What is the difference between Encoding and Transcoding

What is Encoding? The first step.

Encoding is the initial process of converting raw video files into a specific digital format or codec. This process involves compressing and packaging video data, typically to reduce file size while maintaining acceptable quality. Encoding prepares video for storage, transmission, or playback.

What is Transcoding? Adapting video for different needs.

Transcoding, on the other hand, involves converting a video from one digital format or codec to another. This process typically occurs after the initial encoding and is used to:

1. Optimize videos for different devices or platforms
2. Adapt to varying network conditions
3. Ensure compatibility with specific playback requirements

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?

 

Raw video sources can be uncompressed files directly from a camera sensor, such as those using SDI (Serial Digital Interface) or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) standards. Analog sources like VHS tapes are also considered uncompressed. The encoding process transforms these into compressed digital formats, making them more manageable for various uses.

 

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.

Transcoding methods fall into three categories

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:

1. Lossless-to-lossless: Maintains video quality while taking advantage of better hardware or compression algorithms.
2. Lossless-to-lossy: Decreases video quality but results in smaller file sizes or improved compatibility.
3. Lossy-to-lossless: Prevents further quality loss during conversion but doesn't regain previously lost data.

The role of codecs for encoding and transcoding

Both encoding and transcoding rely on codecs – algorithms that compress and decompress video files. The term "codec" itself is a combination of "compress" "decompress" or "encode" and "decode". Codecs are essential for shrinking video files or adapting them to meet specific playback requirements.

What is transmuxing?

Now that you know the difference between encoding and transcoding, let's throw one more term in there - transmuxing.

Transmuxing is a process that changes the container of a video file without altering the file itself. This method is faster and less computationally intensive than encoding or transcoding. It's useful for quickly making content available across different platforms, but it has limitations:

1. It doesn't allow for creating multiple video resolutions.
2. Choosing an incompatible container may result in playback issues.

 

This process is faster than encoding or transcoding and takes less computing power because you only change the container, not the file.

Key Takeaways

1. Encoding: Compressing raw data from a video camera sensor or analog source.
2. Transcoding: Converting an already compressed video file to another format.
3. Transmuxing: Changing a video file's container while leaving the content untouched.

 

Understanding these distinctions is crucial for anyone working with video files, whether for personal projects or professional applications. Each process serves a specific purpose in the video production and distribution workflow, allowing for efficient storage, transmission, and playback across various devices and platforms.

 

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

 

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