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Arushi Gupta

Video trends

With video playback technology witnessing quite an evolution because of the increasing popularity of videos, we have the codecs H.264 and H.265 ruling the roost. You might be wondering, in the battle of H264 vs. H265, what reigns supreme?

## H.264 vs. H.265: What do they mean?

Let’s start from the basics and understand what the two terms – H.264 vs. H.265 – mean.

### What is H.264?

H.264, also referred to as Advanced Video Coding (AVC), operates by using advanced algorithms inter-prediction, spatial intra-prediction. These units, termed macroblocks, consist of 16x16 pixel samples, which can be further subdivided into sub macroblocks. The H.264 codec is also known to achieve significantly reduced bitrate compared to its forerunner and remains in use across various streaming sources.

### What is H.265?

H.265 represents the advanced iteration of H.264, known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). Diverging from H.264's macroblock approach, H.265 utilizes Coding Tree Units (CTUs) for information processing. While blocks in H.264 were confined to 16x16 sizes to 4x4 sizes, H.265 can use a complete range of blocks from 64x64 pixels all the way to 4x4. resulting in notably more efficient compression. HEVC also demands higher computational power for effective data compression.

## H.265 vs. H.264: Understanding the differences in detail

Both H.265 and H.264 can provide high quality and small file size but there is some difference between H.264 and H.265.

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Let’s understand the points of difference in detail. 

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**Video Quality:** H.264 and H.265 codecs exhibit significant disparities in video quality at equivalent bitrates. In the case of H.264, the borders of the blocks are likely to be distorted because each macroblock is fixed, and each macroblock’s data is independent of another. In contrast, H.265 delivers sharper, more detailed images with fewer artifacts. This enhancement arises from its ability to determine CTU (Coding Tree Unit) sizes based on contextual information, making H.265 superior to H.264 in terms of compression and image quality.

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**Compression and File Size:** The degree to which a codec compresses digital videos directly influences the resulting file size for transmission or streaming. Smaller file sizes equate to lower bandwidth at a certain quality. Since H.265 uses a smaller bitrate to transmit the same quality as H.264, we can conclude that H.265 can export smaller files. Consequently, H.265 takes the lead in scenarios where limited storage capacity or constrained bandwidth is necessary for smaller file sizes.

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A corollary of this is that, H.265 also achieves a higher coding efficiency as compared to H.264 at the same quality.

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**Compatibility:** In the realm of compatibility, AVC surpasses HEVC, with it lagging in popularity compared to H.264. While H.264 enjoys support from a larger number of devices and browsers, support for H.265 is limited to a lesser number of devices and browsers. This is mainly due to H.265’s patent issues that are preventing its easy adoption. 

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**Patent and licensing:** The AVC codec has just one patent licensing. On the other hand, HEVC has four: HEVC Advance, MPEG LA, Velos Media, and Technicolor. This fact complicates the adoption of H.265 and makes it more expensive for companies to afford. 

## Tabular comparison between H.264 and H.265

It’s no fun for some technology-geeks until we talk numbers of the ‘Is H.265 better than h264’ debate’. Shall we dive in headfirst then? 



## AV1: The game-changer in video technology

AV1  is a royalty-free, open-source video compression standard developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), a consortium of technology companies including Google, Mozilla, Netflix, and Amazon. AV1 was designed to provide even better compression efficiency than H.265, and it also addresses the patent and licensing issues associated with previous video compression standards like HEVC. 

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Recently, Apple also announced hardware-accelerated decoder for AV1 as part of an upgraded video engine in the A17 Pro chip for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. This shows the fast adoption of AV1 in the technical world. 

## H.264 vs. H.265: Which codec is better?

In a nutshell, the H.264 and H.265 codecs are different in terms of video compression efficiency. Each of them have their advantages and disadvantages, and it depends on your video needs as to what you decide to choose. If you intend to stream a large amount of videos (like Netflix or Amazon), H.265 may be better for you. If your video needs are limited, H.264 may be your best bet. So, it's worth noting that despite its advancements, HEVC has its share of drawbacks, and so does H.264. Make sure you consider both for a comprehensive perspective. 

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So, which codec are you going to choose?

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_api.video enables you to quickly and securely deliver on-demand and live-stream videos directly from your website, software, or app. [Sign-up ](https://dashboard.api.video/overview)for a free sandbox account to try out api.video’s video API, or [talk to our team](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=159041573.fab7e4c5482fc812defb774e7d0c41b9.1688046163016.1695982051587.1697451788743.42&__hssc=159041573.8.1697451788743&__hsfp=3922195020) to get a demo._


H.264 vs. H.265: The ultimate video codec comparison

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api.video

Modern technology has been helpful for an increasingly fast and simple method of consuming various types of video media, whether it’s a YouTube video, our favorite shows on Netflix, or even catching up with friends across the globe on Zoom. Despite the relative ease of doing anything related to video, a few complex processes take place behind the scenes, away from public view. One such process is video encoding.

