
The H.264 video compression standard is also known as MPEG-4 Part 10, Advanced Video Coding, MPEG-4 AVC, or AVC Video, and is an industry standard for video compression. It is one of the most popular video formats currently in use.

In our digital life, we really come into contact with H.264 everywhere and the popularity of H.264 continues to grow. You can find this codec on, for example, HD DVD, HDTV, pay TV, or YouTube videos. And H.264 is not limited to consumer electronics. This format is also increasingly penetrating corporate communications IT.

Due to the growing popularity of H.264, it is estimated that by 2025, most conventional video distribution solutions that use HDBaseT or other proprietary transmission methods will be replaced by more flexible IP-based systems.
What is H.264?
H.264 or MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is a video coding format used to record and distribute Full HD video and audio. This format was developed and maintained by the ITU-T Video Coding Expert Group (VCEG) together with the ISO / IEC JTC1 Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG).
The H.264 format, which is commonly used for recording, compressing and distributing video content, is a network-compatible video transmission method that delivers high-quality images without consuming too much bandwidth.
Encoding and decoding with H.264
H.264 works by encoding (converting) HDMI (HD) audio and video signals into an IP stream that can be transmitted over an IP network. At the other extreme, the cable box converts the signals back to an uncompressed HDMI format. H.264 is so versatile because it allows you to transmit video signals from one encoder to multiple decoders at the same time. For example, you can transmit a set of video signals to a screen, a video wall, and a digital signage system at the same time.
H.264 applications: when and where can this format be used?
The H.264 video compression format is perfect for AV distribution to one or more video sources (multicast streams for multiple displays). A particularly suitable area of application is the remote transmission of AV signals over existing cables and the Internet. It is currently in the process of moving to the standard video compression format, eg. B. for the video surveillance industry.
Applications include outdoor reporting (OB vans), energy sector, education, transportation sector, drone video recording to monitor the environment, as well as video wall processing, digital signage solutions and videoconferences.
The difference between H.265 and H.264
H.265 is the most recent variant of H.264 and is also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and MPEG-H Part 2. Compared to H.264, H.265 offers up to twice the compression of data with the same level of quality for video signals. It is designed to support future resolutions up to 8K UHD (8192×4320) (H.264 supports up to 4K (4092×2160)). Some newer devices, eg. Eg Some televisions, for example, have recently come with a built-in hardware decoder that plays H.265 content; however, the improved quality and reduced bandwidth usage come at a price. H.265 encoding and decoding require more processing power than H.264; therefore, the costs of H.265 solutions are significantly higher.
Benefits of using H.264 encoders and decoders
-Transmission with a low bandwidth requirement and a higher resolution.
-H.264 was developed to provide high quality transmission of full motion video with lower bandwidth requirements and lower latency than traditional video standards such as MPEG-2. H.264 uses a very efficient codec that delivers high-quality images and uses minimal bandwidth.
-H.264 bit rate is lower than other formats.
-H.264 has a bitrate 80% lower than Motion JPEG video. Estimated bit rate savings can be up to 50% compared to MPEG-2. For example, H.264 can provide better image quality with the same compression bit rate. Or the same image quality at a lower bit rate.
-Reduced video storage requirements
-H.264 requires much less storage space to store video content compared to other standards.









