2. Technical aspects to consider in video editing

2.2. Compression, codecs, containers and video players

2.2.2. What is a codec?

As we explained at the beginning of this section, the codec allows the encoding and decoding of video, audio and text content, and allows compressing and decompressing all the information kept inside the container file. In other words, it is a specification on how to encode a type of information and then decode it.

As for video codecs, among the most common are:

  • H.264. Also known as AVC and widely used to export videos and upload them to different web platforms. Created in 2003, it has been evolving, producing high quality video while keeping the bitrate low. H.264 is one of the most current video formats and has a simple design structure and a flexible format for mass use. H.264 is an ideal candidate for YouTube format or for any web streaming tool.
  • H.265 and VP9. H.265 is a licensed codec, which means that you have to pay to use it. Its main competitor, VP9, is a royalty-free and open-source code developed by Google. This means that anyone can use the codec to compress their videos without a licence. In general, VP9 produces more consistent or more reliable streams, while H.265 (HEVC) produces higher quality video. H.265 is the first codec to support 8K resolution, making it an industry pioneer.
  • AV1. An excellent alternative to H.265, AV1 is open-source and free of copyright. In other words, this is one of the best free video codecs available on the market. AV1’s decoding capabilities are not yet fully integrated on a large scale, but its creators claim that it is 30% more efficient than its H.265 competitor.
  • DIVX. It is known for being the first video codec that was used in the first films in DVD format to reduce the size and record the content on a CD. It provides images of similar quality to DVD while requiring less storage capacity. To view videos with DIVX, it is necessary to install decoders or codecs that almost always work with plugins. This format is now obsolete.

As for audio codecs, AAC, FLAC, MP3 and OGG Vorbis are among the most popular.