Why is video compression important?

The use of digital video capture was introduced in the 80’s. It was completely uncompressed, pure video information that required huge amounts of memory and playback system resources to play and store the files. But even today, compression and encoding is a prerequisite for recording any video information, despite the tremendous leap in the development of digital electronic technology. Otherwise, downloading, processing, editing, playing and storing video files will become a test of your nervous system’s endurance and the capabilities of your equipment.

How does video encoding work?

In the process of video encoding, the stream of video information is continuously analyzed by special software, and unnecessary/unimportant data fragments are simply cut off, this helps to significantly reduce the size of the video file.

There are two types of video compression: frame-by-frame (intra-frame) and inter-frame coding.

Frame-by-frame compression treats each frame of a video recording as a separate still image, similar to a photo in jpeg format. This technology is characterized by good video quality, but the reduction in video file size is insignificant because all frames are saved, even if there are no changes in the image for a dozen or even a hundred frames. In other words, out of a hundred identical photos, all one hundred are saved, not just one.

Inter-frame compression works on the polar opposite principle: during signal processing, the whole frame is analyzed, but only key changes from frame to frame are saved, as in animation, when you need to show the movement of the object, but the background and the surrounding environment are the same. This allows you to significantly reduce the size of the video file compared to the principle of intraframe compression.

Video quality after compression

Even the most advanced video compression algorithms result in loss of quality of the original signal. But the development of software products and codecs has reached the level where the loss of quality is almost imperceptible and indistinguishable from the original by the average human eye, especially the non-professional in the field of digital video processing.

In order to preserve the highest possible video quality while saving on video file size, you need to determine the main key points: video resolution, file size, method of video file transfer and upload, prevalence of static or dynamic scenes, color, contrast and similar conditions. An important factor affecting the quality and size of the resulting video file is the choice of codec and compression format.

Codecs

A video file must be compressed and encoded, and then decompressed and decoded by the same set of software tools – a codec, which includes tools for processing and playing the file. In other words, to view a video file you need to decode it with the same codec it was encoded with, for example, a video encoded in MPEG-4 codec needs to be decoded with the same MPEG-4 codec, otherwise you are guaranteed to have problems playing the file.

M-JPEG (Motion JPEG) compression standard

An unlicensed coding standard created and widely used in the 1990s that uses intraframe compression technology. The digital video sequence produced by this codec is an array of full JPEG images. Despite the fact that this codec allows to use a number of tools that reduce the file size, today it is rarely used because of the low quality of the resulting image, as well as for the minimum compression ratio.

MPEG-4 compression standard

Licensed encoding standard that uses object-oriented (inter-frame) compression, i.e. the movement of each object in the frame is tracked separately and the video signal is recorded based on these movements. The main advantage of this codec is a wide range of compression settings, which can be selected for any – low or high – data rate. This format is universal, it is designed for viewing sweat video in real time.

H.264 compression standard

A licensed copying standard that very significantly reduces the amount of digital video information while making minimal changes to its quality, especially when compared to M-JPEG and MPEG-4 codecs. This codec is designed to record video signal for a long time, as it requires small network bandwidth and hard disk space. The H.264 codec is the best tool when working in video surveillance systems, especially when shooting at high frame rates and high resolution. The only issue with this standard is that it requires more processing power to decompress and view video information than M-JPEG and MPEG-4.

Which standard to use?

In a video surveillance system, the signal from the camera is sent to the DVR, where the video signal is encoded (compressed). Depending on the relevance of the DVR model, as well as your requirements and the selection of the necessary video codec. The choice between standards can be reduced to how often you need to download and view the recorded video.

In non-professional video surveillance systems, with simple hardware characteristics of the equipment, as well as for the formation of several streams of video signal (for example, for video transmission over the network or remote viewing with a cell phone), it is recommended to use codecs M-JPEG and MPEG-4, as they are not demanding on system resources.

