A video codec, a portmanteau of "coder-decoder," is a technology (software or

hardware) that compresses and decompresses digital video. The primary

purpose of a codec is to reduce the massive file size of raw video, making it
easier to store, transmit, and stream. The process involves encoding
(compressing) and decoding (decompressing) video data.

Video codecs achieve compression by taking advantage of redundancies in

video. They typically use a combination of two techniques:

● Intraframe compression: This method, also known as spatial

compression, compresses each video frame individually. It finds and
reduces redundant data within a single image, for example, by representing
a large area of a single color with a much smaller amount of data.

● Interframe compression: This more advanced technique, also called

temporal compression, encodes only the differences between consecutive
frames. For example, if the background of a video is static, the codec only
needs to store the data for the moving objects, not the entire background
in every single frame.

A Brief History of Video Codecs

The history of video codecs is a story of continuous innovation driven by the
need for more efficient compression to handle increasingly high-quality video.

● Early Beginnings: While video compression concepts date back to the

early 20th century, the first practical digital video coding standard was H.
261, developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in
1988. It was designed for video conferencing and was a foundational
standard for what was to come.
● The Rise of MPEG: The Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) became a
dominant force in video standards.

○ MPEG-1 (1991) was designed for VHS-quality video and was the format
for Video CDs (VCDs).

○ MPEG-2 / H.262 (1994) succeeded MPEG-1 and became the standard

for DVDs and standard-definition digital television.

○ MPEG-4 / H.263 (1999) represented a significant leap forward in

compression technology, paving the way for video on the internet and
mobile devices.

● The Modern Era: The most widely adopted and influential video coding
format to date is H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding),
developed in 2003. It's the standard for Blu-ray Discs and is used by most
major streaming services and web platforms, including YouTube, Netflix,
and iTunes.

● Current and Future Codecs:

○ H.265 / HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), released in 2013, was
designed as the successor to H.264, offering significantly better
compression efficiency for 4K and 8K content. However, its widespread
adoption has been hindered by complex licensing and patent issues.

○ VP9, developed by Google, is a royalty-free and open-source

alternative to HEVC. It's widely used by YouTube and other services.

○ AV1, from the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), is a newer, open-
source, and royalty-free codec designed to compete directly with
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HEVC. It offers even greater compression efficiency than both HEVC

and VP9.

○ H.266 / VVC (Versatile Video Coding), published in 2020, is the latest

ITU/MPEG standard, aiming to provide superior compression for the
future of video, including 8K, 360-degree video, and virtual reality.

Both video and audio codecs are fundamental to the way we consume digital
media. They work in tandem within a file container (like .mp4 or .mkv) to
provide a complete media experience. Here is a detailed breakdown of some of
the most prominent and historically significant codecs.

Video Codecs

Video codecs are designed to compress the visual data, taking advantage of
both spatial (within a single frame) and temporal (between frames)
redundancies.¹

1. H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding)²

● Details: The most widely used video coding standard in the world.³ It
provides excellent quality at relatively low bitrates.⁴ H.264 is the go-to
standard for a vast range of applications, including Blu-ray Discs,
broadcast television, and nearly all major streaming services like YouTube
and Netflix.⁵ Its widespread hardware and software support make it
incredibly versatile.

● Origin: Developed by the Joint Video Team (JVT) in 2003, a collaboration

between the ITU-T VCEG and ISO/IEC MPEG groups.

2. H.265 / HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)⁶

● Details: The official successor to H.264, HEVC offers a significant leap in

compression efficiency—up to 50% more efficient than H.264 for the same
visual quality.⁷ This makes it ideal for 4K and 8K content. However, its
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adoption has been slower than expected due to complex and expensive
patent licensing.⁸

● Origin: Developed by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-

VC), a collaboration between ITU-T VCEG and ISO/IEC MPEG. It was
finalized in 2013.

