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Formats/Codecs/Protocols

In the quest to deliver video at higher quality and lower latency, the streaming media industry is home to an ever-changing array of video formats, codecs, and delivery protocols. Look here for the latest news and trends in HEVC, AV1, VVC, CMAF, WebRTC, MPEG standards, royalties, just-in-time packaging, and more.

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Features

Decoding the Landscape: Recent Developments in Video Codec Licensing

Navigating the ever-changing world of video codec licensing can be complex. This article breaks down major IP-related events from the past 18 months, including the new European SEP licensing rules, Avanci's new video patent pool, and the Sisvel-RPX deal. Explore who's making deals, what technologies are involved, and the implications for royalty-free models

The State of Education Video 2024

Is the state of education video in 2024 the quiet before or after the storm? With a pandemic in the rearview mirror, we approach a crossroads where it will be determined whether enterprise-scale video hosting and management services will remain profitable at the prices that schools are willing to carry in the new normal. It's unlikely that we'll cross a point of no return this year, but I recommend keep­ing an eye out for signs that will either allay or am­plify concerns about the long-term future of schools having a degree of ownership and control of the vid­eo services they rely on.

How to Deploy GPAC for FFmpeg Packaging and ABR Distribution

As much as we love FFmpeg for transcoding op­erations, it can get frustrating when packag­ing your content for ABR delivery. By packag­ing, I mean formatting and segmenting your media files, creating manifest files for HLS and DASH, for­matting for CMAF, and managing multiple audio and subtitle streams. Fortunately, there are easier-to-use solutions that are equally open source and equal­ly free. In this article, I'll focus on GPAC, which is a great packaging alternative.

The State of Video Codecs 2024

It's been 3-plus years since the MPEG codec explosion that brought us VVC, LCEVC, and EVC. Rather than breathlessly trumpet every single-digit quality improvement or design win, I'll quickly get you up-to-speed on quality, playability, and usage of the most commonly utilized video codecs and then explore new codec-related advancements in business and technology.

Spotlights

View From the Top: Unleashing the Power of Zixi

The Most Cost Effective and Lowest Total Cost of Ownership in the Industry

The Ultimate Guide to Live Encoding

In today's competitive online video market—where quality of experience is table stakes—ensuring your team has the right encoder for your unique needs is key. Streaming data must be compressed for efficient delivery without sacrificing quality. While most encoders deliver on this requirement, they vary in terms of performance and feature set.

Streaming Media 2023 Trendsetters: Introducing LTN Wave

IP is revolutionizing the media industry, delivering unprecedented innovation, flexibility, and scalability. To reap the full benefits of IP transport, scale their content reach, and drive new monetization opportunities, media organizations need an IP solution that delivers high-reliability, scale, and low latency.

Hot Products: Pronology StreamFile Core

Pronology's StreamFile Core™ is a web-based software application for teams that enables them to receive IP video protocols and encode them into editor-friendly file formats, such as ProRes, DNx, XDCAM and H.264/H.265.

Columns

Is 2024 the Year of WebRTC?

With large sports-streaming operators, WebRTC provides a real opportunity for ultra-low-latency streaming. But those same operators, which spend billions on licensing rights, can't afford to just swap the ability to stream content in real time for basic OTT functionality like SSAI and DRM.

The Greenest Codec: LCEVC

There's no doubt that LCEVC is a more efficient codec. But is it really going to make much of a difference in energy savings compared to other sustainability solutions?

In Search of Better Encoding Quality for WebRTC

Suffice it to say that Web­RTC is finally out of kindergarten and moving into the elementary grades. Which grade exactly? Well, that likely depends on which web browser you're using and which server technology or platform your Web­RTC implementation uses.

New Rules of Codec Development

The game has changed for new codecs entering the market.

Formats/Codecs/Protocols Companies and Suppliers