Also known as Versatile Video Coding (VVC) and MPEG-I Part 3, H.266 is the latest video compression standard optimized for high-resolution video. As the successor to H.265 (MPEG-H Part 2), it delivers substantial advancements over this established codec.
Why is H.266 better than H.265? | Better compression | Improved intra-frame prediction | Improved inter-frame prediction | More complex encoding | Better support for modern video | Where is H.266?
H.266 was developed by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC), a team of video coding experts who started work in 2010.
Developed in the early days of 2013, H.265 has served us well, but H.266 introduces key enhancements that matter most to users and creators.
H.266 achieves about 50% better compression than H.265, meaning videos maintain the same visual quality while using half the storage space. Alternatively, the same file size yields noticeably sharper results. This stems partly from larger coding tree units (CTUs): H.265 maxes at 64x64 pixels, while H.266 supports 128x128 for better efficiency across resolutions.
Video codecs save space by predicting unchanged pixels across frames. H.266 excels here with 67 intra prediction modes, up from H.265's 35, boosting compression quality and reducing file sizes.
H.266 refines inter-frame tools to predict subsequent frames more accurately. It supports motion vector resolution down to 1/16 luma samples (vs. H.265's 1/4), fine-tuning compression for higher efficiency.
These gains come at a cost: H.266 encoding and decoding are more demanding, extending processing times. This makes it challenging for real-time applications and software integration.
H.266 handles up to 8K UHD (8192x4320), HDR, and 360-degree video—formats H.265 supports less robustly. It's future-proof for rising resolutions and immersive content.
H.266 lags behind H.265 in adoption. iOS still defaults to H.265 for videos, while Microsoft prioritizes royalty-free AV1, which trades some efficiency for no licensing fees. Time will reveal if H.266 dominates.
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