Codecs
The philosopher’s stone of multimedia for a powerful decoding and encoding
Discover the power of fast and efficient codecs and get optimized solutions to boost multimedia performance across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
How media codecs shape our digital world
Media codecs significantly impact our daily lives by enabling the efficient streaming, sharing, and storage of high-quality audio and video content across devices. This technology makes digital communication and entertainment faster and more accessible.
Knowing the types of codecs
Codecs are classified based on function and purpose. Some focus on audio or video, while others function as encoders, decoders, or both. They can be lossy, compressing files by permanently removing some data to reduce file size, or lossless, preserving all original data by removing only unnecessary metadata. Additionally, codecs can be software-based or hardware-based, with hardware codecs designed for optimized performance on dedicated devices.
- Audio codecs: WMA, AC3/EAC3, iLBC, LPCM, MP3, AAC/HE-AAC, ADPCM, etc.
- Video codecs: WMV, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, DivX3, H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, etc.
The table here lists the main libraries for HW accelerated encoding/decoding.
Open-source vs. Proprietary options for multimedia applications
Regarding accessibility, codecs can be open-source or proprietary, with licensing requirements that impact their integration into various products and services. Because of these differences, we offer a deep understanding of codec technology to help make the right choice for any multimedia application. For more details, please read our article on the Differences Between GPL and LGPL for Licensed Software. We also developed Fluster, an open-source tool designed to streamline codec testing. Fluster is a Python-based framework for decoder conformance testing, making verifying codec compliance and functionality easier.
Low-latency and adaptive protocols for real-time applications
Low-latency streaming protocols are essential for real-time applications, where minimizing delay is critical. With expertise in protocols like WebRTC and the newer WebTransport, we enable seamless, low-latency communication for interactive and live-streaming experiences.
Additionally, we specialize in HTTP-based streaming protocols such as HLS and DASH, which are widely used for delivering adaptive, high-quality media over the Internet. This blend of real-time and HTTP streaming protocol experience allows us to create solutions optimized for various streaming needs, from live broadcasts to on-demand content delivery, ensuring a smooth and responsive viewing experience.
From the code to the action
Developments that bring real-world results, these case studies show how our solutions help your business achieve goals and enhance user experiences.Case Studies
HbbTV: MPEG-DASH support in an ARM based SoC
Surveillance video system: pipeline optimization for zero-copy hardware acceleration
Video surveillance application: stabilizing and feature improvement
Bits & Bytes
Explore our blog, one byte at a time. Our team unpack our latest news, industry insights and in-depth articles to connect you with the multimedia world.Blog
Read more about our work
daas-vdi, codecs, multimedia-edge-ai
Synthetic data generator for AI chroma upsampling
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daas-vdi, codecs
MPEG-5 LCEVC in remote desktop streaming
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Our recent advancements have built on this foundation. By …
video-surveillance, gstreamer, codecs, outsource
Integrating Automated Testing in Multimedia
Embarking on automated testing in the multimedia sector has been both an innovative and exciting challenge for our Consulting Services department. As test automation becomes crucial in the software development lifecycle, Fluendo has successfully integrated standard tools and technologies into a custom application for a potential client in the security industry. This project has allowed us to …
hardware-manufacturer, gstreamer, codecs, optimization
Reducing video latency for GStreamer filters in digital microscopes
At Fluendo, we are always excited to receive projects that push our boundaries. As part of our Consulting Services, we recently collaborated with a well-known hardware designer company to enhance their cutting-edge digital microscopes, which are integral to their new generation of premium devices. The project addressed video latency issues by applying advanced GStreamer filters and leveraging …