Video Codec Technology
Jeremiah Golston and Dr. Ajit Rao of Texas Intruments have written an in-depth article about video codecs in EE Times. Video codecs tutorial: Trade-offs with H.264, VC-1 and other advanced codecs
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The main goal for video compression is to encode digital video using as few bits as possible while maintaining visual quality. Codecs are based on the mathematical principles of information theory. However, building practical codec implementations requires making delicate trade-offs that approach being an art form.
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Video compression is an essential enabler for all these exciting new video products. Compression-decompression (codec) algorithms make it possible to store and transmit digital video. Typically, codecs are either industry standards such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264/AVC and AVS or proprietary algorithms, such as On2, Real Video, Nancy and Windows Media Video (WMV).
WMV is an exception as it was originally a Microsoft proprietary algorithm that is now also standardized by SMPTE as VC-1. Codec technology has continuously improved in the last decade. The most recent codecs, H.264/AVC and VC-1, represent the third generation of video compression technology. Both codecs are capable of squeezing very high compression ratios utilizing the available processing horsepower in low-cost ICs such as programmable DSPs and fixed-function ASICs.
[via EE Times Newsletter]