Once we sit down to observe our favourite TV sequence on-line, we not often contemplate the streaming course of – we simply hit play. In actuality, there’s a video codec seamlessly managing the compression and decompression of the info to ship that easy, high-quality viewing expertise. For instance, Excessive Effectivity Video Coding (HEVC or H.265) has been one of many extra extensively used video requirements throughout streaming platforms and shopper gadgets for the final decade.
In newer years, Versatile Video Coding (VVC or H.266), the following era codec launched, providing considerably improved video compression effectivity and efficiency over HEVC. The advantages of utilizing VVC embody streaming increased decision content material at decrease bitrates, improved information effectivity and higher visible high quality.
However, while VVC delivers a superior performance to HEVC, widespread adoption of new codecs often takes time due to standardization process timelines, compatibility conditions and hardware requirements.
VVC is gaining traction, particularly around the development of software decoders but hardware support is still playing catch up. Several steps must now happen for VVC to achieve full industry endorsement.
Principal Engineer at Nokia.
The advantages of VVC and catalysts to adoption:
As viewer expectations for high quality enhance and streaming platforms proceed to develop, VVC is effectively positioned to satisfy future video compression wants. The codec has a strong technical structure and clearly established mental property insurance policies. It additionally delivers a formidable 50% bitrate discount in comparison with HEVC, for a similar perceived high quality. The end result? Decreased buffering and improved supply of 4K and 8K content, without high data costs.
VVC can be used across many applications rather than one specific use case driving adoption. Technologies that would benefit most from VVC, such as 8K, VR (Virtual Reality), and volumetric video are growing in use cases, but are not yet widely adopted by consumers and businesses. While they definitely show promise, they haven’t yet reached the scale of demand needed to drive immediate uptake of VVC.
The area showing most promise so far in driving VVC adoption is broadcast. VVC’s superior compression efficiency makes it particularly valuable here, as bandwidth limitations mean that improved compression directly impacts cost efficiency.
In the broadcast sector, there’s growing momentum from both European (DVB) and North American (ATSC) standards bodies supporting VVC, with Brazil launching experimental VVC-based transmissions in May, in advance of a subsequent commercial rollout. ATSC has recently incorporated VVC into its 3.0 specification.
Removing VVC adoption roadblocks:
Despite clearly demonstrating the capabilities of VVC, one obstacle to implementation is that firmware in some devices – such as certain Smart TVs – will require updating to enable it, despite already having the necessary hardware. This can create market fragmentation where some devices are provided with updates while others remain without VVC support.
In terms of mobile platforms, VVC has been proven to run efficiently on older mobile devices in software, easing concerns about its computational demands. However, this is an area where adoption is still slightly behind.
That said, creating a viable option to enable VVC via firmware updates in consumer electronics presents an opportunity to accelerate rollout without requiring hardware refreshes. But integration in devices must be accompanied by the availability of VVC content and services.
Overcoming regional differences:
Some markets have already integrated HEVC into their landscapes, meaning a new migration could take time and further investment. Yet regional discrepancies can also work as an advantage for VVC. For instance, broadcast markets such as Australia haven’t yet completely migrated to Advanced Video Coding (AVC) – the codec that came before HEVC. This might mean that they bypass HEVC entirely and move directly to VVC, potentially speeding up uptake in these specific areas.
VVC also faces competition in the video codec landscape, particularly from AV1 (AOMedia Video 1). Developed by the Alliance for Open Media, AV1 has achieved significant adoption in streaming platforms and web-based applications, and the next generation codec, AV2, is expected to be finalized soon. However, AV1’s performance characteristics make it less suited for complex content, meaning that, in terms of coding efficiency, AV1 and VVC aren’t direct competitors in high-end applications.
The future for VVC development looks bright
We’ve recently seen VVC being demonstrated publicly. Most notably, the technology was used to power 8K trials at the Paris Olympics, with a private demonstration delivered to premier broadcasters. The practicality of VVC for streamers has been enhanced by Fraunhofer HHI’s release of the VVdeC/VVdeC software decoder (Versatile Video Encoder/ Decoder) in 2020. This software has been ported to various platforms and web browsers, so that developers wishing to integrate VVC don’t necessarily need to start from scratch.
Real-world deployment of VVC is still in its early stages. However, continued market education, industry collaboration, and integration into a variety of devices and applications will help drive implementation throughout 2025 and beyond. As a doorway to widespread VVC adoption, major streaming platforms need to begin offering VVC streams.
Even one major service adopting VVC could create a significant domino effect, where competitors follow suit and create momentum across the entire ecosystem. So the next time you sit down to stream your favorite series, you may just be pioneering the very latest video codec, in full 4k or even 8k glory.
VVC’s unique position at the intersection of broadcast, streaming, and emerging immersive media makes it a pivotal technology in the evolving digital video landscape. As content delivery networks face increasing bandwidth demands, VVC’s compression advantages could become increasingly valuable, potentially reshaping how video is distributed across global networks. For businesses in these industries, it’s certainly a technology to monitor.
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