Delivering Video at Half the Bit Rate with AVC

摘要

MPEG-4 AVC has emerged as the new open standard with the attributes of efficiency and practicality that will ultimately replace MPEG-2 for the delivery of video. MPEG-2 has served operators very well, with performance and costs having improved dramatically over the past decade, but has become a mature technology with little scope for continued enhancement. AVC technology is sure to follow a similar technology lifecycle. Practical AVC solutions are now available to deliver the new standard over existing MPEG-2 transport infrastructures and are now being deployed. HD solutions will follow shortly, with the first prototype products expected in early 2005.