Video codecs

[Deadset]

Can someone explain if there is an advantage of VC-1 (I am legend) to MPEG-4 AVC (Con air, AVP Requiem) ?

I've noticed VC-1 is being used on most of the newer movies coming out.

1. Blade Runner: Complete Collector's Edition
2. 300
3. I Am Legend
4. Pan's Labyrinth

[kpkelley]

Mpeg 4 AVC - Sony
VC-1 - Microsoft

From what i understand they are very similar other than the above.

[savage1984]

Warners uses VC-1 quite often. HD-DVD liked it a lot because it gives a decent picture with a low bit-rate, though a high bit rate MPEG 4 AVC will give a much better picture.
The reason HD-DVD loved it (VC-1) so much was that it allowed for more room for audio. Blu-ray can have really high bit rates due to their enormous capacity on 50GB blu-rays. That's why you don't see 25GB blu-rays with MPEG4 AVC encodes. This is why most Blu-rays of good quality are released on MPEG 4 AVC encodes. VC-1 is good too, but

MPEG 4 AVC > VC-1

[kpkelley]

wikipedia

Keep in mind that this is wikipedia, so the information may not be entirely accurate. Should be a good guideline, though.

[Clark Kent]

The codec of the future is AVC. The only studio using VC-1 regularly right now on Blu-ray is Warner and their subsidiary New Line. There are rumors Warner's authoring department has bought an AVC encoder. It will be interesting to see what Universal chooses to use as their codec of choice when they finally release on Blu-ray.

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

The codec of the future is AVC. The only studio using VC-1 regularly right now on Blu-ray is Warner and their subsidiary New Line. There are rumors Warner's authoring department has bought an AVC encoder. It will be interesting to see what Universal chooses to use as their codec of choice when they finally release on Blu-ray.

I hope they'll be over microsoft and choose AVC!!

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by savage1984

Warners uses VC-1 quite often. HD-DVD liked it a lot because it gives a decent picture with a low bit-rate, though a high bit rate MPEG 4 AVC will give a much better picture.
The reason HD-DVD loved it (VC-1) so much was that it allowed for more room for audio. Blu-ray can have really high bit rates due to their enormous capacity on 50GB blu-rays. That's why you don't see 25GB blu-rays with MPEG4 AVC encodes. This is why most Blu-rays of good quality are released on MPEG 4 AVC encodes. VC-1 is good too, but

MPEG 4 AVC > VC-1

Actually, you are quite incorrect. AVC is not > than VC-1!!!

Since Warner has been maximizing their VC-1 bitrates on their Blu-ray releases, they have proven to be equally as impressive. At the same video bitrate the two codecs prove to be identical! Yes, early releases of VC-1 encodes are horrible, but not anymore.

To the OP, neither codec offers any advantage over the other aside from whatever financial benefit is offered for the distribution company by the patent holders of the codec technology.

[Downhere]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Actually, you are quite incorrect. AVC is not > than VC-1!!!

Since Warner has been maximizing their VC-1 bitrates on their Blu-ray releases, they have proven to be equally as impressive. At the same video bitrate the two codecs prove to be identical! Yes, early releases of VC-1 encodes are horrible, but not anymore.

To the OP, neither codec offers any advantage over the other aside from whatever financial benefit is offered for the distribution company by the patent holders of the codec technology.

Ah, a reasonable post about codecs. *Thumbs up*

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Actually, you are quite incorrect. AVC is not > than VC-1!!!

Since Warner has been maximizing their VC-1 bitrates on their Blu-ray releases, they have proven to be equally as impressive. At the same video bitrate the two codecs prove to be identical! Yes, early releases of VC-1 encodes are horrible, but not anymore.

To the OP, neither codec offers any advantage over the other aside from whatever financial benefit is offered for the distribution company by the patent holders of the codec technology.

Well, I always welcome to be proven wrong as long as the person proving seems to have a level head. I was unaware of this. I was kindof going with what Batman Begins encode looks like. I hear the HD-DVD was VC-1 and had an average bit rate of 10, which is horrible.

So VC-1=AVC 4

[Deadset]

Thanks for the info, I've noticed how codecs have changed from early blurays to now