Codecs • Bitrate Targets • Quality Control
📊 Common Codecs
| Codec | Compression Type | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 | Long GOP | Web delivery |
| H.265 / HEVC | High efficiency | 4K streaming |
| ProRes | Intra-frame | Editing |
| DNxHD / DNxHR | Editing codec | Post production |
| AV1 | Modern streaming | Web future |
| MPEG-2 | Legacy | Broadcast |
📉 Bitrate Targets by Resolution
| Resolution | Low | Standard | High Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 720p | 3 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p | 6 Mbps | 8 Mbps | 15 Mbps |
| 1440p | 12 Mbps | 16 Mbps | 24 Mbps |
| 4K | 20 Mbps | 35 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
| 8K | 50 Mbps | 80 Mbps | 120 Mbps |
🎚️ Bitrate Modes
| Mode | Description | Use |
|---|---|---|
| CBR | Constant bitrate | Broadcast |
| VBR | Variable bitrate | Streaming |
| CRF | Quality based | Archival |
🧠 Compression Artifacts
| Artifact | Cause |
|---|---|
| Blocking | Low bitrate |
| Banding | Low bit depth |
| Smearing | High compression |
| Noise pumping | Aggressive encoding |
📏 Best Practices
- Export master in editing codec
- Deliver in H.264/H.265
- Avoid excessive compression passes
- Higher motion requires higher bitrate