diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d8abb7b8..2477a41f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 ### Fixed
 - Use software decoding for mpeg4 content when VAAPI acceleration is enabled
 
+### Changed
+- Treat `setsar` as a hardware filter, avoiding unneeded `hwdownload` and `hwupload` steps when padding isn't required
+
 ## [0.3.4-alpha] - 2021-12-21
 ### Fixed
 - Fix other video and song scanners to include videos contained directly in top-level folders that are added to a library
diff --git a/ErsatzTV.Core.Tests/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilderTests.cs b/ErsatzTV.Core.Tests/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilderTests.cs
index 2915ee39..3e1aedba 100644
--- a/ErsatzTV.Core.Tests/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilderTests.cs
+++ b/ErsatzTV.Core.Tests/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilderTests.cs
@@ -297,37 +297,37 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.Tests.FFmpeg
                 true,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]deinterlace_qsv,scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
+                "[0:0]deinterlace_qsv,scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 true,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]deinterlace_qsv,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
+                "[0:0]deinterlace_qsv,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 true,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]deinterlace_qsv,scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
+                "[0:0]deinterlace_qsv,scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 false,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
+                "[0:0]scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 false,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
+                "[0:0]setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 false,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
+                "[0:0]scale_qsv=w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             public void Should_Return_QSV_Video_Filter(
                 bool deinterlace,
@@ -368,37 +368,37 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.Tests.FFmpeg
                 true,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]yadif_cuda,scale_cuda=1920:1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]yadif_cuda,scale_cuda=1920:1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 true,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]yadif_cuda,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]yadif_cuda,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 true,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]yadif_cuda,scale_cuda=1920:1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]yadif_cuda,scale_cuda=1920:1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 false,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]scale_cuda=1920:1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]scale_cuda=1920:1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 false,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 false,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]scale_cuda=1920:1000,hwdownload,format=nv12,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]scale_cuda=1920:1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             public void Should_Return_NVENC_Video_Filter(
                 bool deinterlace,
@@ -440,42 +440,42 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.Tests.FFmpeg
                 true,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "h264",
                 true,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]deinterlace_vaapi,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]deinterlace_vaapi,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "h264",
                 true,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "h264",
                 false,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "h264",
                 false,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "h264",
                 false,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase("mpeg4", true, false, false, "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi[v]", "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
@@ -483,28 +483,28 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.Tests.FFmpeg
                 true,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "mpeg4",
                 true,
                 false,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "mpeg4",
                 true,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]hwupload,deinterlace_vaapi,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "mpeg4",
                 false,
                 true,
                 false,
-                "[0:0]hwupload,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]hwupload,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             [TestCase(
                 "mpeg4",
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.Tests.FFmpeg
                 false,
                 true,
                 true,
-                "[0:0]hwupload,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,setsar=1,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
+                "[0:0]hwupload,scale_vaapi=format=nv12:w=1920:h=1000,setsar=1,hwdownload,format=nv12|vaapi,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,hwupload[v]",
                 "[v]")]
             public void Should_Return_VAAPI_Video_Filter(
                 string codec,
diff --git a/ErsatzTV.Core/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilder.cs b/ErsatzTV.Core/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilder.cs
index 428f6286..8d52504d 100644
--- a/ErsatzTV.Core/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilder.cs
+++ b/ErsatzTV.Core/FFmpeg/FFmpegComplexFilterBuilder.cs
@@ -250,7 +250,12 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.FFmpeg
                 });
 
             bool scaleOrPad = _scaleToSize.IsSome || _padToSize.IsSome;
-            bool usesSoftwareFilters = scaleOrPad || _watermark.IsSome;
+            bool usesSoftwareFilters = _padToSize.IsSome || _watermark.IsSome;
+
+            if (scaleOrPad && _boxBlur == false)
+            {
+                videoFilterQueue.Add("setsar=1");
+            }
 
             if (usesSoftwareFilters)
             {
@@ -268,12 +273,7 @@ namespace ErsatzTV.Core.FFmpeg
                     };
                     videoFilterQueue.Add(format);
                 }
-
-                if (scaleOrPad && _boxBlur == false)
-                {
-                    videoFilterQueue.Add("setsar=1");
-                }
-
+                
                 if (_boxBlur)
                 {
                     videoFilterQueue.Add("boxblur=40");