Once upon time, video codecs and formats were really only the concern of AV nerds, anime freaks and hardcore not-so-legal movie downloaders. Now, even the most part-time of geeks has to deal with them, whether they're trying to stream a flick across their house with an Apple TV, dump some video onto their phone or just trying to grab last night's episode of Dexter because they, uh, forgot to renew their Showtime subscription. It's messy and annoying, but we're here to clean it up. Take a deep breath.

You might recall our discussion about video bitrates earlier, or how much data is packed into a file. As a general rule, more bits per second translates into more betterer quality audio and video. The variable in that—the other part of the equation—is how the content is compressed and de-compressed. Better compression techniques—the zen of knowing what bits of data to pull out to make big data chunks smaller—make for better quality video while taking up less space on your hard drive. Basically, the part you need to know is that codecs are the software that make that magic happen.

Standard Standards
• H.261 is not a term you have to worry about, but it's the technology that most video standards and codecs were originally based on. Originating in 1990, it's the first major digital video compression standard, and like other "H" standards, it was developed by the International Telecommunication Union. This one was primarily for teleconferencing over ISDN lines, and as such, it looks like ass.

• MPEG-1 Part 2 is another oldie, developed by the Movie Picture Experts Group and approved in 1991. (BTW, the whole "part" thing is because video is just one "part" of each MPEG standard.) Based quite a bit on H.261, MPEG-1 was designed to take VHS quality video and squeeze it down to a bit rate of about 1.5Mbps, optimized for CD transfers. No surprise, it's the standard used for all VCDs (which can play in most DVD players), but not a standard you would see hanging around today.

• With MPEG-2 Part 2, approved in 1994, we're finally talking decent vid. Also known as H.262, since it was developed jointly by the ITU-T and ISO, MPEG-2 is an extension of MPEG-1 that delivers better resolution and higher bit rates (3-15Mbps for standard def and 15-30Mbps for HD, though the spec allows for up to 100Mbps). It's the video codec used by DVD and digital television, though now it's slowly being replaced by the more efficient MPEG-4, except on DVDs, where it'll ride out that disc format's lifetime.

• H.263 is designed for sending video over crappy connections. So it's used to encode most Flash video and to send video over mobile networks.

• MPEG-4 is where we really stand right now. It has a much broader scope than past MPEG standards, aiming to tackle both the low end (crappy cellphones on a crappy network) and the high end (Blu-ray). It's still developing, so it's not-so-coincidentally where this whole story gets messier. There are two relevant parts of the MPEG-4 standard for our myopic video purposes: There's Part 2. And there's Part 10—which is also known as H.264 or Advanced Video Coding (AVC). To be clear though, even though they're both part of the MPEG-4 standard, they're totally different formats. Nevertheless, both are more efficient at compression than past MPEG codecs, delivering better quality using less space.

• Okay, so if you've ever frequented a Torrent site, you've actually watched tons of videos that use MPEG-4 Part 2, though it's not like they would've had a flashing sign telling you so. MPEG-4 Part 2 actually has different "profiles"—the two that matter being Simple Profile, for low bitrate, low-res stuff, and Advanced Simple Profile. The latter profile is what's used by movies you would download in formats like DivX or XviD or 3ivx—which are all codecs that are essentially just differing implementations of the MPEG-4 Part 2 standard.

• MPEG-4 Part 10, the other part, was actually co-devopled by MPEG and the ITU-T, so it's also known—in fact, more commonly known—as H.264. It's more efficient than MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 Part 2, delivering the same quality video in as little as half the space, making it suitable for the low and high-end. Because of this, it's quickly becoming the standardest standard. It's part of the HD DVD and Blu-ray spec, replacing MPEG-2 in digital TV (like with satellite services and AT&T's U-Verse IPTV) and supported by pretty much every portable video player on the planet from the iPod to the PSP. Apple has a decent, if Kool-Aid flavored, FAQ about H.264.

