diff --git a/frigate/api/transcode.py b/frigate/api/transcode.py
index a469a9c5e..0cf972445 100644
--- a/frigate/api/transcode.py
+++ b/frigate/api/transcode.py
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ from frigate.api.auth import require_camera_access, require_role
 from frigate.api.defs.tags import Tags
 from frigate.config import FrigateConfig
 from frigate.const import PROCESS_PRIORITY_LOW
+from frigate.ffmpeg_presets import (
+    EncodeTypeEnum,
+    parse_preset_hardware_acceleration_encode,
+)
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -83,51 +87,29 @@ def _build_ffmpeg_cmd(
     output_playlist = os.path.join(output_dir, "master.m3u8")
     segment_pattern = os.path.join(output_dir, "segment-%d.ts")
 
-    return [
+    hwaccel_args = config.ffmpeg.hwaccel_args
+
+    input_args = (
+        f"-loglevel warning -y -protocol_whitelist pipe,file,http,tcp -i {input_url}"
+    )
+    output_args = (
+        f"-c:a aac -b:a 128k"
+        f" -f hls -hls_time 6 -hls_list_size 0"
+        f" -hls_segment_type mpegts"
+        f" -hls_flags independent_segments+append_list"
+        f" -hls_segment_filename {segment_pattern}"
+        f" {output_playlist}"
+    )
+
+    cmd_str = parse_preset_hardware_acceleration_encode(
         config.ffmpeg.ffmpeg_path,
-        "-hide_banner",
-        "-loglevel",
-        "warning",
-        "-y",
-        "-protocol_whitelist",
-        "pipe,file,http,tcp",
-        "-i",
-        input_url,
-        # Scale down to 720p max, preserve aspect ratio
-        "-vf",
-        "scale=-2:'min(720,ih)'",
-        # Encode to H.264 (software — universally available)
-        "-c:v",
-        "libx264",
-        "-preset",
-        "ultrafast",
-        "-crf",
-        "26",
-        "-profile:v",
-        "high",
-        "-level:v",
-        "4.1",
-        "-pix_fmt",
-        "yuv420p",
-        "-c:a",
-        "aac",
-        "-b:a",
-        "128k",
-        # Output as HLS with MPEG-TS segments
-        "-f",
-        "hls",
-        "-hls_time",
-        "6",
-        "-hls_list_size",
-        "0",
-        "-hls_segment_type",
-        "mpegts",
-        "-hls_flags",
-        "independent_segments+append_list",
-        "-hls_segment_filename",
-        segment_pattern,
-        output_playlist,
-    ]
+        hwaccel_args,
+        input_args,
+        output_args,
+        EncodeTypeEnum.transcode,
+    )
+
+    return cmd_str.split(" ")
 
 
 async def _wait_for_playlist(session_id: str) -> bool:
diff --git a/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py b/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py
index 0652ec645..a6f86a49f 100644
--- a/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py
+++ b/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py
@@ -208,6 +208,37 @@ PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_PREVIEW = {
     "default": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v libx264 -profile:v baseline -preset:v ultrafast {2}",
 }
 
+# Presets for on-demand H.265 to H.264 transcode playback
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE = {
+    # Based on birdseye presets with 720p scaling added
+    "preset-rpi-64-h264": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_v4l2m2m -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    "preset-rpi-64-h265": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_v4l2m2m -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI: "{0} -hide_banner -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_output_format vaapi -hwaccel_device {3} {1} -c:v h264_vaapi -bf 0 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -vf format=vaapi|nv12,hwupload,scale_vaapi=w=-2:h=720 {2}",
+    "preset-intel-qsv-h264": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -async_depth:v 1 -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    "preset-intel-qsv-h265": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -async_depth:v 1 -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA: "{0} -hide_banner -hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda -extra_hw_frames 8 {1} -c:v h264_nvenc -profile:v high -preset:v p2 -tune:v ll -vf scale_cuda=w=-2:h=720 {2}",
+    "preset-jetson-h264": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_nvmpi -profile high -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    "preset-jetson-h265": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_nvmpi -profile high -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_RKMPP: "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_rkmpp -profile:v high -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_AMF: "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v h264_amf -profile:v high -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+    "default": "{0} -hide_banner {1} -c:v libx264 -preset:v ultrafast -crf 26 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf scale=-2:'min(720,ih)' {2}",
+}
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE["preset-nvidia-h264"] = (
+    PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE[FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA]
+)
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE["preset-nvidia-h265"] = (
+    PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE[FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA]
+)
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE[f"{FFMPEG_HWACCEL_RKMPP}-no-dump_extra"] = (
+    PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE[FFMPEG_HWACCEL_RKMPP]
+)
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE["preset-rk-h264"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_RKMPP
+]
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE["preset-rk-h265"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_RKMPP
+]
+
 
 def parse_preset_hardware_acceleration_decode(
     arg: Any,
@@ -251,6 +282,7 @@ class EncodeTypeEnum(str, Enum):
     birdseye = "birdseye"
     preview = "preview"
     timelapse = "timelapse"
+    transcode = "transcode"
 
 
 def parse_preset_hardware_acceleration_encode(
@@ -267,6 +299,8 @@ def parse_preset_hardware_acceleration_encode(
         arg_map = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_PREVIEW
     elif type == EncodeTypeEnum.timelapse:
         arg_map = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TIMELAPSE
+    elif type == EncodeTypeEnum.transcode:
+        arg_map = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TRANSCODE
 
     if not isinstance(arg, str):
         return arg_map["default"].format(ffmpeg_path, input, output)