AVI vs. H.264: Analyzing Video Compression Techniques

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AVI vs. H.264: Analyzing Video Compression Techniques

AVI vs. H.264

Video compression is a critical technology for reducing the size of video files, making them easier to store, share, and stream. There are many different video compression techniques available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

In this article, we will compare two of the most popular video compression techniques: AVI and H.264. We will discuss their features, performance, and compatibility, and help you decide which one is right for your needs.

AVI

AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a container format that can store both video and audio data. It was developed by Microsoft in 1992 and is one of the oldest and most widely supported video formats.

AVI files can use a variety of codecs, including DivX, XviD, and MPEG-4. The codec used determines the compression ratio and quality of the video.

AVI files are generally larger than H.264 files, but they offer better compatibility with older media players and devices. AVI files are also more suitable for editing, as they can be easily split and trimmed.

H.264

H.264 (also known as AVC or MPEG-4 Part 10) is a more recent video compression technique that offers better compression ratios than AVI. H.264 files are typically much smaller than AVI files, while still maintaining good quality.

H.264 is also more widely supported than AVI, being supported by most modern media players and devices. However, H.264 files are not as suitable for editing as AVI files, as they can be more difficult to split and trim.

Comparison

Here is a table comparing the two video compression techniques:

Feature AVI H.264
File size Larger Smaller
Quality Good Good
Compatibility Widely supported Widely supported
Editing Easy Difficult

Which one should you use?

The best video compression technique for you will depend on your specific needs. If you need to store or share videos with people who may not have the latest media players, then AVI is a good choice. If you need to reduce the size of your videos as much as possible, then H.264 is a better option.

If you are unsure which technique to use, then you can try both and see which one you prefer. There are many free video compression tools available, so you can easily experiment with different settings.

Final words about video compression

Video compression is a complex topic, but it is an essential technology for anyone who works with video. By understanding the different video compression techniques available, you can choose the right one for your needs and ensure that your videos are stored, shared, and streamed efficiently.

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H.264 efficiency

H.264 efficiency

H.264 takes video compression technology to the next level.

The H.264 standard introduces a new advanced intra prediction scheme to encode I-frames. This scheme can significantly reduce the size (in bits) of an I frame while maintaining high quality by successfully predicting small blocks of pixels within a macroblock within a frame. It does this by trying to find matching pixels between the previously encoded pixels that constrain the new 4×4 pixel block for internal encoding. By reusing already encoded pixel values, the bit size of the data can be significantly reduced. The new intra prediction is a key element of H.264 technology and has proven to be very effective. For comparison: even if only I-frames are used in H.264 streaming, the resulting file size will be much smaller than for Motion JPEG streaming.
Illustrations of how some intra-prediction modes can be used when encoding 4×4 pixels within one of the 16 blocks that make up a macroblock. Each of the 16 blocks within a macroblock can be encoded using different modes.

H.264 also improves block-based motion compensation for P and B frame encoding. The H.264 encoder can choose to search for matching blocks (up to sub-pixels

precision) of some or many sections within one or more reference frames. You can also adjust the size and shape of the blocks to improve your search for matches. In areas where matching blocks cannot be found within the frame of reference, internally coded macroblocks are used. The high degree of flexibility of block-by-block motion compensation in H.264 is effective in high-density video environments where image quality must be maintained for the application. Motion compensation is the most requested aspect of a video encoder, and the various ways and levels in which it can be implemented with an H.264 encoder help improve the efficiency of video compression.

With the H.264 standard, typical blocky objects seen in highly compressed Motion JPEG and MPEG (as opposed to H.264) videos can be reduced with the built-in unblocking filter. This filter automatically smooths the edges of the blocks to produce a nearly perfect unwrapped video image.

conclusion
H.264 represents a major step forward in video compression technology. This standard offers various technologies to achieve better compression efficiency through the use of more accurate intra prediction schemes, as well as more robustness. It opens up new possibilities to create advanced video encoders that can significantly improve image quality, increase frame rate and resolution while maintaining the same bit rate (compared to previous standards) or, conversely, provide video of the same quality at a lower bit rate.