• VC-1 is essentially a Microsoft developed alternative video codec to H.264 released as a standard by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, though it descends from the same H.26X/MPEG family. (It essentially started life as WMV9, but then Microsoft shopped it to the SMPTE to make it an industry standard, and now it is.) It too, is part of the mandatory Blu-ray and HD DVD spec, and is the official video codec of the Xbox 360. It's pitch is the same as H.264's—trying to deliver better quality using less space, like HD video in 6-8Mbps.

Free-Floating Codecs
Okay, so all that stuff up there are industry-wide standard video codecs. On top of all of those, various entities love putting out their own spin on those standards. As we mentioned before, DivX (proprietary) and XviD (open source), for instance, use MPEG-4 Part 2 (more specifically, MPEG-4 ASP) compression, meaning stuff that'll natively play back MPEG-4 ASP will also play back DivX. Like the Xbox 360, for instance. There are a ton of MPEG-4 ASP-based codecs, actually, like FFmpeg, 3ivx and others, but DivX and XviD are the most common. Same deal with H.264: Some well known codecs that use it are Apple's Quicktime H.264, x264 and Nero Digital. You've also got Windows Media Video (WMV) codecs, which are Microsoft's proprietary twists on industry standards.

Containers aka Wrappers
Alright, well you've probably noticed that none of your video files have the extension .h264 or .vc1 or the like. That's because videos are packaged in containers or wrappers that stuff things like the audio, navigational info, etc. along with the video in a single pretty file. Naturally, there are about as many of them as there are codecs. To be clear, you would take a video encoded with, say, H.264, and wrap it up as a .mp4 or .avi file.

The majors ones are:
• AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is Windows' standard multimedia container
• MPEG-4 Part 14 (known to you as .mp4) is the standardized container for MPEG-4
• FLV (Flash Video) is the format used to deliver MPEG video through Flash Player
• MOV is Apple's QuickTime container format
• OGG, OGM and OGV are open-standard containers
• MKV (Mastroska) is another open-specification container that you've seen if you've ever downloaded anime
• VOB means DVD Video Object. Guess what? It's DVD's standard container, and what you get when you rip a DVD.
• ASF is a Microsoft format designed for WMV and WMA—files can end in .wmv or .asf

So, in order to play a video file, your setup has to be able to handle both the actual video codec and the container. It's why you can try to play an AVI file and Windows Media Player laughs at you, even though it totally played one a minute ago— the container was no problem, but it didn't have the right codec. Or conversely, even though an iPod could play back an H.264 encoded video, if it was wrapped up in MKV, it won't be able to read it.

Okay, my brain hurts. Hopefully this will make yours hurt less when it comes to dealing with pesky videos. If you'd like to do even more homework, Wikipedia, as always, has a more in-depth discussion. And Doom9 is always an amazing resource for all things digital video.

Something you still wanna know? Send any questions about codecs, kitties or pad thai (but not RealMedia) to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.

[Image: ME@Flickr]

New JVC HD Everio Line Includes World’s First 50-Hour AVCHD Camcorder And Dual-Format Models

Two new HD models offer both AVCHD and MPEG-2 recording

WAYNE, NJ, June 17, 2008 – JVC has added three new high definition camcorders to its HD Everio line,
including a pair of dual-format models, one of which records up to 50 hours of AVCHD Full HD video.

Two new models, the GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30, are the world’s first
AVCHD / MPEG-2 dual-format camcorders, allowing access to the
superior long time compression afforded by AVCHD, as well as
MPEG-2’s superior editing and post-production environment. Both
offer 1920 x 1080 Full HD recording in both formats to a 120GB (GZ-
HD40) or 80GB (GZ-HD30) internal hard disk drive. The third new
model, the GZ-HD10, offers 1440 x 1080 recording in the AVCHD
format to a 40GB hard drive.