Video encoding basically makes the world go around in regards to anything related to video and video content. Thanks to the technologies behind the video encoding process, it has become much easier for people and companies to share video content on the internet. But what exactly is video encoding, and what happens during the process? We’ll take a closer look at this and much more in this handy guide to video encoding.

## What is video encoding?

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In a nutshell, video encoding occurs when you take raw video footage, either from a digital camera or an analog film camera, and digitally compress it to make it a more manageable file size. Video encoding happens daily in both professional and personal capacities, and many people don’t realize it.

But, without encoding, services like Netflix and YouTube would not exist – or, at least, not in the same way that it does today. Without it, we couldn’t send videos of our beloved pets to our friends and family as easily as we can today.

## Why is video encoding used?

There are a variety of reasons why video encoding is used, but all factors point to the single function of video encoding – **compression**.

This is done to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with a selected suite of software and hardware, be it for DVD/Blu-ray playback, mobile viewing, online video streaming, or general video editing. A file's video and audio information undergo transformation and compression during the encoding process, all in accordance with the requirements of the selected encoding standard.

On a professional level, the ability to compress raw video into more manageable sizes makes it easier to transmit video content such as training, promotion, presentation, and so on over the internet. 

On a personal level, video encoding makes it much easier to send videos taken from your phone directly to friends and family. Most modern-day personal devices have built-in video encoding capabilities to allow for this to happen without a second thought.

To put things in perspective, uncompressed or unencoded video can have a data rate that’s as low as 3,000 Mbps and as high as 12,000 Mbps, depending on the length and quality of the video recorded. 

**Without encoding, it would take up to days for anyone to not just transmit video, but to be able to consume it, too.**

## Differences between video encoding and video transcoding

You need to be familiar with two more [essential terms related to video encoding](https://api.video/what-is/) – transcoding and codecs.

Transcoding relates to the conversion from one digital encoding format to another. It takes the already encoded video file, decompresses it, and then alters it before re-encoding or compressing it into a different codec. Codecs are what allow encoding to occur in the first place. They are software or hardware that gives us the ability to compress video to make them more easily stored and delivered tightly.

While you may hear “encoding” and “transcoding” used interchangeably, the two terms actually mean different things. Putting it succinctly, encoding is the initial process of compressing a video from a source – such as a camera – into a codec, while transcoding takes an already encoded video file to convert it into a different codec.

## Examples of video codecs

In order to understand video encoding, you must first be familiar with two interrelated terms: [video codecs and video formats](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/every-video-format-codec-and-container-explained/). These also tend to be used interchangeably, but much like the terms encoding and transcoding, they refer to two different things.

Video formats are the type of files in which the compressed video/audio is stored. Also known as a “container”, you can tell what a video format is by looking at the file’s extension — the three to four characters that sit after a period in a file name. Here are some of the most common video formats used today:

* MP4
* FLV
* MOV
* MKV
* LXF
* MXF
* AVI
* WebM
* QT

On the other hand, **the codec is short for “Coder / Decoder” (compression / decompression)** and relates to the video compression algorithms that allow encoding to happen. Over the years, codecs have gone through multiple iterations as it coincides with the increasing sophistication and rise in the quality of filmmaking. 

If you’re a content creator, you might be aware of some of the video codecs that exist today:

- **H.264 – also known as AVC, this is the most widely-used video codec available on every platform and mobile device.**
- H.265 – also known as HEVC, stands for High-Efficiency Video Coding, and it’s slowly overtaking H.264 as the standard. This codec can compress video much more efficiently than its predecessor.
- **VP9 – is an open-source, royalty-free codec developed by Google and is considered the direct competitor of H.265. The video compression codec VP9 was created to reduce file sizes, making streaming videos simpler.**
- **AV1 – is another royalty-free, open-source codec released in 2019 by the non-profit Alliance for Open Media. It was developed to become the successor to Google’s VP9 and contend with HEVC more directly.**

## How do different technologies handle video encoding

As you may have suspected, there are a majority of ways that different technologies handle the video encoding process. Let’s take a look at the most common technologies that use video and how video encoding works on each of them:

### Video editing software

When it comes to video content creation, a majority of people will use one of two video editing software — Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Both of these video editing software handle video encoding in very similar ways: when exporting the finished video.

Depending on which device the video content is recorded on, it will already be encoded and formatted according to the settings of the device. For those using iPhones recording 1080p video at 25 frames per second (FPS), for example, the iPhone will automatically encode the video using H.264 and contain it in a .mov file format. The video editing software will “open up” the container to get to the encoded, compressed video file within so the editing process can begin.

After editing the footage is complete, it will need to be exported, which typically concerns video encoding. The edited raw media taken from a recording device such as a camera will be encoded via the codec of the person’s choosing before being put into a .mp4 container once they’ve hit “export”. As we’ve mentioned before, the most common codec used in video content creation is H.264 for HD videos, with 4K videos using H.265. 