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Understanding the Factors That Affect Audio Encoding Speed

Before diving into solutions, it’s essential to understand why audio encoding can be slow. Several factors can influence the encoding time:

1. Audio Quality Settings: Higher bitrates and sample rates typically result in better audio quality but require more processing power and time to encode.
2. Codec Selection: Different codecs have varying levels of complexity. For instance, encoding in formats like FLAC (lossless) can take longer than MP3 (lossy) due to the differences in compression algorithms.
3. System Performance: The hardware you’re using plays a significant role in encoding speed. A slower CPU, limited RAM, or insufficient storage can bottleneck the process.
4. File Size: Larger audio files naturally take longer to encode. If you’re working with lengthy recordings, expect a longer processing time.
5. Software Efficiency: The software you choose for encoding can impact speed. Some applications are optimized for speed, while others prioritize quality over performance.

Tips to Speed Up Audio Encoding

Here are several strategies you can implement to reduce audio encoding times:

1. Optimize Your Settings

• Choose the Right Codec: If speed is your primary concern, opt for faster codecs like MP3 or AAC instead of more complex ones like FLAC or WAV.
• Adjust Bitrate and Sample Rate: Lowering the bitrate and sample rate can significantly reduce encoding time. For example, if you’re producing content for streaming, a bitrate of 128 kbps may be sufficient.

2. Upgrade Your Hardware

• Invest in a Faster CPU: A multi-core processor can handle encoding tasks more efficiently. Look for CPUs with higher clock speeds and more cores.
• Increase RAM: Adding more RAM can help your system handle larger audio files and improve overall performance during encoding tasks.
• Use SSDs: Solid-state drives (SSDs) offer faster read and write speeds compared to traditional hard drives, which can speed up file access during encoding.

3. Close Unnecessary Applications

Running multiple applications simultaneously can slow down your computer. Before starting the encoding process, close any unnecessary programs and background processes to free up system resources.

4. Batch Processing

If you have multiple audio files to encode, consider batch processing them. Many audio encoding tools allow you to queue multiple files for encoding. This way, you can set them to encode overnight or during times when you’re not actively using your computer.

5. Use Multi-threading Capabilities

Select encoding software that supports multi-threading, which enables the use of multiple CPU cores for encoding tasks. This can drastically reduce the time it takes to encode audio files.

6. Check for Software Updates

Ensure you are using the latest version of your encoding software. Developers frequently release updates that can optimize performance and fix bugs that may slow down the encoding process.

7. Consider Cloud Encoding Services

If you’re consistently facing slow encoding times, consider using cloud-based encoding services. These services often have powerful servers optimized for fast encoding, allowing you to offload the task and save time on your local machine.

Audio encoding doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. By understanding the factors that affect encoding speed and implementing the tips outlined above, you can significantly reduce the time it takes to encode your audio files. Whether through optimizing settings, upgrading your hardware, or utilizing the latest software, there are numerous ways to improve your audio encoding efficiency. With these strategies, you’ll be able to focus more on your creative work and less on waiting for your audio to encode.

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Main reasons for incorrect playback

In addition to the lack of sufficient resources to view Full HD (High-Definition) video, there are the following reasons for video slowdown:

after a global update of Windows was not installed drivers for the video card (less often – sound);
hardware video acceleration was disabled;
a large number of running extensions;
overflowing cache.

5 steps to solve the problem

Step 1: check drivers
First of all, you should check the availability of drivers for audio, video card. If necessary, install the files manually by downloading them from the manufacturer’s official website. To do this, specify the model of the video card, which can be found in the Device Manager. Right-click on the “My Computer” icon, select “Properties”, in the window that opens, go to the “Hardware” tab. Select “Video Adapters” from the list, click on the “+”, then you will see the manufacturer and model of the installed video card.

Step 2: Speed up your graphics card
If you are using Google Chrome, try overriding the software rendering list (a procedure to speed up weak video cards). In the address bar, type the following: chrome://flags/#ignore-gpu-blacklist. Next, activate the Override software rendering list feature by clicking the “Enable” button under the description and reload the browser.

