One of the first operations I learned in FFmpeg was how to scale subsampled video files back to the source resolution to compute PSNR in the Moscow State University (MSU) Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT). Thankfully, for those not familiar with FFmpeg, as of VQMT version 11.1, this operation is no longer necessary. Yup, VQMT can now autoscale your lower-resolution …

I just saw Vimeo’s “isn’t it wonderful that we’re publishing video with AV1” announcement and felt the need to call BS. First, it’s time to stop calling AV1 royalty-free and promoting the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) as some kind of noble effort to keep video on the web free. Second, don’t tell me that you’re using AV1 to “embrace …

This article details how the FFmpeg threads command impacts performance, overall quality, and transient quality for live and VOD encoding. The level of testing and analysis detailed here is consistent with the instruction in my book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg In 30 Minutes or Less ($34.95), and my course, FFmpeg for Adaptive Bitrate Production ($29.95)  (which includes a …

This article has been superseded by this article entitled, An FFmpeg Script to Render and Package a Complete HLS Presentation. So there I was, teaching a class at Streaming Media East entitled How To Build A Free Encoder/Packager With Watch Folder Operation Using Open Source Tools (handout and video available here). An attendee asked about creating an HLS manifest with …

This article discusses the evolution of the encoding ladder from the fixed ladder presented by Apple in Tech Note TN2224 to context-aware-encoding, which creates a ladder that not only considers the encoding complexity of the content, but also the producer’s QoE and QoS metrics. The encoding ladder embodies the most significant encoding decisions made by encoding professionals, and understanding this …

After three years or so in gestation, per-title encoding is becoming a required feature on most encoding platforms, whether in-house software or SaaS cloud providers. In this buyers’ guide, we’ll review a list of features to look for in per-title encoding offerings and present a testing structure to evaluate the contenders that make it to your short list. If you’re …

Dynamic Packaging is a technique that can save encoding and storage costs for video producers that distribute two or more ABR formats, like DASH, HLS, Smooth Streaming, or even RTMP. In this interview, Softvelum CEO Yury Udovichenko discusses how his flagship product, Nimble Streamer, can deploy Dynamic Packaging for VOD, Live, VOD Remote HTTP Origin, and DVR applications. The interview …

Here’s the link to download:  W4-key encoding skills Here’s the description. W4. Key Encoding Skills, Technologies, & Techniques Monday, May 6: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. This session helps encoding professionals get up-to-speed on crucial encoding-related issues, technologies, and techniques. Topics include: Best high-level strategies for delivering to computers, mobile, smart TVs, and OTT (which ABR, codecs, and DRMs are supported …

Here’s the download: T20_Build_Free_Encoder_FFmpeg_Bento_short. The video is below. T202. How To Build A Free Encoder/Packager With Watch Folder Operation Using Open Source Tools Wednesday, May 8: 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Open source tools like FFmpeg and Bento4 are used to build massive encoding farms for high-profile premium content services, but they also serve wonderfully as simple tools for smaller developers …

Here’s the description; download handout here. T103. A Survey Of Per-Title Encoding Technologies Tuesday, May 7: 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Per-title encoding techniques customize the encoding ladder to match the encoding complexity of the source, saving bandwidth on easy-to-compress videos and ensuring the quality of more complex footage. Codec specialist Jan Ozer compares the efficiency, implementation issues, and costs of …