Comparing Video Codecs AV1 and VVC
And, Action!
© Lead Image © Fernando Gregory, 123RF.com
Video codecs help reduce bandwidth and save storage space. We compare AV1 and VVC to help you decide which one is right for you.
Technically speaking, a video codec is nothing more than an algorithm. Its main task is to reduce huge volumes of data in a video recording so the data can be stored, copied, streamed, and played back efficiently. A video codec saves storage space on your mass media and reduces the bandwidth required for streaming.
The freely-licensed AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) [1] and the patented (commercial) Versatile Video Coding (VVC, also known as H.266) [2] are two modern video codecs that lead the field in terms in efficiency and speed. Both promise up to 50 percent better compression than their predecessors. These codecs not only differ in terms of licensing rights, but also in terms of technology and strategic orientation. This article highlights the most important differences between AV1 and VVC with a view to the licensing models, performance, and suitability for specific applications, using benchmarks to clarify who comes out on top.
AV1 and VVC are both primarily lossy compression methods: They reduce a video's file size by permanently masking or removing certain data (usually data that is of little importance to human perception). Because of this, they can maintain a very high level of quality from the user's point of view, with compression artifacts usually remaining inconspicuous. Both codecs optionally support a lossless mode in which there is no loss of quality, although this is rarely used in standard operation.
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