In this paper we have discussed the ways and means to ensure that the user enjoys as much as possible quality of experience when it comes to playing video content either locally or through streaming. Besides the software that we use as a player, codecs and standards used also have a great influence.
This is why the launch that has just been conducted by technology giant Intel, who I am sure most of you are familiar with, is critical. In particular, we are speaking of the next generation codec also known as the Versatile Video Coding or VVC. Also referred to as H. 266 as you can guess, it is the upgrade of the H. 265 that has been around for so long.
First of all, one has to understand that video standards are changing rapidly at the moment. 4K is already becoming standard nowadays and 8K is slowly coming into the picture. Furthermore, this type of playback is already performed even via other streaming services. Therefore, while having a sufficiently efficient codec enhances the viewing of these multimedia contents as is the situation here.
h266 codec
This is the main goal, which could not be otherwise, of the new VVC or H. 266 codec, that is, to increase the efficiency of current video compression to the maximum. This will also include both the offline and the online contents. That is why the new H. 266 is expected to change the way people use video streaming platforms in a few months.
Below are the advantages of the new H. 266 or VVC codec:
As it was stated earlier, before this video codec has been released, it has undergone numerous tests and studies made on it. This is why we are now in a position to present you with a number of comparative data related to earlier editions. This will enable us to have an understanding of what we are likely to gain from it in the future years.
A very clear example of all this is that VVC is approximately 40% more efficient than HEVC when it comes to compression of 4K videos. Besides, it also enhances the speed of the most used AV1 codec by 10-20%. To add on this, there are other modern video formats like 8K resolution, here H. 266 offers approximately 60% enhancement in efficiency than HEVC mentioned above.
Of course, these figures will have a direct impact on the experience we are going to have when playing these video contents. Such encoding enables the streaming of these contents in high quality even on low internet connection. This is why VVC will be so crucial on today’s streaming services.
The users having less number of connections will also get the benefit of 4K and 8K content despite having less connection. At times, this will also mean that storage size will be lower when it comes to videos. It is also important to note that it will also slowly roll out to all types of devices and platforms.
More specifically, Intel intends to begin with the most powerful computers, yet H. 266 will be available for other devices, including smart TVs and all types of media playback devices.