H.265 HD HEVC Video Format Is Ratified
We aren't moving in a direction where the world at large streams less: we're moving towards a world where streaming is the norm. While data caps and pricing tiers have flourished just as data use has started to skyrocket, streaming video remains a dodgy issue. It's obviously vital content, but it also requires massive amounts of data to transmit. The solution? According to the ITU, a new video coding standard. The entity has just issued a release that details H.265, which builds upon the successful H.264 codec used so much already. The ITU proclaims: "The new codec will considerably ease the burden on global networks where, by some estimates, video accounts for more than half of bandwidth use. ITU-T H.265 / ISO/IEC 23008-2 HEVC will provide a flexible, reliable and robust solution, future-proofed to support the next decade of video. The new standard is designed to take account of advancing screen resolutions and is expected to be phased in as high-end products and services outgrow the limits of current network and display technology. "
The new standard, known informally as ‘High Efficiency Video Coding’ (HEVC) will need only half the bit rate of its predecessor, ITU-T H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 ‘Advanced Video Coding’ (AVC), which currently accounts for over 80 per cent of all web video. HEVC will unleash a new phase of innovation in video production spanning the whole ICT spectrum, from mobile devices through to Ultra-High Definition TV. Companies including ATEME, Broadcom, Cyberlink, Ericsson, Fraunhofer HHI, Mitsubishi and NHK have already showcased implementations of HEVC. The new standard includes a ‘Main’ profile that supports 8-bit 4:2:0 video, a ‘Main 10’ profile with 10-bit support, and a ‘Main Still Picture’ profile for still image coding that employs the same coding tools as a video ‘intra’ picture.
When will we see the new codec taking shape on the web? That's harder to say, but it's great that companies are already thinking about this. Even a 5%-15% savings in data rate transmission could save gobs of bandwidth globally given just how many billions of hours are invested on sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, Netflix, etc.
The new standard, known informally as ‘High Efficiency Video Coding’ (HEVC) will need only half the bit rate of its predecessor, ITU-T H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 ‘Advanced Video Coding’ (AVC), which currently accounts for over 80 per cent of all web video. HEVC will unleash a new phase of innovation in video production spanning the whole ICT spectrum, from mobile devices through to Ultra-High Definition TV. Companies including ATEME, Broadcom, Cyberlink, Ericsson, Fraunhofer HHI, Mitsubishi and NHK have already showcased implementations of HEVC. The new standard includes a ‘Main’ profile that supports 8-bit 4:2:0 video, a ‘Main 10’ profile with 10-bit support, and a ‘Main Still Picture’ profile for still image coding that employs the same coding tools as a video ‘intra’ picture.
When will we see the new codec taking shape on the web? That's harder to say, but it's great that companies are already thinking about this. Even a 5%-15% savings in data rate transmission could save gobs of bandwidth globally given just how many billions of hours are invested on sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, Netflix, etc.
