drop and video preview
- ✓ Auto-updates
Pro
Early adopter price. Regular $79.
- ✓ Parallel encoding — up to 10 files at once
- ✓ DNxHR and DNxHD output (all variants)
- ✓ BRAW, R3D, and ProRes RAW
- ✓ 3D LUTs and burn-in overlays
- ✓ Custom presets and watch folders
- ✓ HEVC Main10 4:2:2 and ProRes alpha
Stop Waiting on a Single Progress Bar
The free version takes thirty seconds to download. If you've ever delivered a batch of dailies on a Friday night, you already know whether you need this.
Need help wiring it into your team's workflow? Get in touch →