Technologies behind the scenes include new CMOS imaging chips
with interpolation technology, the HD Gigabrid Duo chip that includes codecs for AVCHD in all
camcorders and MPEG-2 in the GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30 as well as noise reduction technology, and 1920
x 1080/60P output for all camcorders via HDMI™ (V.1.3 with x.v.Color). Ease of use innovations include
Intelligent Grouping, which sorts and groups together similar themed scenes for easier access, and
Digest Playback, which creates a video montage of scenes, much like a “coming attractions” clip, when
they’re burned to a DVD.

JVC designed the GZ-HD30 to meet the needs of a broad segment of people who shoot video, including
family users. More compact than the GZ-HD40, it offers all of the performance and nearly all of the
features of that model, except it has a slim 80GB internal hard disk for a maximum 33 hours of Full HD
recording, and does not come with a docking station. As of June 2008, it is the world’s smallest Full HD
camcorder with 1.8” HDD.

JVC provided the GZ-HD40 with a 120GB hard disk drive for up to 50 hours of AVCHD Full HD video
recording, and a docking station to meet the requirements of the prosumer or high-end enthusiast.

JVC designed the small sized HD Everio GZ-HD10 thinking of the needs of budget-conscious users, yet it
offers a high quality KONICA MINOLTA HD LENS and a 40GB hard disk that provides up to 16 hours of
high-definition recording. The GZ-HD10’s 1440x1080 AVCHD recordings are also up converted for
playback at 1920 x 1080/60P via HDMI.

All three of the new HD Everio camcorders can connect to the optionally available CU-VD50 Everio
SHARE STATION with stand alone playback. The new HD Everios can also connect to the JVC CU-VD3
SHARE STATION to offer an even more cost-efficient archiving and playback solution. The combinations
offer the world’s first PC-less solution for AVCHD and MPEG-2 burning and playback, with AVCHD DVD
discs that can be shared with commonly available AVCHD compatible Blu-Ray players.

1920 x 1080 Full HD Recording
The GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30 both have three AVCHD recording modes that all record Full HD 1920 x
1080 video. The only difference among modes is the bit rate, and while using the highest bit rate yields
the highest quality results, the image quality is remarkable even using the lowest bit rate EP mode. And
since 1920 x 1080 is truly native HDTV resolution, it requires no conversion on the part of the display
device to show high definition images.

The GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30 also have the FHD mode for recording Full HD 1920 x 1080 MPEG-2
Transport Stream video with MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. The GZ-HD10 records solely in 1440 x 1080
AVCHD format.

AVCHD MPEG-2 TS
1920x1080 1920x1080 1440x1080
Model / Record Mode XP SP EP FHD 1440CBR*
GZ-HD40 (120 GB) 15hr. 21 hr. 50 hr. 10 hr. 10 hr.
GZ-HD30 (80 GB) 10 hr. 14 hr. 33 hr. 6 hr. 6 hr.
1440x1080
GZ-HD10 (40 GB) 5 hr. 7 hr. 16 hr. - -

For all camcorders
Micro SDHC Card (8GB) 1hr 1hr 28 min. 3hr 20min - -
System Bit Rate (VBR) Ave. (CBR) Ave.
17 Mbps 12 Mbps. 5 Mbps 26.6 Mbps 27 Mbps

*For HDV compatible stream via i.LINK
Continuous shooting time and typical shooting time are approximate. To record video, a microSDHC card with Class 4 or higher performance is required. microSD memory cards (256MB to 2GB) and microSDHC memory cards (4GB and 8GB) have been tested for the following brands: Panasonic, Toshiba, SanDisk, ATP. Note that using other media may result in recording failure or data loss.

New CMOS Chips with Interpolation Technology
The image sensors used in the new HD Everio line are newly developed small size but high resolution
1/3” and 1/4.5” CMOS chips. This CMOS uses proprietary interpolation technology based on what JVC
developed for its 3CCD cameras. This algorithm makes it possible to generate virtual pixel data (orange
diamond area shown in illustration below) from the red, green and blue physical pixels, thereby providing
image information that actually surpasses what’s required for 1920 x 1080 Full HD imaging, or for 1440 x 1080 imaging in the GZ-HD10.