H.264 is the first example of a collaboration between the International Telecommunication Union, the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission on International Model Video Compression Standards. Due to its flexibility, H.264 has found applications in areas as diverse as high definition DVD (such as Bluray), video streaming including HDTV streaming, online video storage (such as YouTube), 3G mobile phone. , in programs such as QuickTime, Flash, and the MacOS X operating system on Apple computers, as well as on video game consoles such as PlayStation 3. With the support of many industries and software development,

With the wider adoption of the H.264 format in network cameras, video encoders, and video management software, system designers and integrators must be confident that their chosen products and vendors are compliant with this new open standard. Today, network video equipment that supports H.264 and Motion JPEG is the ideal choice, offering the highest degree of versatility and integration.

H.264 Profiles and Levels

H.264 Profiles and Levels

The joint group involved in defining the H.264 standard has focused on creating a simple and clear solution that minimizes options and parameters.

The most important aspect of this standard, as is the case with other video standards, is the provision of various capabilities within profiles (sets of algorithmic parameters) and levels (performance classes) to optimally support popular products and common formats. .

There are seven profiles in H.264, each of which is tailored to a specific application. Each profile determines which set of parameters the encoder can use and limits the complexity of the decoder implementation.

Network cameras and video encoders are likely to use a so-called baseline profile, designed primarily for use in areas with limited computing power. The baseline profile is best suited for use in modern real-time encoders embedded in network video equipment. This profile also provides low latency, which is an important requirement for video surveillance, and is essential for real-time control of pan, tilt and zoom of network PTZ cameras.

H.264 has 11 levels or degrees of limitation in terms of functionality, bandwidth, and memory requirements. Each level defines the bit rate and encoding rate in macroblocks per second for resolutions ranging from QCIF to HDTV and beyond. The higher the resolution, the higher the required level.

WHAT IS THE H.264 CODEC?

WHAT IS THE H.264 CODEC?

The H.264 codec is a further development of the MPEG-4 standard, also called MPEG-4 part10. In favor of H.264, at least the fact that high definition television (HDTV) works accurately using the H.264 standard speaks.

Compared to MPEG-4, the H.264 standard provides better compression due to the use of more complex stream encoding schemes. In scenes that are difficult to code with fast motion, color transitions are smoother and similar colors are compressed at a lower bit rate. This codec conveys fine details better, because unlike MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, where the minimum macroblock sizes are 16×16 and 8×8 pixels, H.264 uses blocks of up to 4×4 pixels and the block size changes adaptively for each individual fragment. In scenes with high details or fast-moving objects, this provides better image quality. With the same amount of information and image quality, the H.264 file is on average 30% smaller in terms of the size of the MPEG-4 file.

In the beginning, the obstacle to using this codec was that real-time video decoding requires very powerful hardware from the computer. Now, with the launch of Intel and AMD multi-core processors on the market, the required level of PC performance is available to a wide range of users.

AVC / H.264

AVC / H.264

The AVC (Advanced Video Coding) video compression standard was proposed by the JVT (Joint Video Team) in May 2003. At that time, it represented a revolutionary advance in video compression technology. The new standard completely surpassed the commonly used MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 Part 2 (SP, ASP) standards. By some estimates, storing video compressed according to the AVC standard requires 2 times less memory space than for video compressed according to the MPEG-2 standard with the same quality.

The new standard made it possible to receive broadcast quality standard definition video at a rate of 1.5 Mbps. This compression ratio allows the transmission of approximately 12 compressed TV channels in the frequency band previously occupied by an analog TV channel. Additionally, the introduction of AVC enabled television operators to provide new video services in places where they were not previously available and opened up the ability to “pack” more video channels into a narrow and expensive frequency range for transmission. Advantages in encoding efficiency, such as good video quality at low bit rates, have made AVC the undisputed leader in Internet TV systems and have taken the industry to a whole new level. AVC has also significantly improved the quality of digital television and made HDTV high definition television widely available.

MPEG-LA’s low license fees have also contributed to the rapid adoption of the standard, and H.264 / AVC has successfully established itself in the market to date. In 2010, the number of AVC-based solutions exceeded the number of similar solutions based on the outdated MPEG-2 standard and increased every year until the adoption of the next H.265 / HEVC video compression standard.

Key features of the H.264 / AVC standard
The H.264 standard provides advanced encoding technology using methods similar to the previous MPEG and ITU-T standards. New tools that include the following provide increased productivity and quality.

