What is HEVC (H.265)?

Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), H.265 is a new video compression standard, which produces videos of the same quality as H.264 yet taking up only half the bandwidth.

H.265/HEVC is critical for streaming high-quality video even in congested network environments, and will be a driving factor in the delivery of 4K content to new Ultra HD displays.

H.265 PK H.264, what’s the advantages of H.265?

1. Flexible coding structure

In H.265, the size of macro block is explored from 16*16 to 64*64 for better compression of high resolution video.

2. High coding efficiency

At the same code rate, H.265 image will show higher definition in water plants details

3. What’s more?

Compared with H.264, It is approximate 2X as effective as H.264, it can reduces file size up to 50% with the same quality, Supports resolution up to 7680 × 4320 (8K), Reduces video noise and increases dynamic range.

What’s the current situation of HEVC?

In 2013 CPSE, Hisilicon and Grain Media did a demo on the initial results of their H.265 research. All of the invited visitors were impressed and agreed that H.265 had a huge potential. However, there are still some shortages to overcome.

1. An imbalance between cost and product features.

The price of H.265 DVR is much higher than H.264 DVR. According to the price of H.265 DVR at present, one 4CH H.265 DVR kit need $235.2 to $400. But a same H.264 DVR kit just need $95 to $200.

2. Need devices to support H.265/ HEVC coding, improve the performance.

This will depend on many factors — for example, how soon will graphics chips makers, such as AMD and NVIDIA, integrate H.265 into their products. The first generation of H.265 chipsets may be only suitable for initial video coding standards, and there are still many H.265 image processing functions, extensions, and multiview video coding that need to be enhanced.

Though, H.265 is said to double the data compression ration compared to H.264 at the same level of video quality. But our present Ambarella IP Camera can actually do it, and price is very competitive.

Right now, only a few manufacturers are just planning to launch H.265 products in Q3 2015. The introduction of H.265 coding standard means that the theory is ready, but a unified method to transmit such ultra HD signals is not. H.265 is a new technology yet to be perfect in performance, when view the video by mobile client will cause much more power consumption.

3. Need Large-scale popularization.

The current H.265 due to price reasons, now is only used by public security, transportation, government, telecommunications an financial industries, which required a high-resolution with Full HD quality.

For other industries, most of them already have existing technologies and therefore would be hesitant to adopt H.265, which requires a longer verification period.

There has a long way to go to reach Large-scale popularization. And now the H.264 is still the main-stream products. H.265 worth the expectation.

What’s the trend of H.265? Is it necessary and important for us to launch HEVC?

H.265 implementation has generated huge optimism given industry’s struggle with shortage of bandwidth, spectrum, storage, and imminent need to take growing HD content for multi-platform delivery. It can result in 20% investment savings, ensuring higher performance and lower network and system building cost in video surveillance. Implementation of the new format in video surveillance is “inevitable.” It will be a significant development for the future technological growth in HD surveillance.