In an industry-first, Axis has announced support for the proven AV1 video encoding standard with the release of the ARTPEC-9 system-on-chip (SoC). AV1 is on a fast path to becoming the encoding standard of choice for network video.
In an industry-first, Axis has
announced support for the proven AV1 video encoding standard with the release of the ARTPEC-9 system-on-chip (SoC). AV1 is optimized for streaming media. Thanks to low bitrate and uncompromised image quality, new features, rich client support, and hassle-free implementation, AV1 is on a fast path to becoming the encoding standard of choice for network video.
What is AV1?
AV1, or AOMedia Video 1, is an open video codec designed for high-quality video compression with greater efficiency than previous codecs. AOMedia stands for the Alliance for Open Media, the organization that created the codec. The alliance includes members such as Google, Intel, Amazon, Nvidia, Netflix, and Mozilla, among others.
According to
AOMedia, AV1 is implemented across numerous platforms and devices with the goal of lowering the cost and increasing the accessibility of video content on all platforms. AV1 supports contemporary technologies like adaptive streaming and HDR content, offers notable file size reductions without sacrificing quality, and is optimized for high-resolution content like 4K and 8K video.
Axis says that when combined with the company’s Axis Zipstream technology, AV1 delivers high-performance video with uncompromised detail and clarity. Additionally, AV1 ensures hassle-free video playback across platforms, due to widespread decoding support in browsers, operating systems, and mobile devices.
AV1 vs. H.265: A comparison
So what are some of the benefits of AV1? Is it better than the H.265 standard commonly used in video security today? Below we take a closer look.
Comparison efficiency: According to
free-codecs.com, for the same video quality, AV1 can provide 20 to 30 percent better compression than H.265, which translates into smaller file sizes and less bandwidth consumption. H.265, despite not being as effective as AV1, can still offer notable improvement over its predecessor, H.264, by reducing file sizes by roughly 50 percent.
Video quality: According to free-codecs.com, AV1, by employing sophisticated technologies like adaptive quantization and temporal filtering, can preserve high-quality images even at low bitrates. At higher bitrates, H.265 competes closely with AV1, but at lower bitrates, quality may suffer.
Decoding and encoding performance: AV1 has drawbacks as well. According to free-codec.com, one of them is AV1 takes more time and processing power; however, things are getting better as more hardware supporting AV1 becomes available. H.265 is better suited for real-time encoding scenarios as it typically has faster encoding time.
AV1 and the cloud
With solid support in all the main cloud frameworks, AV1 is the preferred solution for cloud-based applications. According to Axis, by adding support for AV1 to Axis network devices, Axis has created a simplified “bridge” between applications that will allow the company and its partners to bring sought-after use cases, such as remote video access, to market faster. In addition, many standardized cloud technologies like WebRTC already use AV1 today.
Axis will officially begin including the ARTPEC-9 SoC with support for AV1 in selected network video products in the beginning of 2025. AXIS Camera Station will fully support AV1 from day one.