### Websites

Different websites utilize different techniques to handle video encoding – with a majority of the major sites like YouTube, Netflix, and so on using their own technologies to handle the process. A majority of social media websites allow you to upload video files directly onto the site to share, although most of them require the files to be saved in specific containers. 

These websites will take your video file and transcode it before using their own systems and serves to re-encode it to match multiple display resolutions. This process will happen regardless of your video file's original codec and settings. Different websites have different processes, but companies that don’t have the capacity to build their own video encoding systems can use a third-party application programming interface (or API) to handle this process. These APIs act as [dedicated video encoder](https://api.video/encoding/) that allows companies to add on-demand videos to their websites more efficiently.

Using [api.video](http://api.video) as an example, all of the videos submitted to the platform will be transformed into H.264 codec in an MP4 container. This may be done using transmuxing and/or transcoding.

We expect the video bitrate to be lower than 16 Mbps for up to 1080p resolution and 50 Mbps for up to 4K resolution. We accept any bitrates, however, we will scale them down to the limits mentioned because anything above is usually challenging for most viewers’ connection to watch.

### API

The ability to generate, store, and distribute video is made possible via a video API. [api.video](http://api.video)’s solution can be tailored to suit any specific need. 

The backend process of video on demand (VOD) is exceptionally complex, even if you’re a software programmer specializing in video. It is necessary to encode, package, and typically transcode the data before sending it to any of several possible destinations. All of these things, and more, may be done with minimal fuss using api.video.

Our API basically keeps the complexities of streaming media hidden from view, so you can rapidly develop apps with as much control as you need. This saves time and effort so developers can concentrate on making the product.

## Conclusion

As you can see through this video encoding guide, a lot of work goes into making the video you watch and the video you share possible. Without video encoding compressing raw video footage, it could take days to upload and transmit video content over the internet and perhaps even longer to be able to download and enjoy them. 

The best part about encoding at api.video is that is offered at ZERO cost. You will only be charged for delivery and hosting of your videos, and the encoding will be free. Now integrate your videos in minutes with api.video or [contact us](https://api.video/contact) for more information.

A Guide to Video Encoding & Video Codecs

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Twitter (Anne-Sophie)

Anne-Sophie Poupard

Product updates

[Video encoding](https://api.video/encoding/) is the process of exporting digital video into a format and specification suitable for playback by a user. 

Each video file contains two elements: 
* Codecs, or “compression-decompression“ algorithms which compress the video
* Formats, the type of file the data is compressed to. 

Imagine a shipping container filled with packages of many types. In this analogy the shipping container is the format, and the codec is the tool that creates the packages and places them in the container.

## Video Codecs


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Video codecs used today include H.264, HEVC, VP9, and AV1. Common formats includes MKV, AVCHD, MP4, and WebM. 
There are pros and cons to each video codec and file format. There is no silver bullet when it comes to streaming content on the web. Certain video codecs and video formats are open source, meaning the source code is available to the user, who is given the rights to study, change, and distribute software to anyone for any purpose. VP9 and AV1 are both open source codecs types. MKV and WebM are also both open source, developed by nonprofit organizations and allowed to be used without a license.

## Video Formats

Video formats are often equated to a file’s extension, for example the .mp4 in Video. mp4. Video formats are much more than that and include a whole package of files, including a files video stream, the audio stream, and any metadata included with the file. All of the data put together, both of the streams and the metadata, is read by a video player to stream video content for playback. A file’s video stream includes the data necessary for motion video playback, while the audio stream includes any data related to sound. Metadata is any data outside of audio and sound, including bitrate, resolution, subtitles, device type, and date of creation.

## Bitrate
Bitrate or bit rate, is the rate at which bits are processed or computed over time. The higher the bitrate, the more data there is, which generally means a higher quality video file. When choosing a bitrate it is important to consider the device your videos will be played on. High bitrate file streams need lots of processing power to encode, and a fast internet connection to download for playback. If you’re having trouble choosing the right bitrate, file format, video codec, and video resolution, maybe it’s time to consider api.video.

With the api.video you can easily and quickly transcode video for your audience no matter the quality, format or bitrate. We wrote this article to help you sort through the hundreds of codecs and formats, and help you take the guesswork out of streaming video content on your site, application, or platform.

## The Most Popular Codec: H.264


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First let’s talk about H.264, also known as AVC. 

H.264 is the most widely used video codec. Sure, the H.264 codec may be a bit outdated by now, but this type of compression technology is present everywhere, with decoders available for pretty much every platform and mobile device. H.264 likely won’t be the standard for long. 
HEVC, short for High Efficiency Video Coding, or H.265 is slowly becoming ubiquitous thanks to the proliferation of 4K content. If AVC or H.264 was the codec of 1080p content, then HEVC and H.265 is the codec for the 4K era. H.265 compresseses videos far more efficiently (hence the “high efficiency”) when compared to H.264. This means H.265 4K content that is easier to stream and at a higher quality than 4K content compressed using H.264.