Improved motion estimation

Motion estimation allows you to search for sub-macroblocks of various sizes from 16×16 to 4×4 pixels. Motion vectors are now accurate to 1/4 pixel for luma and 1/8 pixel for chroma. Furthermore, the coding of motion vectors has been significantly improved; your prediction is used.

Spatial prediction

H.264 performs internal predictions for intracoded blocks, allowing up to 9 different directional predictions to be applied.

Optimization of encoding parameters

The classical encoding method involves making optimal local decisions at each stage. Obviously, in this case, the resulting solution may not be optimal. The AVC standard proposes a new algorithm to optimize RDO (Frequency Distortion Optimization) encoding parameters, the essence of which is to select those parameters, the use of which will better affect the result.

Modified PrEP

To transform the residual information, a modified integer discrete cosine transform (MDCT) is used, which avoids rounding errors. One important difference from previous standards is the block sizes for DCT. AVC allows transformations in 8×8 and 4×4 pixel blocks.

Filter block limits

Another innovation of the AVC standard is the use of an unblocking filter, the main task of which is to smooth out block artifacts at the boundaries of macroblocks in the image. Thus, the visual perception of each frame and the entire video sequence as a whole is improved.

Enhanced coding on smooth movements

Several new conditions have been added to AVC to encode macroblocks in “jump” mode. In fact, in this case, the macroblock is not encoded, but a different macroblock is used in the same position but of a different frame. Therefore, significant gain is achieved at low bit rates or with smooth camera movements, when the entire image is moved in the same way.

Entropy coding

The standard provides two more efficient entropy encoding processes. Context Adaptive Variable Length Encoding (CAVLC – Context Adaptive Encoding with Different Lengths of Codewords) is an entropy encoder, the principle of which is close to the Huffman compression algorithm. CAVLC allows you to compress information quickly, while providing an acceptable compression ratio.

Context Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding (CABAC – Context Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding) is an arithmetic coder.

What is H.264?

What is H.264?

H.264 is the leading video compression standard used today in video surveillance and beyond.

H.264, MPEG-4 Part 10, or AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is a licensed video compression standard designed to achieve a high compression ratio of a video stream while maintaining high quality.

Created by ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) together with ISO / IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) under the Joint Video Team (JVT) program.

ITU-T H.264 and ISO / IEC MPEG-4 Part 10 (the formal name is ISO / IEC 14496-10) are technically completely identical. The final draft of the first version of the standard was completed in May 2003.

It is used in HDTV digital television and in many other areas of digital video.

A little more about H.264 and why is it popular?

H.264 is a modern compression standard adopted in 2003. Thirteen years is a short time for an industry standard. For comparison, the first version of USB was adopted in 1995 and the second, which everyone uses now, in 2000.

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The H.264 standard is reliable, compatible with almost any device, and provides good compression. HD quality video will be displayed at a bit rate of no more than 7-8 Mbps, while the previous standard (HD, MPG-2) required 12-20 Mbps, roughly double.

There is a more modern H.265 standard, but so far not everyone is ready to use it (developing codecs based on it is a bit more expensive for the software and hardware manufacturer, and the best is the enemy of the good), there is an outdated MPEG-2 (whose use requires more space in media, needs thick channels for traffic). Therefore, in our time it is so important for the universality of software and technology to maintain this compression standard.

H.265 is gradually being introduced to Hikvision cameras and recorders, with support for backward compatibility. This is how USB 3.0 (blue) is now being introduced, appearing more and more frequently on new motherboards and laptops.

Recording standards H.265 and H.264 (MPEG4)

Recording standards H.265 and H.264 (MPEG4)

H.264 H.265

Compression standards for video have been around since the advent of the IP Internet Protocol and are used in a variety of areas, from Internet video conferencing and broadband communications networks to digital TV, video surveillance, and mobile IP networks.

H265/HEVC - what you need to know - Createinmotion

At the moment, the most widespread and popular digital video encoding format is H.264, but manufacturers and consumers are paying more and more attention to the H.265 or HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) compression standard. Let’s take a look at its advantages and disadvantages.

H.264 and H.265 compression standards

What is the advantage of H.265?

The H.265 compression format uses only half the bit rate of the H.264 format, which means that you can transfer more information over the same bandwidth and reduce the cost of hardware “hardware”.

