AV1

AV1
Alliance for Open Media · Public domain · source
Name	AV1
Owner	Alliance for Open Media
Released	2018
Predecessor	VP9
Extension	.av1, .mp4, .webm, .mkv
Mime	video/AV1

AV1. It is an open, royalty-free video coding format designed for the compression of digital video and moving pictures. Developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), a consortium of major technology firms, it serves as a successor to the VP9 codec. The format aims to provide substantial bandwidth savings over its predecessors while maintaining high visual quality for applications ranging from streaming media to virtual reality.

Overview

The primary goal of the format is to deliver efficient compression for the modern internet, enabling higher quality video streaming on platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and Facebook. As a royalty-free standard, it is positioned to avoid the licensing complexities associated with codecs like H.265/HEVC. Its development was driven by the need for a next-generation codec that could be openly implemented by hardware and software vendors without restrictive patent fees, fostering wider adoption across the World Wide Web and consumer electronics.

Technical details

The codec employs advanced compression techniques, including enhanced prediction modes, a sophisticated entropy coding scheme, and improved loop filtering. It supports a wide range of color spaces, such as Rec. 2020 and Rec. 2100, and high dynamic range formats like HDR10 and Hybrid Log-Gamma. Key technical features include flexible block partitioning, an extended set of intra-frame and inter-frame prediction tools, and the use of a non-binary arithmetic coding system known as Context-Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding. These innovations allow it to achieve significant bitrate reductions, often cited as being over 30% more efficient than VP9 and competitive with H.266/VVC.

Development and standardization

Development began in 2015 under the Alliance for Open Media, founded by companies including Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, Cisco, and Intel. The initial technical base was derived from Google's VP10 experimental codec and contributions from Cisco's Thor project. The specification reached version 1.0.0 in 2018, following a rigorous testing process within the consortium. Key milestones included the establishment of a formal bitstream specification, the creation of a reference software implementation called libaom, and the publication of conformance test suites. The Internet Engineering Task Force has published the specification as an Internet-Draft.

Adoption and support

Adoption has grown steadily, with major streaming media services integrating support. YouTube began streaming content using the codec in 2018, and Netflix started deploying it for select titles on supported devices. Browser support is widespread, with implementations in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari. Hardware acceleration is now available in system-on-chips from Qualcomm (Snapdragon), Apple (Apple silicon), Intel (from Tiger Lake onward), and AMD (RDNA 2 architecture). Operating systems like Android, Windows 10, and Linux distributions have integrated software decoders, and editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and FFmpeg includes encoding support.

Comparison with other codecs

When compared to H.265/HEVC, it offers similar compression efficiency but with the distinct advantage of being royalty-free, avoiding the patent licensing pools managed by MPEG LA and HEVC Advance. Against the newer H.266/VVC, it may offer slightly lower compression gains but benefits from earlier market availability, broader existing hardware support, and its open governance model. In contrast to its direct predecessor VP9, it provides markedly better efficiency, especially at higher resolutions like 4K and 8K. The Alliance for Open Media's model is often contrasted with the traditional standardization processes of the International Telecommunication Union and the Motion Picture Experts Group.

Category:Video codecs Category:Free video codecs Category:Alliance for Open Media Category:2018 software