ACCELERATING HEVC ADOPTION

Transcription

1 ACCELERATING HEVC ADOPTION WITH DIVX S END-TO-END SOLUTION White Paper

2 Table of Contents Introduction About HEVC The DivX Ecosystem It Starts with a Common Target Enable Content Creation Add HEVC-Capable Players Enable Professional Content Production Minimize the HEVC Compatibility Risk Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 11 2

3 Introduction HEVC/H.265 is the standards-based, next-generation codec successor to H.264. It will deliver the same visual quality as H.264 at close to 50 percent of the bitrate, plus resolutions as high as 8K. For content distributors, HEVC means better quality with reduced bandwidth costs, the ability to deliver HD content to mobile devices over limited bitrate connections, faster downloads and lower storage footprints on mobile devices. For consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers, HEVC will help stimulate demand for a new round of hardware upgrades. To date, HEVC adoption has been slowed by the paucity of content and a lack of players. Major content distributors won t commit to HEVC until there are sufficient players to justify the expense, plus the necessary ecosystem for encoding, protected delivery and a schema for enabling playback compatibility and performance. CE manufacturers won t add HEVC playback until consumers have HEVC content to play and the same interoperability schema to enable HEVC content playback on their devices. It s the classic chicken and egg situation. DivX will break this logjam by extending its existing DivX ecosystem to support HEVC. By any measure, DivX has been wildly successful, with more than 1 billion software downloads of the DivX Player and 1 billion DivX Certified playback devices beyond the personal computer. The ecosystem capabilities include consumer and professional content creation, protected content delivery, extensive business and monetization models, and a sophisticated, mature certification program. By extending the DivX ecosystem to incorporate HEVC, DivX will: Define new HEVC video profiles (DivX HEVC 720p, DivX HEVC 1080p and DivX HEVC Ultra HD) and add them to the current suite of encoding and delivery products to provide a scalable and secure ecosystem for content distributors. Enable DivX HEVC playback compatibility and performance across computers and mobile and CE devices by formulating a fixed set of DivX HEVC video profiles that will be implemented in consumer and professional DivX encoding tools and rigorously tested in device certification programs. Aggressively pursue DivX HEVC certifications in CE markets to further expand the universe of HEVC playback devices. The 2013 release of DivX 10 software with DivX HEVC encoding and playback dramatically expanded the number of HEVC-capable computers and HEVC content. Content distributors deploying HEVC will be able to enhance the quality of video offered to their customers and/or cut bandwidth and storage costs. CE manufacturers with DivX HEVC certified devices enable optimal playback experiences with DivX HEVC content produced by consumers, plus DivX HEVC premium content. 3

4 About HEVC High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) or H.265 is a new video compression standard and the successor to H.264/ MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding). Developed by the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group and ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group, HEVC is designed for encoding (converting) and decoding (playing) video streams that can be stored and delivered more efficiently and economically. In January 2013, HEVC was cleared for commercialization by the ITU and ISO/IEC MPEG. HEVC can deliver the same visual quality as H.264 with about half the bitrate. Additionally, HEVC can encode resolutions up to 8K at frame rates as high as 300 fps. HEVC also offers multiple opportunities for improved video quality, cost efficiencies and greater consumer satisfaction. For example, distributors can deliver the same video quality as H.264 at close to half the data rate, saving bandwidth costs, cutting download times and preserving valuable space on mobile devices. These bandwidth savings also allow telco service providers and mobile operators to deliver more content over their existing infrastructures. Alternatively, HEVC can be used to deliver higher quality video at existing data rates (e.g., enabling HD video over bandwidths that previously would only support SD). In high bandwidth environments, HEVC can deliver stunning 4K video to the home. As previously mentioned, there are several hurdles slowing companies from investing in HEVC encoded content or playback technology. Content owners won t support a new technology until the installed base of target players reaches critical mass, or without an ecosystem for encoding, protecting and enabling high-quality playback. On the other hand, the manufacturers of mobile and CE devices won t incorporate HEVC playback until there s a system to enable consistent high-quality playback and sufficient content. Compression Ratio Comparison Compression ratio 1/200 1/100 Approximately double the compression ratio MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 New Standard HEVC 1/50 MPEG-4 1/20 MPEG Figure 1. HEVC, the next generation codec, delivers similar quality at about half the data rate of H