But despite this clear advantage, the H.265 format is still far from mainstream adoption. Can you do anything with the H.264 format so far? In fact, taking into account the growth of modern technologies and the popularity of video content, the bandwidth requirements of the channel and the amount of data stored are also growing.

The popular H.264 codec now doesn’t stand still, and its bitrate is optimized in three ways: predictive encoding, noise suppression, and “long-term” bitrate control. As a result, we managed to reduce the occupied video memory by up to 75%, which means that the H.264 codec will compete with the new H.265 codec for a long time.

H.265 Complexities

Since the H.264 codec is being finalized and has been used for a long time, manufacturers are in no rush to invest in equipment modernization. And according to the results of tests of the Н.265 codec by various teams, the conclusions turned out to be ambiguous. In a real comparison, the codecs did not differ much in the size of the video stream. But many gamers had trouble playing the new codec. The difference in video quality was noticeable only at the minimum setting (200 kbps). The H.265 image turned out to be more detailed, which can be useful in video surveillance to recognize license plates at the entrance.

An additional difficulty in the implementation of the H.265 codec is the higher cost of the patent, which means that the cost of the final product will also increase for the consumer, not everyone is ready for this. Modern video equipment is constantly evolving, the quality of the video signal is improving, and the cost of components is increasing.

Enhanced H.264 codec

Another reason for postponing H.265 was the introduction of optimized H.264 encoding technologies by popular manufacturers, using various modern technologies.

Optimized H.264 Technologies

Optimized H.264 technologies use predictive coding to reduce the bit rate spent on an unchanging background image.

Predictive coding

In a simplified version, this encoding is explained in the image. The static background is separated from moving objects and simplified, the bit rate is significantly reduced, the optimized encoding reduces the volume of video transmission.

H.264 + technology

Hikvision has developed a next-generation H.264 + compression standard. The video camera detects the moving parts of the frame and encodes them with higher bit rate content; less bit rate is assigned to static parts. In addition, the standard H.264 / AVC codec is used, with which you can view and store videos on compatible devices. The only thing is, H.264 + can’t add or subtract keyframes automatically.

Noise reduction

H.264 encoding can effectively suppress various noises that occur during signal recording and transmission. This could be unwanted electrical signals, blurry pixels caused by fluctuations in light, temperature, or other external interference. By intelligently coding foreground objects, the image becomes sharper and more accurate in color.

So is H.264 encoding better than H.265?

With the above in mind, let’s draw conclusions: H.264 encoding offers nothing less than the offerings of the H.265 standard. Also, H.264 is compatible with all existing systems, is more common, and costs less.

As a result, the H.265 standard offers up to a 50% advantage in video streaming compression: you will save on hard drive size or increase drive life.

H.264 All about H.264

What is the H.264 video encoding format and why is it becoming the industry standard for video compression?

The H.264 video compression standard, also known as MPEG-4 Part 10, Advanced Video Coding, MPEG-4 AVC, or AVC video, is a standard for video compression currently among the most widely used formats.

H.264 affects all aspects of our digital life and its popularity continues to grow. For example, we find this codec on HD DVD, HDTV, pay TV or YouTube video. However, H.264 is not only limited to consumer electronics, but has also spread to business.

By 2025, more conventional video distribution solutions using HDBaseT or other proprietary streaming methods are forecast to be replaced by more flexible IP-based systems, given the continued growth in popularity of H.264.

What is H.264?

H.264 or MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is a video encoding format that allows you to record and distribute Full HD video and audio. It was developed and maintained by the ITU-T Video Coding Expert Group (VCEG) with the ISO / IEC JTC1 (MPEG) Moving Image Expert Group.

Commonly used for recording, compression and distribution of video content, the H.264 format is a video transmission method that provides high-quality images without taking up bandwidth.

H.264 encoding and decoding

The H.264 works by encoding (converting) HDMI (HD) video and audio signals into an IP transmission that can be transmitted over an IP network. On the other hand, a decoder converts the signals into an uncompressed HDMI format. What makes H.264 so versatile is that it allows you to stream video from one encoder to multiple decoders simultaneously. For example, it is possible to 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 to use?

