AV1 files.
The AOMedia Video 1 codec, or AV1, has been the latest talk of the town in the tech industry. There have been bold claims about how it will revolutionize video streaming in the future.
Discover everything you need to know about AV1 and what it means for video streaming.
What is an AV1 file?
An AV1 file is a video encoded with AV1 compression, which allows videos to be more efficient and buffer-less when played online. It’s an open-source, royalty free video codec that’s tailor-made for online streaming.
It’s important to note that AV1 files are rarely saved with the .AV1 extension. Instead, they’re saved using more common video container extensions, such MP4, MKV, and WEBM.
History of the AV1 file.
In 2015, numerous tech giants, such as Amazon, Microsoft and Netflix founded the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia). This is a non-profit workforce, dedicated to developing open-source technologies, like AV1, for the next generation of video delivery.
The AV1 codec was created as open-source, royalty free alternative to the more commonly used H.264 and H.265 video codec created by the Moving Picture Experts Group. The aim was to enable the Alliance for Open Media and other bodies to produce and share high quality videos, without having to pay royalties to Moving Picture Experts Group.
AV1 entered the market in March 2018 and has quickly gained momentum. In fact, Netflix is now streaming AV1 video to selected Smart TVs and game consoles. Google has also embraced AV1. And with more widespread support anticipated from major content providers and hardware companies, it’s likely AV1 will fall into widespread adaptation in the coming years.
How to use AV1 files.
Compress and decompress video content.
You can use AV1 to compress and decompress video content, so that it can be stored and played back. Codecs are made up of two components:
- An encoder which compresses the content
- A decoder which decompresses the content
Without codecs, online streaming wouldn’t be possible. Codecs are also the reason why you can easily conduct business meetings and binge watch TV shows on your smartphone, as they compress files to make them easier to stream, without extensive buffering.
Enable efficient transfers.
AV1 files use an algorithm to compress video content for easy transmission. This means it shrinks videos into a streamable size, so they’re much easier to encapsule and transmit across the internet.
Better still, this is all done without quality loss. This means videos can stream more efficiently, without an impact to the original definition — even for high-res videos such as those in Ultra HD and 4K.
Pros and cons of AV1 files.
Despite its growing popularity, there are still some positive points and drawbacks to the AV1 format which you need to know before using it.
Pros.
- Open source. AV1 is royalty free and open source. Meaning anyone can use it and it doesn’t require a license.
- Reduced download times. AV1 can reduce download speeds by up to 20 and 30 percent, making streaming faster and more efficient.
- Better video quality. AV1 can deliver better video quality at lower bitrates than other formats such as H.264 and VP9.
- Versatile. Aside from video streaming, AV1 is used for web-based video conferencing. In fact, Google says all Duo calls will now use AV1, making low-bandwidth video appear much higher quality than before.
- Smaller file size. Content encoded in the AV1 codec generally maintains a higher quality at a smaller file size, compared to content encoded in H.264.
Cons.
- Lengthier encoding times. While AV1 can deliver better quality at lower bitrates than other formats, it takes much longer to encode content. Roughly three times longer than H.265.
- Little support. As it is still relatively new, AV1 is not yet supported by most browsers. Additionally, most common media players cannot support AV1 files.
Find out which codec file types are supported by Adobe Premiere Pro
How to open an AV1 file.
You can open AV1 files in VLC Media Player, which is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Simply:
- Install or launch VLC Media Player.
- Navigate to “Media” in the top right-hand corner and select “Open File.”
- Locate your AV1 file and click “Open.”
- Your video should automatically start playing.
You can also convert AV1 files to more widespread formats such as AVI or MP4.
How to create and edit an AV1 file.
Adobe has a range of software available for video editing, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Media Encoder. But in order to edit an AV1 file using Adobe video editing software, you must convert the AV1 file to a file extension supported by Adobe.
You can do this using a secure third-party converter. Once you have done this, you can simply create a new project in Premiere Pro and begin editing your AV1 file right away.
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