MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Video Codecs Comparison

Video group head: Dr. Dmitriy Vatolin Project head: Dr. Dmitriy Kulikov Measurements, analysis: Marat Arsaev

Codecs:

H.264

o DivX H.264

o Elecard H.264

o Intel Ivy Bridge QuickSync (GPU encoder)

o MainConcept H.264 (software)

o MainConcept H.264 (CUDA based encoder)

o MainConcept H.264 (OpenCL based encoder)

o DiscretePhoton

o x264

Non H.264 o XviD (MPEG-4 ASP codec)

May 2012

CS MSU Graphics&Media Lab, Video Group

http://www.compression.ru/video/codec_comparison/index_en.html

videocodec-testing@graphics.cs.msu.ru

This is Free version of report it contains mainly average Y-SSIM graphs and few graphs for separate video sequences. It is for video codec users. Enterprise version contains up to 2000 graphs for all the video sequences, metrics, color-planes and much more. It is for video codec professional users and developers.

VIDEO MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 CODECS COMPARISON MOSCOW, MAY 2012

CS MSU GRAPHICS & MEDIA LAB VIDEO GROUP FREE VERSION

http://www.compression.ru/video/ 2

Contents

Contents .................................................................................................................... 2

1 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................. 4

2 Overview ........................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Sequences .....................................................................................................................5

2.2 Codecs ...........................................................................................................................6

3 Objectives and Testing Rules ............................................................................ 7

3.1 H.264 Codec Testing Objectives ...................................................................................7

3.2 Testing Rules .................................................................................................................7

4 Comparison Results .......................................................................................... 9

4.1 Video Conferences ........................................................................................................9

4.1.1 RD Curves ............................................................................................................9 4.1.2 Encoding Speed ................................................................................................. 11 4.1.3 Speed/Quality Trade-Off .................................................................................... 12 4.1.4 Bitrate Handling ................................................................................................. 15 4.1.5 Local Bitrate Handling ........................................................................................ 16 4.1.6 Relative Quality Analysis ................................................................................... 19

4.2 Movies ........................................................................................................................ 21

4.2.1 RD Curves ......................................................................................................... 21 4.2.2 Encoding Speed ................................................................................................. 26 4.2.3 Speed/Quality Trade-Off .................................................................................... 29 4.2.4 Bitrate Handling ................................................................................................. 35 4.2.5 Relative Quality Analysis ................................................................................... 41

4.3 HDTV .......................................................................................................................... 46

4.3.1 RD Curves ......................................................................................................... 46 4.3.2 Encoding Speed ................................................................................................. 50 4.3.3 Speed/Quality Trade-Off .................................................................................... 56 4.3.4 Bitrate Handling ................................................................................................. 63 4.3.5 Relative Quality Analysis ................................................................................... 69

4.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 74

4.4.1 Video Conference .............................................................................................. 74 4.4.2 Movies ................................................................................................................ 74 4.4.3 HDTV ................................................................................................................. 75 4.4.4 Overall Conclusions ........................................................................................... 77 4.4.5 Codec Conclusions ............................................................................................ 77

1 Appendix 1. Test Set of Video Sequences ....................................................... 79

1.1 Videoconference Sequences ...................................................................................... 79

1.1.1 Deadline........................................................................................................... 79 1.1.2 Developers 4CIF .............................................................................................. 80 1.1.3 Developers 720p ............................................................................................. 81 1.1.4 Presentation .................................................................................................... 82 1.1.5 Business .......................................................................................................... 83

1.2 Movie Sequences ....................................................................................................... 84

1.2.1 City ................................................................................................................... 84 1.2.2 Indiana Jones .................................................................................................. 85 1.2.3 State Enemy .................................................................................................... 86 1.2.4 Crew ................................................................................................................ 87 1.2.5 Harbour ............................................................................................................ 88 1.2.6 Ice Skating ....................................................................................................... 89 1.2.7 Soccer.............................................................................................................. 90 1.2.8 Race Horses .................................................................................................... 91 1.2.9 Party Scene ..................................................................................................... 92

VIDEO MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 CODECS COMPARISON MOSCOW, MAY 2012

CS MSU GRAPHICS & MEDIA LAB VIDEO GROUP FREE VERSION

http://www.compression.ru/video/ 3

1.2.10 Ice Age ........................................................................................................ 93

1.3 HDTV Sequences ....................................................................................................... 94

1.3.1 Park Joy ........................................................................................................... 94 1.3.2 Riverbed .......................................................................................................... 95 1.3.3 Troy .................................................................................................................. 96 1.3.4 Stockholm ........................................................................................................ 97 1.3.5 Rush Hour ....................................................................................................... 98 1.3.6 Blue Sky........................................................................................................... 99 1.3.7 Station............................................................................................................ 100 1.3.8 Sunflower ....................................................................................................... 101 1.3.9 Tractor ........................................................................................................... 102 1.3.10 Big Buck Bunny ......................................................................................... 103 1.3.11 Elephants Dream ...................................................................................... 104 1.3.12 Water drops ............................................................................................... 105 1.3.13 Capitol ....................................................................................................... 106 1.3.14 Parrots ....................................................................................................... 107 1.3.15 Citybus ...................................................................................................... 108 1.3.16 Underwater ......................................