## New Codecs: H.265 and VP9


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H.265 is a licensed codec, meaning you have to pay to use it. Its main competitor, VP9 is a royalty free and open source codec developed by Google. This means that anyone can use the codec to compress their videos license free. Generally, VP9 produces more consistent or more reliable streams, whereas H.265 (HEVC) produces videos of higher quality. 

The differences between the two codecs are due to the strengths and weaknesses of their compression algorithms. VP9 was developed to produce videos with a smaller file size and therefore ones that are easier to stream. H.265 compresses videos using a large variety of processing techniques which ultimately create a compressed video that retains a very high level of detail.

In addition to VP9, there is another open source codec still under development called AV1. AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) is an open source, royalty-free video coding format specifically designed for streaming video content over the internet. AV1 was developed to succeed the VP9 codec and compete directly with HEVC codec on both video quality and file size. AV1 is still a highly experimental codec, but is supported by Firefox, Google Chrome, VLC media player, FFmpeg among others.

## The Most Popular Video Formats
We mentioned this before, but formats are the entire set of storage rules that package a video file’s container, codecs, and metadata. File formats are used so that a variety of devices, platforms, and players can process and playback any number of codecs. Formats are developed to improve image quality, decrease file sizes, allow for universal playback on a variety of devices, and provide special features such as subtitles. Since there are new formats getting developed every day it’s difficult to cover each and everyone. Instead, we’re going to focus on video formats used specifically for online distribution or content streaming.

The most popular video format is MP4, also known as MPEG 4. MP4 is a multimedia container for video, audio, and data, including things like subtitles and still images. Make sure you don’t confuse MPEG 4 and MPEG 4 Audio. MPEG 4 has the file extension .MP4, while MPEG 4 Audio has the file extension .M4A and can only contain audio files. So, why exactly is MP4 so popular? Well it mainly has to do with how ubiquitous it is across a range of devices. Both mobile and desktop devices can playback MP4 video files, so it makes sense that it would be used by most content producers.

## Playback Techniques for Video and Livestreaming
MP4 files are played at a constant bit rate (CBR), meaning the quality of your video stream will remain at the same bitrate no matter the variance in your internet bandwidth. There are other file formats that support adaptive bitrate (ABR), which will adapt the quality of your stream to match the internet speed of your player. One of the most popular formats that supports ABR is HLS..

HLS or HTTP [Live Streaming](https://api.video/live-streaming/) use adaptive bitrate streaming techniques to enable high quality streaming with small HTTP-based file segments. The key to this format’s popularity is the use of HTTP. HTTP is the universal language protocol for the internet, and allows for reduced infrastructure costs, greater reach, and simple HTML5 player implementation. Another great feature for the HLS format is the M3U8 file descriptor. This file allows the client or device to automatically select the best quality stream at any time, to prevent playback buffering regardless of bandwidth or CPU power.

Now that you know how file formats and codecs work it’s time to get streaming. Visit [this page](https://dashboard.api.video/register) to create a free account, so that you can quickly and easily integrate streaming video content into your application, site, or workflow. Our API can accept pretty much any type of broadcast (even 4K native content), and can quickly transcode and adapt the stream for any type of network, including EDGE. No matter the screen, size, quality, or bitrate, api.video can manage it for you. Our web service is built to answer the most demanding video and streaming needs. If you want to learn more check out our website at [api.video](https://api.video/) or join our [community forum](https://community.api.video/). Good luck and happy streaming!

## You May Also Like...
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

* [Create a Live Stream](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/live-stream-tutorial/) - Create your first live stream!
* [Videostreaming with a Raspberry Pi](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/video-streaming-with-a-raspberry-pi/) - Now that you've got a live stream working, have some fun adding one using a Raspberry Pi. 
* [Video Upload](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/video-upload-tutorial/) - Upload your first video. 

Every video format, codec, and container explained

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Erikka Innes

Software video codecs are very diverse. Each one is carefully optimized depending on what the codec designers hope to achieve. For example codecs used when capturing video will probably try to retain as much data as possible. However a codec that's going to be used to compress video for conferencing might decrease video quality and increase transmission speed to lower latency. While they may have diverse use cases, one thing software codecs have in common is the design principles applied to their creation. There are five principles applied to every software codec. 

