Encoding

This article shows the quality/encoding time tradeoffs for producers choosing a preset for SVT-AV1 and libaom-AV1. Note to readers – 12/13 – AOM has released version 1.4, which fixed the SVT-AV1 preset issues reported in the first version of this article.  Presets are the most important configuration option for controlling quality and throughput for most codecs. For this reason, when …

This article details a methodology for comparing hardware transcoders considering cost/stream, watt/stream, and output quality. If you’ve ever benchmarked software codecs, you know the quality/throughput tradeoff; simply stated, the higher the quality, the lower the throughput. In contrast, for many first-generation hardware encoders, throughput was prioritized, but the quality was fixed; you got what you got. Finding the Key Quality …

Back in high school, if someone called you dense, it meant you were slow on the uptake, and it definitely wasn’t a compliment. For high-volume video transcoding, however, density is, without question, a major plus.   Some background. I now work with NETINT, a Canadian company that designs, develops, and sells ASIC-powered transcoders like the T408 and T432, which can output H.264 and …

Back before “politically correct” was a phrase or even a concept, it wasn’t unusual to hear someone say, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat.” Speaking totally metaphorically, of course, and with apologies in advance to dour cat lovers without a sense of humor, that still is the case. Here we look at two ways to produce an …

Four days on the show floor at IBC solidified the concept that your choice of the live encoder is dictated by your encoding application. In this article, I’ll review the types of encoders and the trade-offs associated with each type and will identify the type of encoder that works best for a few selected encoding applications. Types of Live Transcoders …

When I first heard that Google Chrome played HEVC, I checked the weather in Hades to determine if it had, in fact, frozen over. Reports were inconclusive. Then I started reaching out to colleagues and contacts whose opinions I value to get their reactions and thoughts. Many spoke on the record, and many didn’t. In this article, I’ll attempt to …

The course Encoding with the AV1 Codec has been updated with new instructions for SVT-AV1 1.0 and FFmpeg/libaom-AV1.  AV1 is a powerful codec but to optimize quality and performance, you have to choose the optimal preset and thread count and then navigate through obscure commands like auto-alt-ref, row-mt, tile columns/tile rows, and lag-in-frames. The course, Encoding with the AV1 Codec, provides …

Choosing the wrong per-title encoding service can boost streaming costs by up to 64% and storage costs by 76%. It can also reduce the average video quality delivered to your viewers by up to 9.28 VMAF points. These reports identify the OPEX and quality leaders and save months of testing.  Overview: Per-Title encoding is the most efficient and effective technology …

This post explores the economic factors to consider when choosing a preset for the SVT-AV1 codec. It’s adapted from a new lesson added to the course, Encoding with the AV1 Codec. While this analysis uses the SVT-AV1 codec, it’s useful for choosing a preset for any codec.  I’ve always considered codec preset selection a cost and quality-driven decision. You see …

I just completed the first of two reports on cloud-based per-title encoding features, culminating 8 months of work. The first report details H.264 output, and the next, scheduled for release by July 18, details HEVC output. This article will detail the procedures used during this analysis which will be helpful to any company seeking to perform their own analysis to …