an update on open video codecs and quality

on June 16, 2009 by Christopher Blizzard

170 comments

Two days ago we posted a comparison by Greg Maxwell of low and medium resolution YouTube videos vs. Theora counterparts at the same bit rates. The result in that test was that Theora did much better at the low bit rate and more or less the same at the slightly higher bit rate. The conclusion being that Theora is perfectly appropriate for a site like YouTube.

Now Maik Merten has done the same with videos at HD resolution, comparing videos encoded by YouTube and a video encoded with the new Theora encoder at a managed bitrate. The results? Go have a look at the images in the post. Tell us if you can honestly see a major difference. We can’t.

170 comments

Pingback from shivabandaru.info » Blog Archive » Firefox 3.5 version Released on July 1st, 2009 at 1:06 am:

[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 release note « ReadySleep on July 1st, 2009 at 1:07 am:

[...] 3. Support for the HTML5: native support for Ogg Theora [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 verfügbar « Die Online Seite on July 1st, 2009 at 1:52 am:

[...] der HTML5-Elemente <video> und <audio> durch integrierte Abspielfähigkeit von Videos im Format Ogg Theora und Musikdateien im [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5, le navigateur précurseur | Geekeries on July 1st, 2009 at 1:52 am:

[...] <video> et <audio>. La vidéo et l’audio sont encodés dans les formats libres Ogg Theora et Vorbis. (Essayez-le [...]

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[...] agli elementi e di HTML5, incluso il supporto nativo ai video con codifica Ogg Theora e all’audio con codifica Vorbis [...]

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[...] per i tag HTML5 <video> e <audio> e supporto nativo per i video Ogg Theora e audio [...]

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[...] agli elementi <video> e <audio> di HTML5, incluso il supporto nativo ai video con codifica Ogg Theora e all’audio con codifica [...]

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[...] per i tag HTML5 <video> e <audio> e supporto nativo per i video Ogg Theora e audio [...]

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Pingback from FireFox（火狐）3.5正式版 | IT狂人 on July 1st, 2009 at 5:32 am:

[...] HTML5 <video> 和 <audio> 元素，包括對 Ogg Theora 編碼影像和 Vorbis [...]

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Pingback from [Thread Ufficiale] Mozilla Firefox 3.5 - Centerzone Forum on July 1st, 2009 at 5:42 am:

[...] agli elementi <video> e <audio> di HTML5, incluso il supporto nativo ai video con codifica Ogg Theora e all’audio con codifica Vorbis (fai un test [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 – Der schnellste Firefox aller Zeit | SIDE-2.de - by Oliver Steiner on July 1st, 2009 at 5:50 am:

[...] der HTML5-Elemente <video> und <audio> durch integrierte Abspielfähigkeit von Videos im Format Ogg Theora und Musikdateien im Vorbis-Format. (Probieren Sie es hier [...]

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Pingback from Mozilla Firefox 3.5, finalmente ci siamo | Appunti di viaggio di un ... informatico on July 1st, 2009 at 6:06 am:

[...] agli elementi <video> e <audio> di HTML5, incluso il supporto nativo ai video con codifica Ogg Theora e all’audio con codifica Vorbis (fai un test [...]

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Pingback from What’s New in Firefox 3.5 « Techdew on July 1st, 2009 at 6:35 am:

[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis [...]

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Eduardo B. da C. Krukoski wrote on July 1st, 2009 at 7:14 am:

This is a Historic Moment !!!
… Open Video with out plug-in and free!!!
Bye bye flash player …

I just have one question… Where can I find the video encoder?

Reply
Pingback from Mozilla released Firefox 3.5 on June 30th 2009 on July 1st, 2009 at 8:35 am:

[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 Listo para descargar! on July 1st, 2009 at 8:41 am:

[...] y <audio> de HTML 5, incluyendo audio codificado en Vorbis y vídeo codificado en Ogg Theora de manera nativa (¡Pruébalo [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 中文正式版，瀏覽網頁更順暢 | 就是教不落 on July 1st, 2009 at 9:05 am:

[...] HTML5 <video> 和 <audio> 元素，包括對 Ogg Theora 編碼影像和 Vorbis 編碼聲音 [...]

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[...] 3.5 has support for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded [...]

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[...] y <audio> de HTML 5, incluyendo audio codificado en Vorbis y vídeo codificado en Ogg Theora de manera nativa (¡Pruébalo [...]

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Jim H wrote on July 1st, 2009 at 12:22 pm:

Not to be a wet blanket, because Theora does very well, but this is an overcast day. To do a complete assessment, you’d have to do a comparison in all lighting conditions, and all states of the codecs, all resolutions, one-pass, multiple passes, etc.

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Pingback from TecMAX | Tu Web de Tecnología al Máximo » Blog Archive » Lanzamiento Mozilla Firefox 3.5 on July 1st, 2009 at 12:50 pm:

[...] y <audio> de HTML 5, incluyendo audio codificado en Vorbis y vídeo codificado en Ogg Theora de manera nativa (¡Pruébalo [...]