## Principle 1: Maximize allocation of processing resources based on your codec use case 
As I just mentioned, different codecs may hope to achieve different levels of efficiency across their elements based on what they'll be used for. For software codecs, processing resources and available transmission bit rate are what limit the design. Each design is about considering trade-offs, if you put more resources into one area of functionality in a codec, it will become more efficient, but then less resources are available for other areas of functionality. There are four main areas a codec will allocate resources to:

* **Encoded frame rate** - You'd refer to the use case for your codec, say it's video conferencing, and then try to maximize allocation of resources to efficiently achieve the standard 12-15 frames per second that's expected for desktop video conferencing. If you have a unique, efficient way of increasing quality, maybe you would be able to increase the frames per second. At a minimum though, you'd want to achieve the standard.
* **Frame size** - Frame size is what it sounds like, how many pixels wide and tall each frame of your video is. Depending on what level of quality or detail you want to offer with your codec, you'd want to maximize frame size as much as possible. Your use case for the codec would dictate how you choose to maximize frame size. 
* **Peak coded bit rate** - The coded bit rate is how many bits are used per second to represent video. While higher coded bit rates mean the video is less compressed, they can be useful if you want to be able to store or transfer video at a high quality. High bit rate is hard on processors, so it's a decision that must be made carefully. Again, depending on your use case you might want to maximize the peak coded bit rate, or focus your resources on other areas that are more important for your codec. 
* **Video quality** - Video quality is tied to bit rate, so depending on use case, strategies will vary. Quality and computational complexity have a complicated relationship, but within any codec there are many places where you can trade off quality for decreased computational complexity. 

## Principle 2: Minimize latency whenever possible
No matter the codec, the less the delay, the better. Delays are less important for some codecs, but to be avoided at all costs for other codecs - like those used for video conferencing. 

## Principle 3: Minimize compiled code and storage requirements
Not all systems using software video codecs will have a lot of available memory, so codec designs take this into account. Whenever possible, they cut down on the amount of code that needs to be compiled and the amount of storage needed for the video codec to function.

## Principle 4: Make your platform code robust and portable
The more places a codec can easily be used, the greater the chance it will be adopted everywhere. Easy-to-use means the code's been well tested so the codec isn't buggy, and the codec is easy to use on many different platforms. 

## Principle 5: Provide a flexible API
Make your codec developer friendly by providing an easy-to-use, well documented API. 

## Resources 

1. Chapter 13 of Video Codec Design - http://lad.dsc.ufcg.edu.br/mpeg/VCD/Ch13.pdf 
2. Codec - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codec 
3. A Comprehensive Guide to Video Codec Design - https://www.semiconductorstore.com/blog/2014/A-Comprehensive-Guide-to-Video-Codec-Design/866/
4. Thumbnail by Photo by [Diego PH](https://unsplash.com/@jdiegoph?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on Unsplash
  

The five design principles applied to software video codec

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The five design principles applied to every software video codec

video create

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Cédric Montet

At api.video, our goal is for video to be easy and affordable for anyone to build, be it individuals or organizations. We understand that achieving this goal means reducing costs at some stage of the video streaming process. That’s why, we now offer adaptive bitrate encoding for your videos at zero cost. 

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Yes, you heard me right. 

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**Encoding videos will be absolutely free for all video qualities (1080p or 4K) at [api.video](https://api.video/) - no hidden calculations, footer notes or tricks.**

(Check out this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouosgLbW7Ts) for more details) 


## A step towards making video streaming affordable

Video encoding is crucial as it makes it possible for videos to be shared and played smoothly on the internet. It is why we are easily able to consume various types of video media, whether it’s a YouTube video, our favorite shows on Netflix, or even catching up with friends across the globe on Zoom. Video encoding basically makes the world go around in regards to anything related to video and video content.

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We at api.video recognize that. From [increasing the transcoding and playback speed ](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/2021-in-review/)to building [specialized hardware like ASICs](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/the-comeback-of-specialized-hardware/) cards to increase our transcoding capacities, we've been working to make video streaming easier for you every day. And after dedicating ample time to engaging with our customers and learning about their concerns, free encoding seemed to be the next step in this direction. 

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So, we worked tirelessly behind the scenes to give you what no one else will - free encoding for all video qualities, be it 360p or 4K. 

## How does free video encoding benefit you as a customer

The benefit is straightforward: you save a LOT of money!

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- With free video encoding, you will have one less thing to worry about. As you know, you pay for three things for streaming videos — encoding, hosting, and delivery – out of which encoding is the most expensive, especially if you have a lot of videos. Free video encoding will allow you to focus your attention and resources to what is most important.

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- As the video needs of your app users grow, you might need to scale up your encoding capacity. Free video encoding services will give you the power to scale without any additional costs, meaning your users can handle more videos without increasing your expenses.

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- You can [migrate from your previous provider to api.video](https://api.video/compare/azure-media-services/) without paying an ‘entry tax’ to us. With free video encoding, you no longer need to spend money on encoding videos with a new provider when you have already paid for encoding with an older one.

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Now with all the saved cost, you can allocate your resources and money to a place where it is actually important – building your product and delighting your users. 

## How to get started

To use the free video encoding benefit, getting started is easy. 

