Supported Codec List

[Checkerknight]

I have a Jellyfin server set up, running on a raspberry pi (which means no transcoding on the fly but remuxing from .mkv is doable). I currently do manual conversion via handbrake on my pc prior to moving the file over to the server.

I wanted maximum compatability for any and every device that could possibly stream my files, and going off of the Codec Support page (https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/client...c-support/) I landed on a x264 file with Stereo AAC audio (Other audio files are packaged within the .mkv mind you, but this is set to primary) and because of past issues I also have a bitrate cap set because some chromecast devices would trigger transcoding if the bitrate was too high.

This has worked out flawlessly but I have that ONE friend who keeps bashing me for using x264 over x265. I wanted to know if the codec list is still valid this day in age, or if I would have just as much luck converting over to x265.

[TheDreadPirate]

H264 is perfectly fine still.  1080P blurays still use it.  Quite a few streaming sites still use it for older device.  But HEVC/x265 is better in terms of quality for the bit rate.  BUT a lot of browsers straight up do not support HEVC or require additional configuration or software to support HEVC, meaning transcoding is likely to occur at some point.

Since video transcoding is not an option, H264 is really the ONLY video codec choice.

Tell your friend if your videos being in H264 bothers them so much they can buy you a new server that can handle some transcoding.   

[Checkerknight]

This is kind of what I was thinking still. I don't really have an issue with how my movies look so far, I've got my settings pretty dialed in and they're still about 10-15gb after the fact so I think that's a reasonable size.
CRF was turned all the way to 19 which is the point where dark scenes in movies stopped being blocky and that was the main ordeal.