video encoders Blog Posts

This post talks about the differences in H.265 and H.264 video compression. It's part of our series on video encoders.

We’ve all been there. We’ve been watching an online video, movie, or a sporting event when the screen suddenly freezes up, or the quality is not what it previously was. No matter what you’re watching, this abrupt loss of quality is incredibly frustrating.

Recent technology known as H.265 (also called HEVC - High Efficiency Video Coding) has emerged to combat this issue. In this post, we compare H.265 to its predecessor, H.264, and explore what H.265 means for your live broadcasts.

This post talks about HEVC compression and the implications of the new technology for the video streaming industry. It's part of our series on video encoders.

It wasn’t long ago that the discussion of 4K capture and delivery seemed like an elusive hypothetical. Debates abounded regarding the need for 4K versus its high cost and potentially slow rate of consumer adoption.

Five years ago, you’d have to take out a second mortgage to get your hands on a 4K camera. Today, your iPhone is a 4K camera. The change has been dramatic. 4K is no longer a topic of debate; the industry has clearly arrived.

This post talks about the live streaming process and the differences in video conferencing and live streaming. It's part of our series on video encoders.

It happens about once a week — someone starts their very first stream with a camera pointed at themselves; while watching it on their computer or tablet, they’re surprised to discover that they’re watching themselves from about 30 seconds ago, and they call us to ask why their stream is so delayed.

This post talks about the differences in using HDMI and SDI outputs for video in a live streaming setup. It's part of our series on video encoders.

When streaming events live, there are several ways to output video and audio from a video source to a streaming device. Two of the most common are HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and SDI (Serial Digital Interface). This post sets out to explain the differences between the two.

This post is a video explanation of the differences in SDI signals like 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI, 12G-SDI, and Quad Link SDI and talks about what they are used to accomplish. It's part of our series on video encoders. 

Today we'll be talking about the different types of SDI signals. So, when I started in video production I thought that there was just one type of SDI signal. Boy you have no idea how excited I was when I found out it wasn't just that simple. I guess nothing's really ever simple is it?

This post addresses the benefits of using a hardware encoder vs. a software encoder in your live video streaming setup. It's part of our series on video encoders.

Hardware or software encoder? The battle rages on. Well, battle is a strong word, but there are important distinctions to point out between the two.

When it comes to live video streaming technology, the decision between hardware or software encoder will inevitably come up. The goal of this post is to arm you with information so that you can make the right choice that best fits your streaming needs.

This post is an in-depth comparison of three hardware video encoders: the BoxCaster, Teradek VidiU, and Digicast. It's the main post in our series on video encoders.

Live video streaming is often best accomplished by way of a hardware encoder (see our post about why that is). The encoder is a physical device that connects to a video source and converts the audio and video signals into something that can be streamed to a media server. While many hardware encoders share similar features, chipsets, and form-factors, they're not all made the same and can produce different results given otherwise similar conditions.