In an era where video security and digital technologies are evolving at an unprecedented pace, Axis Communications once again demonstrates its commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation with the integration of AV1 support in its ARTPEC-9 System-on-Chip (SoC). It marks a significant step forward in video encoding efficiency, enabling higher-quality video transmission while optimizing bandwidth and storage consumption.
So, how will the adoption of AV1 technology influence the industry’s shift towards highly efficient solutions? This article highlights the benefits of AV1 support by ARTPEC-9 SoC.
Understanding AV1: The Future of Video Encoding
AV1 is a royalty-free, open-source video compression standard developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), a collaborative group of tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Mozilla, Apple, Nvidia, AMD, Meta, Netflix, Amazon, and many others. Designed to surpass the compression efficiency of H.264 and H.265, AV1 not only delivers high-quality video at significantly lower bitrates but also strategically sidesteps the complex web of patent claims and licensing fees that have long burdened earlier standards – in particularly the H.265 codec. By avoiding restrictive patent pools, AV1 ensures greater legal clarity and cost predictability for manufacturers, developers, and content providers. This combination of technical efficiency and freedom from proprietary constraints makes AV1 a future-proof choice for industries that rely heavily on video streaming and distribution.
The rise of AV1 certainly unfolds against the backdrop of limitations in older video compression technologies. Despite its widespread adoption and reliability, H.264 is already over two decades old and is increasingly inadequate for modern demands, such as high-resolution video security. Although H.265 was introduced over a decade ago in 2013 as the intended successor to H.264 and boasts notable technological advancements, it has failed to gain significant traction due to its restrictive licensing model.
From H.265’s Licensing Hurdles to AV1’s Royalty-Free Revolution
H.265, commonly also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), was developed by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC), a partnership between the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). Compared to its predecessor H.264, H.265 delivers notable advancements such as enhanced compression efficiency, superior visual quality, and compatibility with 4K and 8K resolutions. However, its reliance on patented technologies requires licensing fees, which are often higher than those for H.264. This patent barrier has been a significant obstacle to widespread adoption on the market, even though the growing demand for higher resolution formats like 8K underscores the need for more advanced codecs. In the medium and long term, H.264 will no longer be sufficient to meet the evolving requirements of video compression for higher resolutions. Amid these challenges, AV1 has steadily gained traction as a strong competitor to H.265/HEVC. With major tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Intel, Apple, Meta, Netflix, and Nvidia championing its development and implementation, AV1 has established itself as the current video encoding standard format. Tests conducted by Facebook in 2018 revealed that AV1 achieved 50% higher compression than H.264 and 34% higher than VP9, a former royalty-free video codec developed by Google, known as the predecessor to AV1. This efficiency translates to reduced bandwidth usage and storage costs, making AV1 an ideal choice for modern video applications.
Furthermore, its widespread adoption among major technology companies ensures continuous optimization and integration into emerging platforms, including browsers, streaming services, cloud-based solutions, and AI-driven video analytics.
The ARTPEC-9 Advantage
Axis Communications’ ARTPEC-9 SoC is a proof of the company’s commitment for innovation and excellence. By integrating AV1 support, Axis has achieved an industry-first milestone, setting a new benchmark for professional video security. The ARTPEC-9 is designed to deliver superior image processing, AI-powered analytics, and enhanced cybersecurity, all while maintaining exceptional energy efficiency.
The growing demand for high-resolution video in video security technology reveals the limits of traditional video codecs predominant in the security industry – putting AV1 on the map and into the spotlight: By overcoming these constraints, AV1 enables the development of ultra-high-resolution products that deliver greater image detail while minimizing bandwidth and storage requirements.
Industry segments that rely on high-resolution video stand to benefit significantly from AV1’s capabilities. By removing the restrictions of legacy codecs like H.264, AV1 supports more precise imaging and reduces the need for deploying multiple cameras. This efficiency directly addresses the demand for scalable, advanced video solutions. Furthermore, its royalty-free structure gives manufacturers the freedom to innovate without the burden of licensing costs—making AV1 a future-ready choice.
Furthermore, a powerful advantage emerges when AV1 is combined with Axis’ own Zipstream technology for bitrate reduction. AV1’s superior compression retains fine visual details while lowering file sizes, which is essential for managing 4K or higher video streams and supporting bandwidth-constrained environments. Zipstream complements this by dynamically adjusting compression levels to preserve critical forensic information. Together, they strike the perfect balance between image quality and bitrate efficiency. This synergy empowers AI-driven video analytics to perform faster and more accurately, even in complex or low-bandwidth settings. Reduced storage demands and bandwidth usage result in lower operational costs – an appealing proposition for businesses deploying video analytics in the cloud. Ultimately, AV1 and Zipstream together unlock new levels of real-time insight, data efficiency, and deployment flexibility, making it a highly attractive solution for cloud businesses and organizations.
