High Efficiency Video Coding tiers and levels

Last updated

High Efficiency Video Coding tiers and levels are constraints that define a High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) bitstream in terms of maximum bit rate, maximum luma sample rate, maximum luma picture size, minimum compression ratio, maximum number of slices allowed, and maximum number of tiles allowed. [1] [2] Lower tiers are more constrained than higher tiers and lower levels are more constrained than higher levels. [1] [2]

Contents

Tiers

The HEVC standard defines two tiers: Main and High. [1] [2] The Main tier is a lower tier than the High tier. [1] [2] The tiers were made to deal with applications that differ in terms of their maximum bit rate. [1] The Main tier was designed for most applications while the High tier was designed for very demanding applications. [1]

Levels

The HEVC standard defines thirteen levels. [1] [2] A level is a set of constraints for a bitstream. [1] [2] For levels below level 4 only the Main tier is allowed. [1] [2] A decoder that conforms to a given tier/level is required to be capable of decoding all bitstreams that are encoded for that tier/level and for all lower tiers/levels. [1] [2]

Tiers and levels with maximum property values [2] [3]
LevelMax luma sample rate
(samples/s)		Max luma picture size
(samples)		Max bit rate for Main
and Main 10 profiles (1000bit/s) [A] 		Max bit rate for Main 12
profile (1000bit/s)		Max bit rate for Main 4:4:4 12
profile (1000bit/s)		Max bit rate for Main 4:4:4 16
Intra profile (1000bit/s)		Max bit rate for High Throughput
4:4:4 16 Intra
profile (1000bit/s)		Example picture resolution @
highest frame rate [B]
(MaxDpbSize [C] )
Click here to hide/show
additional examples
MinCR [D] Max number
of slice
segments
per picture [E] 		Max number of tile [F]
Main tierHigh tierMain tierHigh tierMain tierHigh tierMain tierHigh tierMain tierHigh tierrowscolumns
1552,96036,864128-192-384-1,024-12,288-
128×96@33.7 (6)
176×144@15.0 (6)		21611
23,686,400122,8801,500-2,250-4,500-12,000-144,000-
176×144@100.0 (16)
320×240@45.0 (6)
352×240@37.5 (6)
352×288@30.0 (6)		21611
2.17,372,800245,7603,000-4,500-9,000-24,000-288,000-
320×240@90.0 (12)
352×240@75.0 (12)
352×288@60.0 (12)
352×480@37.5 (6)
352×576@33.3 (6)
640×360@30.0 (6)		22011
316,588,800552,9606,000-9,000-18,000-48,000-576,000-
352×480@84.3 (12)
352×576@75.0 (12)
640×360@67.5 (12)
720×480@42.1 (8)
720×576@37.5 (8)
960×540@30.0 (6)		23022
3.133,177,600983,04010,000-15,000-30,000-80,000-960,000-
720×480@84.3 (12)
720×576@75.0 (12)
960×540@60.0 (8)
1280×720@33.7 (6)		24033
466,846,7202,228,22412,00030,00018,00045,00036,00090,00096,000240,0001,152,0002,880,000
1,280×720@68.0 (12)
1,920×1,080@32.0 (6)
2,048×1,080@30.0 (6)		47555
4.1133,693,44020,00050,00030,00075,00060,000150,000160,000400,0001,920,0004,800,000
1,280×720@136.0 (12)
1,920×1,080@64.0 (6)
2,048×1,080@60.0 (6)		4
5267,386,8808,912,89625,000100,00037,500150,00075,000300,000200,000800,0002,400,0009,600,000
1,920×1,080@128.0 (16)
2,048×1,080@120.0 (16)
3,840×2,160@32.0 (6)
4,096×2,160@30.0 (6)		62001110
5.1534,773,76040,000160,00060,000240,000120,000480,000320,0001,280,0003,840,00015,360,000
1,920×1,080@256.0 (16)
2,048×1,080@240.0 (16)
3,840×2,160@64.0 (6)
4,096×2,160@60.0 (6)		8
5.21,069,547,52060,000240,00090,000360,000180,000720,000480,0001,920,0005,760,00023,040,000
1,920×1,080@300.0 (16)
2,048×1,080@300.0 (16)
3,840×2,160@128.0 (6)
4,096×2,160@120.0 (6)		8
61,069,547,52035,651,58460,000240,00090,000360,000180,000720,000480,0001,920,0005,760,00023,040,000
3,840×2,160@128.0 (16)
4,096×2,160@120.0 (16)
7,680×4,320@32.0 (6)
8,192×4,320@30.0 (6)		86002220
6.12,139,095,040120,000480,000180,000720,000360,0001,440,000960,0003,840,00011,520,00046,080,000
3,840×2,160@256.0 (16)
4,096×2,160@240.0 (16)
7,680×4,320@64.0 (6)
8,192×4,320@60.0 (6)		8
6.24,278,190,080240,000800,000360,0001,200,000720,0002,400,0001,920,0006,400,00023,040,00076,800,000
3,840×2,160@300.0 (16)
4,096×2,160@300.0 (16)
7,680×4,320@128.0 (6)
8,192×4,320@120.0 (6)		6
A The maximum bit rate of the profile is based on the combination of bit depth, chroma sampling, and the type of profile. [3] For bit depth the maximum bit rate increases by 1.5x for 12-bit profiles and 2x for 16-bit profiles. [3] For chroma sampling the maximum bit rate increases by 1.5x for 4:2:2 profiles and 2x for 4:4:4 profiles. [3] For the Intra profiles the maximum bit rate increases by 2x. [3]
B The maximum frame rate supported by HEVC is 300 frames per second (fps). [2]
C The MaxDpbSize, maximum number of pictures in the decoded picture buffer, for the maximum luma picture size of that level is 6 for all levels. [1] [2] The MaxDpbSize can increase to a maximum of 16 frames, if the luma picture size of the video is smaller than the maximum luma picture size of that level, in incremental steps of 4/3×, 2×, or 4×. [1] [2]
D The MinCR, minimum compression ratio, for that level. [2] The MinCR constraint is reduced to half its base value for the 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 chroma sampling profiles and is reduced by an additional half for the Intra profiles. [3] The MinCR is reduced to 1/24th of its base value with the High Throughput 4:4:4 16 Intra profile. [3] [4]
E The maximum number of slice segments is the number of slices allowed per picture at both the maximum resolution and maximum frame rate. [2] [5]
F The maximum number of tiles allowed per picture. [2] The maximum number of tiles allowed per second is the maximum number of tiles allowed per picture times 120. [2] [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chroma subsampling</span> Practice of encoding images