*GZ-HD10 pixels are not diagonal

HD Gigabrid Duo Engine
JVC’s HD Gigabrid video engine, which processes in full 1920 x 1080 progressive video, was the result of
years of experience in signal-processing technology, and uses five digital noise-reduction algorithms as
well as signal processing to improve horizontal scan resolution by approximately 20 percent over JVC’s
previous interlace technology, for an extremely clear and sharp image.

New this year with the HD Gigabrid Duo engine is its further advanced integration, adding the AVCHD
codec (GZ-HD40/30/10), and incorporating all functions of the previous HD Gigabrid engine (including
MPEG-2 codec for GZ-HD40/30), as well as the USB Host controller function for use with an Everio
SHARE STATION.

1080p 60 Frame per second Progressive Output Function
Enabling output of a 1080p 60 fps progressive signal on all three models allows recordings to be enjoyed
on high-end displays. Using the same high power Genessa technology as in JVC advanced displays,
conversion to 1920 x 1080p at 60 fps provides seamless natural video, free of motion judder during fast
action activities, jaggy lines on angles, and moiré patterns on fine detail when zooming. 1920 x 1080 HD
discs played back from CU-VD50 SHARE STATION or via the camera from CU-VD3 SHARE STATION
are also converted to 60 fps progressive.

HDMI™ (V.1.3. with x.v.Color™)
The new JVC HD Everio camcorders record using x.v.Color™ technology. The universal standard xvYCC,
known as x.v.Color, provides more accurate color reproduction with more detail and shades that look
more natural to the human eye. It can display 100 percent of the colors that the human eye is capable of
perceiving, whereas the traditional sRGB system can only display approximately 55 percent. The
difference in color reproduction performance is especially noticeable in greens and yellows. These new
HD Everio camcorders output to televisions directly using HDMI™ (V.1.3. with x.v.Color).

Extremely Quick Response, Designed for High Quality Shooting
JVC’s new HD Everio models minimize the risk of missing an important shot with faster response time for
many operations. For instance, the time lag from pressing the trigger to the start of recording is only 0.08
seconds (trigger sound set to off). That is nearly instantaneous, and a great improvement over the more
common 0.6 second delay. Likewise, the time it takes to power-on the unit has been reduced to 0.6
seconds, whereas competitive models may take over 1.5 seconds. And to play footage, it takes only 3.5
seconds to display the playback picture, which is about half the time required for other manufacturers’
products. These improvements can mean the difference between capturing a crucial shot or missing it.

In addition, JVC HD Everio camcorders include other functions that enhance convenience and quality:
* Hybrid HDD and MicroSD Recording;
* Auto Light;
* Focus Assist and Manual settings;
* Simultaneous to Video Progressive Still Shooting;
* Quick power off;
* 2.8”/ (2.7” for GZ-HD10) Clear wide LCD with Auto Backlight Brightness;
* Mic input and Accessory Shoe;
* Direct Backup button;
* In Camera File Editing (AVCHD).

Innovations in Ease of Use
JVC has equipped its new HD Everio models with new functions to enhance usability. First is the
“Intelligent Grouping” function that at the touch of a button rapidly sorts through and categorizes the
recordings stored on the camcorder’s hard disk into different groups. Up to 1,000 scenes can be grouped
in three seconds or less. With scenes categorized, users will have faster and easier access to desired
scenes, a real convenience as the hard drive fills up.

As an extension of this technology, “Digest Playback” automatically generates a video montage of just the
highlight scenes when HD Everio recordings are copied to a DVD. This digest version of the disc contents,
looking much like a coming-attractions clip, will help the viewer get a general idea of what the disc is
about, saving precious time.

