How Modern Video Codecs Work

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In summary, modern video codecs work by using complex algorithms to compress video data without significantly sacrificing quality. This is achieved by removing redundant or less important information from the video, while retaining key visual elements. The compressed video is then stored in a more efficient format, allowing for faster transmission and playback. Popular video codecs include H.264, H.265, and VP9, which are constantly being improved upon to provide higher compression rates and better video quality.
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The easiest way to understand modern codecs is to look at the most common one in use today and the one most other codecs are based on, H264:



Since then, several codecs have been developed and are in use (HEVC, VVC, AV1, EVC, etc). A big problem arose with licensing. As codecs became more sophisticated, so did the licensing. It reached the point with HEVC that its uptake was slow due to the horrid licencing situation. Because of that, codecs were developed that require no licensing. The two best-known are AV1 and EVC Baseline. AV1 is a complex codec with many tools. EVC Baseline is the opposite - a simple codec with just a few tools. Surprisingly, it performs about the same as HEVC, which is 30%-40% better than H264. Because of this simplicity, I will build on it in my AI Codec.

For details of EVC Baseline:
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/Workshops-and-Seminars/20191008/Documents/Ken_McCann_Presentation.pdf

I will leave it there for this post. If this is new, it will require time to understand. If not, it is a good revision.

The next post will introduce new tools that modify the EVC Baseline codec to become a combined AI and EVC Baseline Codec loosely based on the ideas of LCEVC, which will also be introduced.
 
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Will do.

No problemo.

Added later:

I tried to write the article but had problems. I am working on it - I will have it done shortly - hopefully.

Thanks
Bill
 
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