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- If you’re a new user, [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account and start uploading your videos
- If you are looking to migrate from another vendor, [import](https://import.api.video/) your videos from your current vendor
- If you have any questions, [talk to us](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=54467703.754940701eda85e3c99a902d8ab0b988.1687266643206.1694417789132.1694427271479.149&__hssc=54467703.3.1694427271479&__hsfp=3654297906) by booking a slot in our calendar

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To know more about our[ features](https://api.video/features/), [pricing](https://api.video/pricing/) or ask any other questions, [talk to our team ](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=54467703.754940701eda85e3c99a902d8ab0b988.1687266643206.1694162373815.1694167498585.144&__hssc=54467703.1.1694167498585&__hsfp=3654297906)and we will help you out. 

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Or, you can straightaway [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account and check our product out for yourself. 


Huge pricing update: Introducing video encoding at no cost

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Encoding and transcoding are often used interchangeably but they have slightly different definitions. **Encoding is the initial process of converting raw video files into a specific digital format or codec.** It involves compressing and packaging the video data, often to reduce file size while maintaining acceptable quality. Encoding prepares the video for storage, transmission, or playback.

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**Transcoding, on the other hand, involves converting a video from one digital format or codec to another.** This is typically done to optimize the video for different devices or platforms, adapt to varying network conditions, or ensure compatibility with specific playback requirements. Transcoding occurs after encoding and often involves changing resolution, bitrates, or formats without altering the content itself.

## What goes on behind encoding a video?

It's easy to say that encoding is when you go from an _uncompressed source_ to a _compressed source_, but you may ask, what exactly do compressed and uncompressed sources mean?

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Uncompressed sources are video files that contain data that comes directly from a camera sensor vs. encoded video. In the digital space, it's SDI (Serial Digital Interface) or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). Both of them are popular standards. You'll find HDMI in places like your GoPro camera, or a mini camcorder. These days, you might also find HDMI in professional settings, but SDI is more common due to its reliability. Another example of an uncompressed source would be something analog, for instance, VHS tapes.

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A compressed sources, on the other hand, are video files that have undergone compression during the encoding process. Compression involves reducing the file size by removing unnecessary information or encoding the data in a more efficient format. This process results in a smaller file size, making it more manageable for storage, transmission, and playback.


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## What are the types of transcoding methods?

There are three types of transcoding, depending on what you are trying to do to get a video to suit a particular browser, player, or platform:

* **Lossless-to-lossless** - This type of transcoding maintains the quality of your video across formats but allows you to take advantage of better hardware or compression algorithms. 
* **Lossless-to-lossy** - This type of transcoding will decrease your video in quality, but it will benefit you in ways such as – you will get a smaller and/or faster playing file, or a file that is compatible with the requirements of a particular platform, player, or browser.
* **Lossy-to-lossless** - Sometimes people think this means they are regaining quality. This isn't the case in this type of transcoding. If you transcode from a lossy format to a lossless format, all that it means is that you will not lose additional quality in the conversion process. You will not regain data you already lost through compression.

## Codecs for encoding and transcoding

For both encoding and transcoding, you will need to make use of codecs. A codec's job is to compress and decompress video files. It's right there in the name -  **co**mpress **dec**ompress or encode decode. So basically, codec is an algorithm that takes the video and shrinks it or changes it into a format that makes it compatible with the requirements of wherever you want the video to play. There are many codecs because there are many ways to compress a video or livestream for playback.



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## What is transmuxing?

Now that you know the difference between encoding and transcoding, let's throw one more term in there - transmuxing. Transmuxing is when you change the container for a video instead of the format. It's a way of repackaging a video to make it compatible somewhere without changing what's in the file. 

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This process is faster than encoding or transcoding and takes less computing power because you only change the container, not the file. It's great when you need to quickly make something available, but the downside is that it doesn't handle things like making multiple video resolutions available. If you choose a container type that's incompatible with your video file, you may also cause compatibility issues, resulting in not being able to play the video.

## In closing

* **Encoding** - Encoding happens when you compress a raw data file from a video camera sensor or an analog source like a VHS tape. 
* **Transcoding** - Transcoding happens when you take an already compressed video file and change it to another format.
* **Transmuxing** - Transmuxing happens when you change the container of a video file but leave the video file untouched. 

We hope that explains the difference between encoding and transcoding clearly. 

_If you are looking for an affordable video API solution that does not burn a hole in your pocket for transcoding and encoding videos, check out our offerings on our [homepage](https://api.video/) or [sign-up for a free account here](https://dashboard.api.video/register)!_

Encoding and transcoding: what's the difference? 

Encoding and Transcoding - What's the Difference?

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Doug Twitter

Doug Sillars

Once I upload my video, how quickly will it be ready to be viewed?

Our reply to this question has always been “it's really fast.”  And it is really fast. But, the dev team gave me access to the backend database, and pointed me to a few tables that might be helpful (thanks to Thomas Persohn for your patient help!)