3. AV1 (AOMedia Video 1)⁹

● Details: A royalty-free, open-source video codec developed by the Alliance

for Open Media (AOMedia), a consortium of major tech companies
including Google, Netflix, and Amazon.¹⁰ It was designed to be a direct
competitor to HEVC and provides excellent compression. Its open nature
has garnered strong support in the industry, and it is increasingly being
used for web video.¹¹

● Origin: Released in 2018, its development incorporated technologies from

Google's VP9, Xiph.Org's Daala, and Cisco's Thor codecs.

4. VP9
● Details: A royalty-free and open-source video codec developed by Google.
¹²
It was designed as a successor to VP8 and is a strong alternative to
HEVC.¹³ It is widely used by YouTube and is supported in most modern web
browsers. VP9's open licensing has made it a popular choice for web
streaming.

● Origin: Development began in 2011 by Google, with its first stable release
in 2013.

5. H.266 / VVC (Versatile Video Coding)¹⁴

● Details: The latest major video coding standard from the Joint Video
Experts Team (JVET). VVC is designed to be even more efficient than
HEVC, providing better compression for next-generation video formats
such as 8K, 360-degree video, and high-dynamic-range (HDR) content.
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Like HEVC, its adoption may face challenges due to patent licensing.

● Origin: The standard was published in 2020.

6. Older Codecs (MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, etc.)¹⁵

● Details: These codecs were foundational to digital video. MPEG-2 was the
standard for DVD and broadcast television.¹⁶ MPEG-4 Part 2 (which
includes codecs like DivX and Xvid) was instrumental in the early days of
internet video sharing. While largely superseded by H.264, they are still
found in legacy applications and devices.

● Origin: MPEG-2 was finalized in 1994, and MPEG-4 Part 2 was developed
in the late 1990s.

Audio Codecs

Audio codecs compress digital audio data. They can be either lossy
(permanently removing data to save space) or lossless (compressing without
any data loss).¹⁷

1. MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3)¹⁸

● Details: The most famous and widely compatible audio codec in the world.
¹⁹
It uses lossy compression to significantly reduce file size while
maintaining a decent sound quality. MP3 revolutionized digital music and
remains a de facto standard for portable audio.

● Origin: Developed by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, it was officially

standardized in 1993. The patents have since expired, making it a royalty-
free format today.

2. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)

● Details: A lossy audio codec that was designed as the successor to MP3.
AAC generally provides better sound quality and compression efficiency
than MP3 at the same bitrate.²⁰ It is the standard for iTunes, Apple Music,
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YouTube, and is widely used for digital television and radio.

● Origin: Developed by a collaboration of several companies, including

Dolby, Sony, and Fraunhofer. It was standardized in 1997.

3. Opus
● Details: An open-source, royalty-free audio codec that is highly versatile. It
is optimized for interactive applications like voice-over-IP (VoIP), video
conferencing, and live streaming.²¹ It can adapt to a wide range of bitrates
and provides both high-quality speech and music encoding with low
latency.²²

● Origin: Developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and

published in 2012. It incorporates technologies from Skype's SILK codec
and Xiph.Org's CELT codec.

4. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)²³

● Details: As the name suggests, FLAC is a lossless audio codec.²⁴ It can

compress audio files without any loss of quality, making it a favorite among
audiophiles and for archiving music.²⁵ The compressed file is about 50-60%
of the original size, and can be decompressed to a perfect, bit-for-bit copy.

● Origin: Development began in 2001 by the Xiph.Org Foundation.

5. ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec)²⁶

● Details: A lossless audio codec developed by Apple.²⁷ It is a popular choice

within the Apple ecosystem, offering the same lossless quality as FLAC but
with better compatibility with Apple devices and software.²⁸

● Origin: Initially a proprietary format, Apple made ALAC open source in

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2011.

6. AC-3 (Dolby Digital)

● Details: A lossy audio compression technology that is widely used for
surround sound in DVDs, Blu-rays, and broadcast television. It supports
multiple audio channels, such as 5.1 surround sound.

● Origin: Developed by Dolby Laboratories in the early 1990s.