Chroma subsampling is the practice of encoding images by implementing less resolution for chroma information than for luma information, taking advantage of the human visual system's lower acuity for color differences than for luminance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced Video Coding</span> Most widely used standard for video compression

Advanced Video Coding (AVC), also referred to as H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10, is a video compression standard based on block-oriented, motion-compensated coding. It is by far the most commonly used format for the recording, compression, and distribution of video content, used by 91% of video industry developers as of September 2019. It supports a maximum resolution of 8K UHD.

H.261 is an ITU-T video compression standard, first ratified in November 1988. It is the first member of the H.26x family of video coding standards in the domain of the ITU-T Study Group 16 Video Coding Experts Group. It was the first video coding standard that was useful in practical terms.

Color depth or colour depth, also known as bit depth, is either the number of bits used to indicate the color of a single pixel, or the number of bits used for each color component of a single pixel. When referring to a pixel, the concept can be defined as bits per pixel (bpp). When referring to a color component, the concept can be defined as bits per component, bits per channel, bits per color, and also bits per pixel component, bits per color channel or bits per sample (bps). Modern standards tend to use bits per component, but historical lower-depth systems used bits per pixel more often.

H.262 or MPEG-2 Part 2 is a video coding format standardised and jointly maintained by ITU-T Study Group 16 Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), and developed with the involvement of many companies. It is the second part of the ISO/IEC MPEG-2 standard. The ITU-T Recommendation H.262 and ISO/IEC 13818-2 documents are identical.

MPEG-4 Part 2, MPEG-4 Visual is a video compression format developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). It belongs to the MPEG-4 ISO/IEC standards. It uses block-wise motion compensation and a discrete cosine transform (DCT), similar to previous standards such as MPEG-1 Part 2 and H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2.

The macroblock is a processing unit in image and video compression formats based on linear block transforms, typically the discrete cosine transform (DCT). A macroblock typically consists of 16×16 samples, and is further subdivided into transform blocks, and may be further subdivided into prediction blocks. Formats which are based on macroblocks include JPEG, where they are called MCU blocks, H.261, MPEG-1 Part 2, H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2, H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC. In H.265/HEVC, the macroblock as a basic processing unit has been replaced by the coding tree unit.

In video coding, a group of pictures, or GOP structure, specifies the order in which intra- and inter-frames are arranged. The GOP is a collection of successive pictures within a coded video stream. Each coded video stream consists of successive GOPs, from which the visible frames are generated. Encountering a new GOP in a compressed video stream means that the decoder doesn't need any previous frames in order to decode the next ones, and allows fast seeking through the video.