Thus armed, I waded into a sea of data to better understand how fast our videos are encoded at api.video

## Encoding

When a video is uploaded to api.video, it is re-encoded to a HLS stream, with several different video dimensions and bitrates.  This allows api.video to deliver properly sized video to all users - no matter the device or network connection. (Read our post on [Responsive video delivery](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/responsive-video-delivery/) to learn more.)

> Summary:  All videos are encoded at 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p and 2160p. However, the videos are only encoded up to the initial size of the video (so if the original video is 720p, there will not be 1080p or 2160p versions available). 

**FYI:** For our customers, encoding is absolutely free – we offer adaptive bitrate encoding at zero cost. 

How long does this step take? If a customer uploads a video to our service - they want to know how efficient api.video creates the content for viewing.

### Data in the study

We are constantly making adjustments to our infrastructure to speed the encoding step of our video (and that is one reason this post is dated 2H 2020 - we expect to be faster in early 2021). The last major adjustment was made in mid October, so the data presented in this study from every video uploaded to the api.video service between 15 October and 2 December 2020.

### Parameters that affect encoding

There are 2 major parameters that affect the speed of encoding a new video stream: the output dimensions and the length (duration) of the video.  

#### Dimensions

The output video dimensions have a huge impact on video creation - a 3840 × 2160 (or 4K or 2160p) video has millions more pixels than a 320x240 (240p) video, so it takes a lot longer to create.  In general, the videos exit the encoding process from smallest to largest.

#### Duration

If a video is 30 frames per second, and is 60 seconds long, there are 1800 frames to be created.  If a 30 frame per second video is an hour long 3600s), there are 108,000 frames to be created, so the longer the video - the more time for creation.

## Analysis

To better understand the encoding time, I divided the data by the size of the output video size, and looked at 2 lengths of video  - those under 5 minutes, and videos that are 45-75 minutes long (we are often asked how long a 1 hour video takes to encode).

I calculated encoding time for each bucket of video using percentiles.  

> Quick review - percentiles break the data into 100 evenly sized segments, so the 25th percentile is when 25% of the videos have been encoded. The median is the 50th percentile, and is when 50% of videos have been encoded.  We report here to the 95th percentile for video encoding.

### Short videos - under 5 minutes long

Many of the videos uploaded to api.video are short - under 5 minutes long.  These videos are generally ready to play in a few seconds:



Videos are generally ready to play in a few seconds

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The above chart has a lot of data, the 25, 50, 75, 90 and 95th percentile encoding times for all 6 variants of the video that api.video creates.

The median video is ready to play (at 240p) in 5.6 seconds, but a 720p version will be ready in 15s after encoding begins, and the 4K version will be ready in 37 seconds.

95% of all videos (under 5 minutes) will be playable in 32.6s, and will have 1080p versions ready in just over 2 minutes (140s).

### Long videos - 45 - 75 minutes long

Our most frequently asked question on encoding is "how long for a 1 hour video to be encoded and ready?"  Here are the numbers:


how long for a 1 hour video to be encoded and ready?

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Observant viewers will see there are no 4K videos in this report. At this time, there are very few 4K streams that reach the 1 hour timeframe, and the data was quite noisy.  Hopefully, more of our 'long uploads' will add 4K support, so we can add this metric in our next update.

The median hour long video (red line) will be ready to play (at 240p) in just over 9 minutes (555s), and a 720p version will be ready about 18 minutes after encoding begins (1099s).

95% of hour long videos will have a 240p version ready in 33 minutes, and 720p in 54 (3230s).  the 1080p version will be available for 95% of videos in 108 minutes,

## Conclusion

Short videos will be ready to play - even at high resolution - in under a minute: the median 4K encoding for a short video is 37s. 

Hour long videos take longer to encode, and the median 720p video will be ready in 18 minutes.  95% of 720p videos will be ready to play in 54 minutes.

This is really fast! You can have responsive streaming video ready for your customers in just a few minutes with a simple upload!

That said, our team is working hard in the background to improve our infrastructure to make our encoding speeds even faster! 

We're really excited to have hard numbers to share with you on our encoding speeds, and we cannot wait to re-benchmark this data in 2021 to see how much faster your videos will be encoded as we improve our service.

Do you have questions about api.video or video encoding? Reach out on our [community page](https://community.api.video).


How fast does api.video encode video? 2H 2020 data

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Huge pricing update! Introducing video encoding at zero cost

transcoding

video api

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Have you ever uploaded a video on YouTube and wondered how your video is magically available in 5+ different qualities and 5+ different sizes? It’s not magic ✨ it’s *video transcoding*. 

Well, it’s kind of magic 🌟

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you want to know about video transcoding — from what it is, to its importance in video streaming and [video APIs](https://api.video/). With that said, let’s get started! 🚀

## The difference between video encoding and video transcoding 

Encoding and transcoding sound very similar but, in fact, are two very [different processes](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/what-is-the-difference-between-encoding-and-transcoding/). To learn about video transcoding, let’s first describe video encoding.