Step 3: Disable hardware video acceleration
If the above options didn’t work, disable hardware video acceleration. In the address bar, you need to enter the command chrome://flags/#disable-accelerated-video-decode. In the menu that opens, click on the “Disable” button opposite hardware accelerated video decode and reload the browser.

Step 4: Disable unnecessary extensions
Google Chrome supports a lot of built-in extensions that make life easier for users. This is convenient, but a large number of active applications makes it difficult for the browser to work. This “stealing” of resources also degrades the quality of video playback, so try to enable only the extensions you need at the moment.

Step 5: clear the cache
Another useful feature of Google Chrome that can cause slowdowns is storing images from the pages you’re viewing in the cache. This speeds up page reloads, but the accumulation of large amounts of data hinders performance.

To “unload” the browser, go to “Advanced Settings” and select “Clear History” (don’t forget to deselect “Browser History”) and click on “Delete Data”.

After performing the described actions, the online video will play without problems. If the situation remains the same, we recommend a more detailed analysis of the causes or change your tariff plan to a faster one.

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1. source file
   Video resolution and source file size are two important elements that affect video encoding speed. The higher the video resolution and larger the file size, the longer it takes us to encode the video.
2. Output parameters
   Similarly, it will take a long time to complete encoding if the output file has high bit rate, frame rate, resolution (e.g. 4K), low compression codecs and long duration.
3. Computer Configuration
   Video transcoding places high demands on the CPU (central processing unit), RAM (main memory) and GPU (graphics processing unit). Computing on an underpowered machine will result in horribly slow encoding, crashes, no response, or other problems. Don’t expect an old device to encode your HD movies at high speed, let alone large 4K sources.

4. The video encoder you are using
   Different video encoding software has different performance in processing speed due to different processing methods. Some continue to use two streams for encoding while others use as many streams as possible. Also, some only support soft encoding while others use the graphics processor to increase the speed of video encoding, which will also free up your CPU for other tasks. Before writing this article about Intel Quick Sync Encoder , we ran two tests: we encoded the video with Intel Quick Sync Video enabled and encoded it with QSV disabled. The result is that encoding with Intel hardware acceleration is several times faster and consumes less CPU resources.

Now I think most people already have some ideas about accelerating video encoding. The next part contains our suggestions.

How to speed up video encoding?

1. Reduce output quality
   I know we all love high-quality content, but there’s no need to maintain the best quality, especially if you plan to play your converted video on devices with small screens. Matching the output resolution to your player can not only reduce encoding time, but also save space and lighten the load on your device. So, if possible, moderately reduce the output resolution, bitrate and frame rate. The higher the bitrate, the larger the file.

Besides, you can also trim the unnecessary part to reduce the duration and file size, which is also useful to speed up video encoding.

2. Close other programs.
   While processing the video, close other programs. This way, your encoding software will get more system resources to do its job.
3. upgrade your hardware
   This will be costly, but it will increase the performance of your computer and effectively speed up your video encoding. Specifically, you are suggested to add RAM, upgrade to a better CPU and GPU.
4. Download a fast video encoder
   Speed encoders differ from each other. Some people choose HandBrake, an open-source video transcoder, to encode videos. However, according to user reviews, its speed is not as fast as one would like, despite the fact that it supports hardware encoding with Intel QuickSync. Check out HandBrake >> for tips on how to speed up and speed up HandBrake >>
5. Winxvideo AI is recommended for those on Windows or Mac who are looking for a fast video converter. This program takes full advantage of CPU (up to 8 CPU cores) and hardware acceleration (Intel QSV and NVIDIA CUDA/NVENC) as well as MMX-SSE, Hyper-threading and AMD 3DNow! technologies, thus being the #1 fast video converter – 5 times faster than others.
6. Covering more than 370 video/audio codecs, it recognizes almost every video you have and encodes H.265, H.264, MP4, MKV, MOV, MOV, AVI, DivX, MPEG1, MPEG2, VP8, FLV, etc. Besides changing the file format, it can also trim videos or perform other kinds of editing, and reduce the file size.

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