That is, the better the encoding quality, the longer it takes to encode. With most codecs, there’s an inverse relationship between the two. When gauging codec performance, you consider two aspects: (1) encoding complexity or speed, and (2) encoding quality. That said, there are several submarkets where other codecs are making serious inroads. Simply stated, the primary reason that H.264 continues to dominate the worldwide streaming markets is because it plays everywhere. As a broadcast standard, H.264 was supported by many television sets and/or set-top boxes long before the video was delivered via IP.
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The Android platform added H.264 support with version 3, which shipped in 2011, wrapping up the two dominant mobile players. Today, the website Can I Use reports that H.264 playback is available on over 98.23% of global browsers.Īpple started supporting H.264 with the first iPod touch device and all subsequent iPod touch models, iPhones, and iPads. Once Adobe added H.264 support to Flash, the computer browser market shifted almost immediately to H.264. The streaming market was much simpler when H.264 first launched, with computers comprising the dominating platform for streaming video and one plug-in, Adobe Flash, the dominant video player for most websites. Because H.264 is a standard, all video encoded by any H.264 codec should play on any H.264 decoder or player, whether in a browser, smartphone, or Smart TV.
Intel and NVIDIA both offer hardware-accelerated H.264 codecs that can be accessed from the Wowza Streaming Engine. H.264 first launched in May 2003 as the successor to MPEG-2, primarily for use in broadcast applications as the internet was nascent.Īs a video standard, there are multiple implementations of the H.264 codec, including the x264 codec in FFmpeg, and the Beamr codec used in the Wowza Streaming Engine. Technically, AVC is defined in Part 10 of the MPEG-4 standard, and is different from the MPEG-4 codec, which was defined in Part 2 and never really got traction in the marketplace. H.264 and AVC refer to the same technology and are used interchangeably. It was created by two standards bodies, the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group, which called the standard H.264, and the ISO/IEC JTC1 Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), which called the standard Advanced Video Coding (AVC). H.264 is a video coding standard or codec.
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We’ll conclude with a section on what you need to know to effectively deploy the H.264 codec, particularly within the Wowza Streaming Engine software and the Wowza Streaming Cloud service. Management of encoders and decoders is easy through a web browser, SNMP or command line interfaces for advanced programmers.This article provides a quick overview of the H.264 codec: what it is, how it performs, what it costs, and what it’s good for. Many encoders support extended operating temperature range. Our single and multi channel video encoders excel in the surveillance arena where high definition megapixel SDI/HD SDI/DVI/composite cameras require encoding to multiple formats for transporting video over IP or MPLS networks. The equipment an accept metadata which can be transported with an independent program identifier in the transport stream. The encoders offer IP streams as output which can be further multicast or unicast depending on application. All encoders decoders support frame, field, and adaptive coding types. The range offers a choice from standard definition, high definition, and AAC audio encoding. Cornet offers rugged versions for airborne and seaborne applications. The video encoders decoders come in compact form sizes optimized for SWaP for custom use. offers iVDO family of MPEG-4, MPEG-2, H.264 video encoders and decoders.