VP6

In order for a computer to be able to correctly render audio and video files, you first need to install some dedicated codecs, depending on the formats you are interested in.

VP6 is one of the numerous such codecs, specialized in playing and encoding video, while also being high-quality and low bitrate.

The codec supports multi-pass encoding and it comes with configurable datarate control, both constant and variable, while also having straight access to the reconstruction filter.

Due to VP6, you can effortlessly compress HD (high-definition) contents without imposing any restrictions on the encoder; more precisely, it can play 1920x1080 HD content on a 2.5 GHz computer.

It features support for real-time encoding at D1 resolution, the maximum one provided by conventional analog cameras once the video signal has been digitized.

Another function of VP6 is that it runs smoothly on affordable DSP processors, making it suitable for integrated chipsets in non-PC devices or set-top boxes as it does not need any costly add-on sub-processors.

Moreover, VP6 also comes with preset profiles and users can switch between them depending on their necessities. When they are only interested in fast playback, they can select the ‘Simple’ profile, whereas the ‘General’ one comes in handy for full D1 on various set-top boxes. The third profile is called ‘Advanced’ and it can be used for getting the best playback quality at low data-rates.

In addition,, VP6 can be used to achieve any desired data-rate by setting it to automatically modify quantization levels, alter encoded frame size or drop frames.