The H.264 video compression format is perfect for AV distribution to one or more video sources (multicast broadcasts for many displays). Its use may be particularly suitable for long distance signal transmission using existing cables and infrastructure. For example, these are fast becoming the standard video compression format for the world of video surveillance. Applications can range from external transmissions (OB vans), energy sector, education, recording, transport drones for environmental monitoring, as well as Video Wall processing, digital signage solutions and video conferencing.

Comparison between H.265 and H.264

H.265, the younger brother of H.264, is a format also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and MPEG-H Part 2. Compared to H.264, H.265 offers duplicate data compression for the same video quality. It was designed to support future resolutions up to 8K UHD (8192×4320) compared to 4K (4092×2160) supporting H.264. Some new devices, such as televisions, are starting to provide a set-top box with built-in hardware to play H.265 content, though the superior quality and reduced bandwidth certainly come at a cost. H.265 encoding and decoding require significantly more processing power than H.264, therefore the cost of H.265 solutions remains decidedly higher.

Comparison between H.264 and MPEG-2

Compared to MPEG-2, H.264 has:

Better remote viewing quality with the same compression bit rate as MPEG-2
30-50% lower bit rate
Use up to 50 percent less bandwidth
H.264 is best suited for transmission oriented technologies
Advantages derived from the use of H.264 encoders and decoders
Higher resolution monitoring and low bandwidth usage.
H.264 was created to provide high-quality full-motion video streaming with lower bandwidth requirements and traditional video standards with less latency, such as MPEG-2. H.264 uses a highly efficient codec that provides high-quality images and uses a minimal amount of bandwidth.
H.264 bit rate is lower than other formats
H.264 has an 80% lower bit rate than JPEG Motion videos. It can be estimated that speed savings

The promise of H.264

High quality video at a low bit rate: the promise of H.264

With the growing number of video surveillance equipment manufacturers using H.264 compression technology in their digital cameras, encoders and recorders, end users hope that the technology can reduce the effects of multiple video transmissions on the network while improving vast recording capacity

Also known as MPEG-4 Part 10, the H.264 format is a codec standard for digital video, completed in 2003, which promises to compress video data at a very low bit rate while preserving video. High Quality. Today, many CCTV systems are forced to sacrifice bandwidth and expensive network storage space. However, if H.264 keeps its promise, the resources used today can stream and store more video streams with higher frame rates and better resolution.

Anixter’s Infrastructure Solutions Lab recently ran several tests to compare the differences in bandwidth usage between H.264 and MJPEG video streams to a camera that supports both compression technologies.

Result:

In tests with little or no motion, the video stream used only 10% of the bandwidth of an equivalent MJPEG video stream. During high-motion tests, the difference in network bandwidth consumption was smaller but still significant.

Results

The laboratory discovered significant differences in the use of network resources between the two compression methods. When the camera saw little or no movement, the H.264 compressed video transmission used about 10% of the network bandwidth required for an equivalent MJPEG compressed video transmission. In tests with a high degree of movement, the H.264 transmission used more bandwidth, so the difference in network resource consumption was smaller but still significant. There is the biggest potential difference in terms of network usage at high frame rates. The differences are not so great for low frame rates.

Video quality observations

Videos taken with each of the two compression methods were examined using the same cameras, lenses and displays. The qualitative evaluation of the laboratory engineers revealed a slight difference in quality between them. The laboratory estimates that the H.264 video has a quality equivalent to about 95% of that produced with MJPEG compression technology.

It has also been observed that the strobe effect of certain shaded or raster patterns could significantly increase the bit rate of the compressed H.264 video stream compared to scenes without such patterns. When these patterns took up much of the camera’s field of view, they appeared to represent a large motion area for the camera’s encoding engine, resulting in an increase in the amount of data required for image transfer. However, these extraordinary peaks did not reach the level of the resources required to transmit and store an equivalent sequence in MJPEG.

Conclusions

Video streams encoded with the H.264 compression method have significantly reduced network storage requirements compared to streams compressed in MJPEG. Even if these tests do not measure the storage space required to record these images, there is a direct link between the use of network bandwidth for compressed data transfer and the storage space required for capturing this data. For IT and security administrators, the lab recommends using H.264 compression technology to reduce the bandwidth load of network video transmissions while increasing storage space for the same amount of Live Video.