PC-less Archiving Using Exclusive DVD Burners
By connecting the GZ-HD40/HD30/HD10 directly to an optional CU-VD50 or CU-VD3 HD Everio SHARE
STATION via USB, the user can burn 12cm AVCHD discs from all cameras, or MPEG-2 data discs from
the GZ-HD40 and 30 to make backups and permanent
archives of selected scenes in any desired order with
just a few simple steps.

There are several options for selecting clips to be burned
to disc — all clips, manually specified clips, clip files not
yet copied, by date, video playlists created in-camera
and comprised of multiple user-selected clips, or by
event type for those clips that have been tagged with an
icon representing an event category (e.g. birthday, baby,
graduation, vacation, etc.).

Created AVCHD discs can be played on AVCHD
compatible Blu-ray players. The CU-VD50 can also be used as an external DVD drive/burner when
connected to a PC. The CU-VD50 plays back on a TV via HDMI in 1920 x 1080 60p and with x.v.Color,
analog component and as well in standard definition video. The slim CU-VD3 offers the same burning
features, but with playback via the camcorder.

Full Complement of Interfaces
All three models are equipped with USB2.0 and HDMI digital interfaces on the camcorder. The Docking
Station supplied with the GZ-HD40 is equipped with USB2.0 and i.LINK (IEEE 1394).

USB is primarily for file saving, HDMI for digital viewing on large screen displays, and i.LINK streams high
definition video in full resolution or the 1440CBR mode. High definition video streamed by i.LINK in the
1440CBR mode is HDV-compatible and allows footage to be edited using HDV-compatible software
(functionality might be limited with some applications). HD recorded material is down-converted for output
in DV over i.LINK, or in standard definition via the analog component/ composite output.

High Value Software Supplied
For editing and archiving via PC, the new HD Everio models come with the CyberLink BD Solution
software suite for Windows. This includes “PowerDirector™ 6 NE” for HD video editing,
“PowerProducer™ 4 NE” for authoring high definition Blu-ray discs, AVCHD discs and DVD-Video discs,
“PowerCinema™ NE for Everio” for HD file management and playback, and “PowerDVD™ 7 NE” for
playback of AVCHD discs.

The GZ-HD40/HD30 also come with a plug-in that allows HD Everio’s MPEG-2 files to be used with Apple
iMovie HD 6 and Final Cut Pro 5 or 6 video software for the Macintosh. For all camcorders, AVCHD files
can be used with Apple's AVCHD applicable software without a plug-in for the Macintosh.

Model National Ad Value Available
GZ-HD40 $1,299.95 August
GZ-HD30 $999.95 August
GZ-HD10 $799.95 August

[JVC and ]

But can Sony do such things legally? According to their producer Mark Bunting, it's fair game:

We've talked to our legal department about it. All we're doing is moving it out of PlayTV and to the cross-media bar as if it was any other recording. So hopefully users won't do stuff they shouldn't do with it...If I'm prohibited from getting the recording off and storing it somewhere else because some other dude is making money out of selling it, then I'd rather they brought the law in to catch those people.

Keep in mind, the Orb Networks software is what actually makes the streaming happen; the Hauppage box is simply turning over-the-air broadcast signals into MPEG-2 files and placing them on your PC. Too bad it only works with a TV antenna, and if you think about it, who is still receiving broadcast signals over-the-air, anyway? It's $190. – Charlie White

Hauppauge's TV Anywhere promises free mobile TV [Tech Digest]

Looks like Sony's been busted for using a really old codec for its next-gen Blu-ray format. For its first Blu-ray movies, Sony will encode with MPEG-2, which is the same codec used for today's old-fashioned DVDs. Don Eklund, senior vice president of advanced technology for Sony Pictures, has gone on record as saying:

Advanced formats don't necessarily improve picture quality. Our goal is to present the best picture quality for Blu-ray. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, that's with MPEG-2.

Last century codecs for next-gen Blu-ray [PCpro]