5 The DivX Ecosystem By extending its DivX ecosystem to incorporate HEVC, DivX will help accelerate state-of-the-art video technology. This will enable content distributors to more quickly realize the benefits of HEVC, and manufacturers of HEVC certified devices to sell more effectively to early adopters. The six relevant components of the DivX ecosystem include: DivX Profiles. Well-defined video profiles are implemented uniformly across all encoding tools and hardware devices with rigorous testing during DivX certification process. MainConcept SDK and TotalCode. Products and plug-ins that enable digital production services and third-party solutions to encode content into HEVC using the MainConcept codec with support for DivX HEVC video profiles. DivX Certification. A development and verification process that certifies compliance for both performance and compatibility with DivX HEVC profiles. DivX Video Service. A service for managing the entire video distribution chain from creation and secure delivery to multi-screen playback. DivX Software. Consumer video software that includes applications that enable DivX video creation and playback. DivX Plus Streaming. H.264 based DivX Streaming format that includes features such as adaptive streaming and dynamic resolution scaling, plus enhanced playback features such as multiple subtitles and audio tracks, smooth trick play, quick start and resume play. 5

6 Here s how the various components of DivX s end-to-end solution will help to accelerate the adoption of HEVC video: It Starts with a Common Target The goal of the content consumer, content distributors and device manufacturer is the same protected full-featured playback on selected devices. The content producer and device manufacturer want to enable it and the consumer wants to experience it. DivX video profiles are defined with input from both IC and OEM hardware companies to enable the broadest device playback coverage with Internet video that works on a variety of platforms. Though modest in scope, the impact of DivX video profiles was profound in the case of the early DivX codec and H.264, and will have a similar impact on DivX HEVC. These profiles have been expanded to include relevant standards such as HEVC, industry specifications, video settings and state-of-the-art features for video technology. For example, the latest DivX profiles include specifications for video navigation, multiple subtitle and audio tracks, adaptive bitrate delivery, content protection and a quality playback experience. Because these profiles are included in all DivX consumer tools, professional encoders, software development kits (SDKs) and certification test kits, they enable protected, high-quality playback on all DivX Certified devices. Figure 2. The DivX HEVC profiles serve as a common target for all DivX encoders and players. 6

7 Enable Content Creation HEVC-encoded content primes the pump for HEVC adoption and usage throughout the HEVC ecosystem. It convinces CE manufacturers to get their devices certified and creates consumer demand for those devices. This, in turn, convinces professional content distributors to make their content available in HEVC, which creates more demand for HEVC-enabled CE devices. DivX laid the groundwork with DivX 10, consumer software that includes DivX HEVC playback and encoding tools built around the aforementioned HEVC profiles. As with previous versions, compatible DivX players are DRMaware and can play licensed content. While past experience is no guarantee of future performance, there have been over 1 billion DivX software downloads to date, with roughly 5 million downloads of DivX 10 in the months following launch. HEVC has garnered considerable interest in the early adopter community; a feature that halves disk space requirements on DVRs, computers, tablets and smartphones helped generate enthusiasm for this update, which will result in considerable DivX HEVC content generated by consumers for playback. SECURE Content Delivery Content Share Expanded DivX Ecosystem DivX Traditional Ecosystem P2P, Personal Content PC, CE & Mobile Device Playback Content Playback Multi-Screen Device Playback Personal Content Creation Professional Content Creation Figure 3. Personal HEVC content creation helps to prime the pump for HEVC adoption through the ecosystem. 7

