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A new generation of video compression.
Compared to MPEG-2 compression (top),
H.264 divides the image into smaller pixel
blocks for higher picture quality.
MPEG-2 was the work of the Moving Pictures Experts Group, an international committee
with members from many of the world's leading technology companies, including Sony.
A broadly supported international standard, MPEG-2 compression has been used in
hundreds of millions of devices and computer programs, including digital cable TV boxes,
digital satellite TV boxes, consumer camcorders, professional camcorders, DVD players,
web video playback software, and HD televisions.
MPEG-4 AVC / H.264: a generation ahead.
Group has approved the next-generation compression standard: MPEG-4 AVC / H.264. For
simplicity, we'll abbreviate this to "H.264." As you would expect, the new standard takes
advantage of modern improvements in digital processing and integrated circuits to
boost performance further still.
For example, MPEG-2 compression operates on blocks of 16 x 16 pixels. H.264 compression
operates on blocks of just 4 x 4 pixels. If you think of the screen as a jigsaw puzzle,
MPEG-2 sees about 6,000 pieces, while H.264 sees 100,000 pieces — 16 times as many!
In addition, MPEG-2 images sometimes degrade due to "block noise," abrupt transitions
at the edges of pixel blocks. H.264 processing enables smoother transitions at the edges
of each block, for more natural-looking images.
MPEG-2
16 x 16 pixel blocks
H.264
4 x 4 pixel blocks
continued
Now the Moving Pictures Experts
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