### What is video encoding? 

[Video encoding](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/guide-to-video-encoding-video-codec/) digitally compresses raw video from a digital or analog camera. You almost never have to worry about video encoding as your device encodes all videos automatically. The video you recorded of your dog this morning and stored on your phone - it is there on your phone because of video encoding. Similarly, the video that you shared with your friend using WhatsApp wouldn't have been be possible to share without video encoding.

In shirt, encoding is necessary for creating manageable file sizes.

### What is video transcoding?

Video transcoding re-compresses an encoded file which means that video transcoding cannot happen without an initial video encoding.

Transcoding, compresses a file from one digital [codec](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/every-video-format-codec-and-container-explained/) to another. Being able to play videos across a wider range of devices, or to improve playback experience are two of the many reasons that we transcode videos today.

An example of video transcoding is to transcode an encoded AV1 video to an H264 video codec. Why do you need to do that, you may ask? AV1 codec, despite being an efficient codec, is not supported on a wide range of devices. H264 codec on the other hand, is supported on almost all of the devices out there.

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## Types of video transcoding

When transcoding a video file, some data is lost, which is what we call lossy—the greater the compression, the smaller the file size and the lower the quality. Let’s now look at three main types of video transcoding.

### 1. Lossy-to-lossy

It occurs when one type of lossy data is converted into a different kind of lossy data. Having a file of lower quality before transcoding means the quality will drop even further during the process. Reducing the bitrate for use on portable devices is one of the justification for this transcoding method.

### 2. Lossless-to-lossy

This transcoding reduces quality loss relative to lossy-to-lossy methods while creating files with manageable sizes for mobile devices. To make good use of this transcoding technique, you will need to save archives of files that have been compressed losslessly.

### 3. Lossless-to-lossless

This type of transcoding involves using improved compression to shrink a file without altering its quality. This transcoding method saves quality when switching between formats, but the generated files are sometimes too large to transfer to mobile devices.

## Why is video transcoding used?

The use of video transcoding is based on requirements. Here we can look at some of the top reasons for using video transcoding:

- **Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR streaming)** - ABR streaming ensures the best video experience on a wide range of devices depending on your internet connection’s speed and stability. Transcoding is a crucial intermediate step to get the highest quality streaming output based on HLS or DASH. For example, video playback on Youtube could be switching between 1080p and 720p versions of the video stream, depending on your device and connection. This leads to the fewest buffering instances and higher-quality playbacks.

- **Limited storage capacity** - The word cloud is one of the biggest tricks played by marketers. It allows us to imagine a world with an infinite storage capacity for data. This is far from reality. Cloud is some hardware located in a room somewhere. No matter where you store your videos, cloud or not, you are using certain storage space. Transcoding is the key to maximizing your storage capacity, resulting in lower carbon footprints. Yes, actual carbon footprints.

- **Quality of user experience** - Transcoding is about more than just reducing a file size. Transcoding is also used to improve the playback experience.

- **Multiple target devices, browsers, and applications** - Transcoding is used for video compatibility amongst different devices, browsers, and applications.

## Who uses video transcoding?

Many individuals and businesses use video transcoding.

- Video streaming APIs for businesses and developers such as [api.video](https://api.video/). Video transcoding is an integral element of an adaptive video streaming workflow to get video content ready for a delivery protocol — like the current industry standard, HLS or DASH — that can play on as many devices as possible.
- Video-On-Demand (VOD) services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube use video transcoding on large scales.
- Content Management Systems (CMS) targeting multiple devices with a variety of video formats and sizes.
- Video Editors. As a video editor, you may prefer to work on the highest quality video codec, and once you're done editing, you could transcode your video to other codecs for delivering to a wider range of devices.

## Video APIs and video transcoding

As one of the more important users of video transcoding, video APIs are beneficial for businesses, both big and small, to create and host on-demand videos. 

[High-quality video APIs](https://api.video/) such as api.video can change your video into HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) for smooth streaming at high speeds anywhere in the world without you needing to worry about doing the process yourself. For the highest possible video quality on any connection, it handles the nitty-gritty of transcoding in different qualities for ABR streaming over HLS while keeping the best playback quality on a wide range of devices.

## Final thoughts

New gadgets are being introduced to us every day. This means there will be more cameras with greater capturing capacities and there will be more screens with higher display qualities.  At the same time, the video world is booming, and more and more businesses need to reach out to users with all sorts of devices and bandwidth. 

Transcoding is not magic, but it certainly has a magical aspect to it. It makes it possible for us to connect through high-quality videos.

Hopefully, now you know more about transcoding and why it’s used in our industry. 

Would you like to start your video journey today? 🎬 Go ahead and start testing in the [api.video](https://dashboard.api.video/register) dashboard for free.

Video transcoding: What, why, and how?

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Huge pricing update! Introducing video encoding at zero cost