October, 2022

• 22 October

  Additions and Updates to Video Quality Metrics Course

  New lessons detail how to use FFMetrics; updated lessons on what VMAF is, how to compute VMAF with FFmpeg, and how to interpret VMAF scores. Just a quick note to let you know about new additions and updates to our course, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics: A Course for Encoding Professionals, which teaches encoding professionals how to choose and …

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• 11 October

  Google Chrome plays HEVC: What Does it Mean?

  

  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 …

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August, 2022

• 9 August

  Streaming Veteran Jan Ozer Joins NETINT as ASIC Adoption Accelerates

  

  I’m joining NETINT’s marketing team and will continue to write, speak, publish, and maintain and expand the courses at the Streaming Learning Center.  Vancouver, BC – August 8, 2022 – NETINT Technologies today, announced the hiring of Jan Ozer in the role of Senior Director, Video Technology Marketing. In this position, Ozer will lead industry benchmarking, technical validation, content creation, and the development of product …

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• 1 August

  SLC Updates AV1 Encoding Course

  

  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 …

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• 1 August

  I’ve Concluded My Projects With Sisvel

  

  Just a quick post to note that I’ve finished my work with Sisvel. It was great meeting and working with the talented folks at Sisvel and learning how patent pools operate from the inside. I greatly appreciate the experience and wish Sisvel and the pool members success as they work to protect and monetize their intellectual property rights. The next …

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July, 2022

• 28 July

  SLC Releases Cloud-Based HEVC and H.264 Per-Title Quality and OPEX Reports

  

  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 …

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• 27 July

  Choosing a Preset for SVT-AV1 (Or Any Codec)

  

  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 …

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• 19 July

  SLC Releases Free Course: Introduction to Streaming Media

  

  Announcing a free course entitled Introduction to Streaming Media. As the name suggests, the course introduces students to fundamental concepts of streaming media. The course includes just under 100 minutes of instruction in 16 lessons with twelve quizzes to test retention. Students who complete all lessons and earn a 100 on all quizzes will earn a certificate. The basic concept …

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• 11 July

  How to Compare Per-Title Encoding Systems

  

  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 …

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June, 2022

• 24 June

  Don’t Sacrifice Usability On the Altar of Design

  I took two pictures of clocks in my kitchen this morning, on the left is the microwave, on the right, the coffee maker. Which time is correct and what’s the key clue? If you guessed microwave because it’s about the time I actually start working in the morning, you’d be half right. The answer? The microwave’s clock is correct, and …

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