A deblocking filter is a video filter applied to decoded compressed video to improve visual quality and prediction performance by smoothing the sharp edges which can form between macroblocks when block coding techniques are used. The filter aims to improve the appearance of decoded pictures. It is a part of the specification for both the SMPTE VC-1 codec and the ITU H.264 codec.

PureVideo is Nvidia's hardware SIP core that performs video decoding. PureVideo is integrated into some of the Nvidia GPUs, and it supports hardware decoding of multiple video codec standards: MPEG-2, VC-1, H.264, HEVC, and AV1. PureVideo occupies a considerable amount of a GPU's die area and should not be confused with Nvidia NVENC. In addition to video decoding on chip, PureVideo offers features such as edge enhancement, noise reduction, deinterlacing, dynamic contrast enhancement and color enhancement.

AVC-Intra is a type of video coding developed by Panasonic, and then supported in products made by other companies. AVC-Intra is available in Panasonic's high definition broadcast products, such as, for example, their P2 card equipped broadcast cameras.

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2, is a video compression standard designed as part of the MPEG-H project as a successor to the widely used Advanced Video Coding. In comparison to AVC, HEVC offers from 25% to 50% better data compression at the same level of video quality, or substantially improved video quality at the same bit rate. It supports resolutions up to 8192×4320, including 8K UHD, and unlike the primarily 8-bit AVC, HEVC's higher fidelity Main 10 profile has been incorporated into nearly all supporting hardware.

x265 HEVC/H.265 encoder

x265 is an encoder for creating digital video streams in the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265) video compression format developed by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC). It is available as a command-line app or a software library, under the terms of GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 or later; however, customers may request a commercial license.

A video coding format is a content representation format of digital video content, such as in a data file or bitstream. It typically uses a standardized video compression algorithm, most commonly based on discrete cosine transform (DCT) coding and motion compensation. A specific software, firmware, or hardware implementation capable of compression or decompression in a specific video coding format is called a video codec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rec. 2020</span> ITU-R recommendation

ITU-R Recommendation BT.2020, more commonly known by the abbreviations Rec. 2020 or BT.2020, defines various aspects of ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) with standard dynamic range (SDR) and wide color gamut (WCG), including picture resolutions, frame rates with progressive scan, bit depths, color primaries, RGB and luma-chroma color representations, chroma subsamplings, and an opto-electronic transfer function. The first version of Rec. 2020 was posted on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) website on August 23, 2012, and two further editions have been published since then.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VP9</span> Open and royalty-free video coding format released by Google in 2013

VP9 is an open and royalty-free video coding format developed by Google.

Coding tree unit (CTU) is the basic processing unit of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) video standard and conceptually corresponds in structure to macroblock units that were used in several previous video standards. CTU is also referred to as largest coding unit (LCU).

High Efficiency Video Coding implementations and products covers the implementations and products of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC).

Better Portable Graphics (BPG) is a file format for coding digital images, which was created by programmer Fabrice Bellard in 2014. He has proposed it as a replacement for the JPEG image format as the more compression-efficient alternative in terms of image quality or file size. It is based on the intra-frame encoding of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) video compression standard. Tests on photographic images in July 2014 found that BPG produced smaller files for a given quality than JPEG, JPEG XR and WebP.

High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) is a container format for storing individual digital images and image sequences. The standard covers multimedia files that can also include other media streams, such as timed text, audio and video.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 G.J. Sullivan; J.-R. Ohm; W.-J. Han; T. Wiegand (2012-05-25). "Overview of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) Standard" (PDF). IEEE Trans. on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "H.265 : High efficiency video coding". ITU. 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jill Boyce; Jianle Chen; Ying Chen; David Flynn; Miska M. Hannuksela; Matteo Naccari; Chris Rosewarne; Karl Sharman; Joel Sole; Gary J. Sullivan; Teruhiko Suzuki; Gerhard Tech; Ye-Kui Wang; Krzysztof Wegner; Yan Ye (2014-07-11). "Draft high efficiency video coding (HEVC) version 2, combined format range extensions (RExt), scalability (SHVC), and multi-view (MV-HEVC) extensions". JCT-VC. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  4. ↑ K. Sharman; N. Saunders; J. Gamei; T. Suzuki; A. Tabatabai (2014-06-20). "High 4:4:4 16 Intra profile specification". JCT-VC. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  5. ↑ Minhua Zhou (2012-10-01). "AHG9: on number of slices constraint". JCT-VC. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  6. ↑ Minhua Zhou (2012-10-01). "AHG9: on number of tiles constraint". JCT-VC. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.