8 Add HEVC-Capable Players The DivX software download includes two players the DivX Player for file-based playback, and the DivX Web Player for streaming online content. How many computers will be able to successfully play DivX HEVC content via these players? Research indicates that a substantial number of recently shipped computers should deliver an excellent HEVC 4K playback experience. At CES 2014, DivX demonstrated an Intel i7 computer playing back optimized DivX HEVC 4K video in real time at less than 40 percent CPU usage. Clearly, the playback of consumer-encoded content won t be limited to computers. DivX software usage date indicates that a significant percentage of current encodes performed by the DivX Converter are targeted toward non-pc viewing platforms, with 32 percent of these encodes using the DivX Home Theater profile, 23 percent using the DivX Plus HD profile, and 16 percent targeting mobile devices. This data indicates that once DivX 10 was in consumers hands, they would start producing HEVC content to play on mobile and CE devices, creating demand for HEVC-capable devices. DivX Certification Program The DivX Certification Program will certify devices for DivX HEVC 720p, DivX HEVC 1080p and DivX HEVC Ultra HD playback. By early 2014, prominent global IC companies targeting both Ultra HD TVs and set-top boxes were demonstrating DivX HEVC 4K playback on their upcoming chipsets. For example, the lowest level of certification, Mobile, must be able to play 320x240 video encoded with the MPEG-4 codec, Simple Profile, at 30 fps, with optional subtitle support. At the other end of the spectrum, the highest CE certification, DivX HEVC Ultra HD, requires full support for 4K H.265 playback, plus subtitles and many other advanced features. DivX HEVC certification program also targets 720p playback on mobile devices, while CE devices can be certified for DivX HEVC 1080p or Ultra HD. Each profile is precisely defined and rigorously tested on each device, including codec compatibility, audio and subtitle support, trick play performance, remote control mapping and the ability to play three hours of uninterrupted DivX content without the loss of audio synchronization. As a result, if a device carries the DivX logo, it will play the specified level of video at full quality, and will only play protected DivX content licensed for that device. This level of specificity enables content distributors to know exactly how to encode files for playback on all targeted certification levels and provides a level of assurance that the video will reliably play at full quality on these devices. Between computers and devices, how soon will the universe of DivX HEVC-capable devices reach critical mass? According to a report titled HEVC Decoding in Consumer Devices, senior analyst Michelle Abraham from Multimedia Research Group, Inc. estimated that the number of consumer devices that shipped in 2011 and 2012 that would be capable of HEVC playback with a software upgrade totaled around 1.4 billion, with 1 billion more expected to be sold in The certification process involves multiple elements, including Digital Rights Management (DRM) support and playback testing based upon the DivX profiles. Specifically, the certification process involves multiple encoding profiles that scale with device capabilities. 8

9 Each major content distributor will apply its own calculus to determine if these numbers constitute a worthy target. Given the cost savings and the additional reach that HEVC enables, plus the space savings and faster download times that consumers will covet, it s likely that many content distributors are already researching alternatives for distributing their HEVC encoded content. Enable Professional Content Production Those who research content distribution alternatives will find multiple highlights within the DivX ecosystem, including the richness of DivX Plus Streaming, the diversity of available content creation workflows and the flexibility of the DivX Video Service. From a features perspective, DivX Streaming formats offer a rich, multiscreen playback experience with advanced features like adaptive streaming, dynamic resolution scaling up to 4K, quick start algorithms, chapter points, smooth FF/RW and resume play, which recalls the last video stop point and subtitle/audio settings to quickly continue playback across different devices. MainConcept HEVC encoder optimizes quality for the bandwidth and resolution of each profile, enabling consistently excellent visual quality for all profiles. DivX Certification enables exceptionally smooth fast forward and rewind on all certified devices, while multiple language subtitles and audio tracks saves time and money by enabling one video to serve multiple target markets. Multiple Workflow Options For production, MainConcept offers multiple versions of TotalCode plus SDKs to integrate DivX HEVC profiles into existing content workflows. For example, TotalCode Enterprise is a server-class scalable encoder that can distribute encoding over multiple cloud and local encoding servers to increase throughput, with integrated quality control to enable top quality. In addition to outputting DivX files, TotalCode can encode SD and HD UltraViolet streams using UltraViolet s Common File Format (CFF) and export compliant UVU files that include UltraViolet metadata. For lower volume shops, TotalCode Studio is a powerful desktop encoder with batch capabilities. Beyond these encoding tools, customers with existing workflows can integrate support for DivX HEVC profiles via the MainConcept HEVC SDK or choose from among the range of cloud and third-party encoder vendors who are integrating DivX HEVC encode support into their tools. The consistent use of the DivX HEVC profiles within third-party encoders enables high-quality playback on computers and DivX Certified devices. Flexible Distribution and Playback Options On the delivery front, DivX Video Service enables a flexible range of purchase models and a modular ecosystem incorporating account and license management, as well as playback tools. For example, a viewer can download a video, start watching on a PC or Mac and then sideload to a registered DivX Certified device via optical disc, USB drive or other physical media or stream via home network. Or, a viewer can start streaming a video on a mobile device, switch playback to the living room TV, then download a version for offline viewing on a computer or DivX Certified device. Since virtually all consumers have multiple playback devices, content distributors that don t offer this range of delivery and viewing models will lose sales to those that do. Fundamental to this breadth of playback models is a licensing infrastructure that can handle online and offline playback. DivX Video Service offers this and other content creation and distribution functions via a modular set of tools and Web service APIs that lets content distributors choose which functions to assume and which to offload to DivX. 9

