H.264 Encoder

What is H.264?

H.264 is a standard for compression and video encoding. It has become the most popular codec for playback over the Web and on many devices, including smartphones.

H.264 codec, or MPEG-4/AVC (Advanced Video Coding) as it is otherwise known, is an open, licensed, industry standard for video compression. At the moment, H.264 is one of the most frequently used codecs for recording, compressing and distributing of HD video files. It is most commonly known for being the most popular of the three codec standards for Blu-ray discs. All devices which can play Blu-ray discs must be able to decode H.264. It is also expected to become the format of choice throughout the video industry in the future and so H.264 has never been more important. There are various options available when going about H.264 encoding, including the use of a H.264 encoder.

H.264 has been developed to be compatible with many different platforms: from HD systems such as HDTV, Blu-ray and HD DVD, to lower resolution mobile devices such as iPhone and Android smartphones, or even portable gaming consoles and multimedia devices such as Sony's PSP or Apple's iPod.

H.264 codec offers great balance between quality and size, far superior to its ancestors MPEG2 and MPEG4 ASP (DivX or XviD). H.264 is often compared to x264, but this is actually incorrect because x264 is the name of an open-source H.264 encoder.

H.264 Encoder/Encoding

Quite simply an encoder is a device or software program that converts information written in one format or code to a different one. Usually, this is carried out in order to standardize information, improve speed and security, or reduce the file in size which then saves space.

A H.264 encoder does exactly this; it enables you to convert other video files to H.264/AVC encoded files. The H.264 format vastly improves the quality and efficiency of video material and so a H.264 encoder would prove very useful when trying to convert videos to share over the internet and through devices such as smart phones and tablet PCs.

When compared with the Motion JPEG video format, a H.264 encoder makes it possible for developers to cut the size of digital videos by over 80%, whilst maintaining a high image quality. This reduction in size means that much less storage space and bandwidth is needed to share and store video files which consequently leads to greater efficiency and a reduction in costs.

H.264 Profile

H.264 originally offered 21 standard presets, referred to as profiles, which meet very specific uses and applications, from HD Broadcast to mobile phone playback.

Finally, H.264 codec offers a wide range of features that allow for far better compression than older standards. What's more, H.264 is more flexible and can adapt to a huge variety of network environments.

H.264 encoding is a simple process when you are equipped with the right H.264 converter. There are a great many software and web applications which enable H.264 encoding in which you can upload the video in its original format. The H.264 encoder will then compress the file data into the new H.264 codec. There is a huge quantity of cloud H.264 converter and Coconut is by far the mots complete and flexible.

H.264 is included in the huge list of formats supported by Coconut.

Note that Coconut also provides beta support for the brand new H265 codec also known as HEVC.