Applications and Implications
The inclusion of AV1 in the ARTPEC-9 SoC opens plenty of possibilities for advanced analytics. For instance, the enhanced video quality enables earlier object detection and more precise event analysis. This is particularly beneficial for applications such as perimeter security or traffic monitoring, where swift and precise data interpretation is crucial. Additionally, in industrial automation, AV1 enhances computer vision systems, improving defect detection and quality control in manufacturing processes. High-resolution video streams allow for better analysis, ensuring efficiency and reliability in production environments.
Moreover, the compatibility of AV1 with cloud-oriented protocols like WebRTC simplifies remote video access and accelerates the deployment of new use cases. Its ability to deliver high-quality video at low bitrates makes it ideal for real-time applications, especially in networks with limited bandwidth. In Axis’ own video management software (VMS) Axis Camera Station, the integration of AV1 with ARTPEC-9 cameras enhances advanced video analytics and significantly improves low-light performance – even in environments with constrained bandwidth. This is made possible by AV1’s superior compression algorithms, which preserve finer image details and dynamic range while drastically reducing bitrate requirements. As a result, critical visual elements – like subtle motion patterns or faint lighting variations – are retained, enabling more accurate detection, classification, and triggering of analytic events. AV1’s efficiency ensures that even high-resolution, low-light footage can be transmitted smoothly without sacrificing quality, which is vital for real-time response and post-event analysis.
Enhanced Imaging and Scene Intelligence Technology
The ARTPEC-9 System-on-Chip builds upon Axis’ legacy of delivering exceptional image quality. Technologies like Axis Lightfinder and Axis Forensic Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) are integral to the ARTPEC-9, ensuring consistent performance even in challenging lighting conditions. As part of Axis Scene Intelligence technology, those features enhance analytics capabilities. This combination of imaging excellence and intelligent analysis sets a robust foundation for future advancements.
Technical Insights and Performance Metrics
Building on these innovations, advancements in video codec technology have further propelled the capabilities of modern imaging solutions. The H.264 video standard supports resolutions corresponding to a 4K UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Its direct successor H.265/HEVC extends to 8K UHD resolution with 7680 × 4320 pixels. Taking this progression to record heights, the AV1 codec surpasses both predecessors, supporting theoretical maximum resolutions as high as 16384 x 8704 pixels. While such resolutions far exceed current practical applications, they highlight AV1’s extraordinary potential to accommodate future high-resolution and large-format video requirements, positioning it as a future-proof solution. Thanks to advanced techniques such as adaptive quantization, multi-symbol entropy coding, and directional intra prediction – many of which are also present in H.265. However, unlike H.265, AV1 is free from the complex patent licensing model that can pose challenges for end users. Beyond its efficiency, AV1’s support for high dynamic range (HDR) and wide color gamut ensures it meets the rigorous demands of modern video applications.
These advancements translate directly into tangible benefits for network video security users. AV1 excels across many types of video content, providing efficient streaming with an impressive balance of image quality and low bitrate. By handling high-resolution footage or intricate motion, it matches the performance of H.265, while the license costs are eliminated. For most network video security users, upgrading from the older H.264 to the modern AV1 video codec can result in substantial bit rate reductions, lower storage costs, and support for the increasing demand for high-resolution video. However, the transition to AV1 will take time, during which older encoding formats must remain supported to ensure compatibility.
The Broader Impact of AV1
Finally, AV1’s compatibility with emerging technologies such as 5G and edge computing paves the way for new applications in areas like smart cities, cargo and transportation. By integrating AV1 into its products, Axis Communications is not only addressing current market needs but also anticipating future trends and challenges.
Defining the Future of Network Video Security: ARTPEC-9 SoC with AV1
Axis Communications’ ARTPEC-9 SoC with AV1 support is more than just a milestone in video security technology; it is a bold statement of the company’s vision for the future. By combining cutting-edge video encoding with advanced analytics and robust cybersecurity, Axis is paving the way for smarter, more efficient, and secure video security systems.
As the industry navigates a rapidly developing landscape shaped by growing demands for high-resolution video, real-time processing, solutions like the ARTPEC-9 SoC are ready to influence every facet of video technology – from remote monitoring to data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency. Its AV1 integration exemplifies Axis’ commitment to reducing bandwidth and storage consumption, while ensuring seamless interoperability with the latest cloud-based frameworks and video management platforms. By enabling users with more efficient solutions, Axis is not only keeping pace with technological progress – it is once again driving it, setting the stage for the future of network video security technology.