10 Content Preparation Commerce Management Playback Licensing Ingestion Metadata Encoding Packaging Hosting Webstore Mobile Store CE Store Marketing Payments App/UI Development Playback Authorization Streaming Concurrency* Playback Licensing (DRM License Keys) * Ensures a purchased title can only be streamed to one device at a time Download Streaming PC & Mac Plug-In Mobile Player Certified CE Devices PC/Mac Player Certified Mobile Devices Certified CE Devices Authorized Partner DivX Managed DivX or Authorized Partner Figure 4. The flexible implementation of DivX Video Service. At its core, DVS is designed to be flexible. As shown in Figure 4. grey boxes are managed by the partner, blue functions must be performed by DivX and all yellow functions can be performed by DivX or the partner. DivX always provides the secure players and the playbacklicensing component, where buyers register their various DivX playback devices to enable compatibility with protected content. Otherwise, DivX partners can choose to perform the functions that best fit their capabilities and budgets. Overall, the DivX ecosystem provides a state-of-the-art consumer viewing experience, a comprehensive range of delivery and business models, and an exceptionally modular workflow schema. Additionally, there s one more benefit that content distributors and devices manufacturers should consider: interoperability. 10

11 Minimize the HEVC Compatibility Risk As with any new compression standard, there will be multiple suppliers of HEVC encoders and decoders embedded into systems, with no formal mechanism to enable playback compatibility among the various disparate systems. As a result, there will likely be many interoperability or compatibility issues among HEVC content and HEVC software and hardware players, which viewers will appropriately find irritating if not infuriating. DivX ensures interoperability, minimizing the incompatibility between content and device within the DivX ecosystem. Specifically, DivX s subsidiary MainConcept developed the HEVC encoder used in all versions of TotalCode, the DivX Converter and the HEVC SDK. On the playback side, the MainConcept HEVC decoder will be used in the DivX Players and SDKs for Android and ios apps. And DivX HEVC video profiles from the basis of the HEVC device certification program. MainConcept is recognized as one of the premier providers of encoders and decoders. The company has been very active in the development and standardization of HEVC, ensuring that its codecs will fully exploit the benefits of HEVC to deliver outstanding quality and compatibility. As a critical component of the DivX ecosystem, the MainConcept codec is enhanced by the features enabled by DivX and supported in its device certification program. As a result, content distributors utilizing the DivX ecosystem can be confident that their DivX HEVC files will successfully (and securely) play on all DivX players and certified devices. Similarly, CE manufacturers who gain DivX HEVC Certification can be confident that their devices will play all DivX encoded content produced by DivX consumer and professional encoders. Summary and Conclusion With quality similar to H.264 at about half the bandwidth, HEVC will extend the reach of content distributors, cut their bandwidth costs and enable them to deliver higher quality content to consumers over existing infrastructures. With an expected installed base of 2.4 billion HEVC-capable playback devices by the end of 2013, it s now time for content distributors to determine how to offer HEVC-encoded content. The DivX ecosystem enables content distributors to deliver a protected, high-quality viewing experience on computers and mobile and CE devices with minimal compatibility risk and offer a range of purchase models and flexible implementation options. At the same time, the DivX Certification program lets mobile and CE manufacturers achieve playback and compatibility with DivX HEVC encoded content, plus market their products most effectively to consumers of DivX HEVC content DivX LLC, a subsidiary of Rovi Corporation. All rights reserved. DivX and associated logos are registered trademarks of Rovi Corporation or its subsidiaries. More information: 11