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Pingback from Tecnología All-In-One Blogs » Blog Archive » Firefox 3.5 finalmente disponible en chileno, español, mexicano y argentino on July 1st, 2009 at 6:19 pm:

[...] y <audio> de HTML 5, incluyendo audio codificado en Vorbis y vídeo codificado en Ogg Theora de manera nativa (¡Pruébalo [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 Listo para descargar! « El Blog de los Anti-heroes on July 1st, 2009 at 9:26 pm:

[...] y <audio> de HTML 5, incluyendo audio codificado en Vorbis y vídeo codificado en Ogg Theora de manera nativa (¡Pruébalo [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 Release Optimized Build on July 1st, 2009 at 10:29 pm:

[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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Pingback from Firefox 3.5 Released! - Vitae Founder and Project Lead Mike Moceri’s Personal Blog on July 1st, 2009 at 10:44 pm:

[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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Pingback from » Disponibile Firefox 3.5 on July 2nd, 2009 at 12:43 am:

[...] supporto nativo per per OGG Theora; [...]

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[...] agli elementi <video> e <audio> di HTML5, incluso il supporto nativo ai video con codifica Ogg Theora e all’audio con codifica Vorbis (fai un test [...]

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[...] des balises HTML5 <video> et <audio> dont la gestion native encodées en Ogg Theora et les fichiers audio encodés en Vorbis. (Essayez-le [...]

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[...] des balises HTML5 <video> et <audio> dont la gestion native encodées en Ogg Theora et les fichiers audio encodés en Vorbis. (Essayez-le [...]

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[...] 3.5 has support for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements includingnative support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. (Try it [...]

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[...] y <audio> de HTML 5, incluyendo audio codificado en Vorbis y vídeo codificado en Ogg Theora de manera nativa (¡Pruébalo [...]

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Pingback from Open Video looks to make Flash a dim spot on internet video’s future | TechSoup on July 6th, 2009 at 1:02 pm:

[...] 3.5 currently has native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded audio. These open source initiatives are working towards [...]

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[...] for the HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded [...]

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Pingback from Download dan Fitur Firefox 3.5 « Ceritahusnie's Blog on July 7th, 2009 at 11:41 pm:

[...] plugin gratis yang mendukung video dan audio playback menggunakan Ogg Vorbis dan Ogg Theora Coba di SINI, tapi tergantung koneksi internet juga sih, He he [...]

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TGM wrote on July 8th, 2009 at 10:57 am:

I don’t mean any disrespect on the guy in the example but… I can see his spots on the Theora encoding!

Reply
TGM wrote on July 8th, 2009 at 10:57 am:

I don’t mean any disrespect on the guy in the encoding but… I can see his spots on the Theora encoding!

Reply
dave wrote on July 8th, 2009 at 2:03 pm:

color saturation in H.264 is a little nicer… that might be controllable in preferences tho.

Reply
Tomas wrote on July 9th, 2009 at 2:30 pm:

Hi Everyone,

Clarification WHY USE THEORA + VORBIS:

1.Theora should be used instead of patent an royalties constrained Adobe Flash. Adobe Flash sucks very much, because:

a)for the playback of same quality video material it requires muuuuch more CPU power than any other decoder (Theora for that matter or Xvid);
b)it crashes everything on its way (no matter what browser or operating system you use- I tried them all, really);

2.Flash is closed source- speaks for itself and partially explained the above. Three words: security, quality, spyware;

3.The profile used by google sucks all the way and any h.264/AVC takes way too much CPU power to compress and achieve the same (or as in case of youtube worse) quality for a small web video than any other encoder (vide Theora).

4. Theres no point to use any AVC for the web as you have to pay royalties from 2010 to mpegLA even if they havn’t written a single line of code. The same goes for open source Xvid- they havn’t written a single line of code but claim its their patent. (Xvid is so good that some companies even tried to steal it an conceal the code, they failed miserably).

5.In order to achive good results in Theora you need two passes, but even with one pass its GREAT. For compressing DVDs I use sth. like this: QPel+ Extreme Quality Profile+ Trellis Search Quantization+ Some Image Noise Reduction+ Gauss Scaler. I also use Vorbis for Audio (Q=3). To my surprise it produced sharper image than Xvid without Qpel (rest settings the same).

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Pingback from Download Firefox 3.5, the fastest ever Firefox web browser on July 9th, 2009 at 7:47 pm:

[...] plugin — Firefox 3.5 now support HTML5 <video> and <audio> elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded [...]

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Pingback from Nirvanknight™ | Personal Blog » Mozilla Firefox 3.5 on July 11th, 2009 at 6:02 am:

[...] for the HTML5 and elements including native support for Ogg Theora encoded video and Vorbis encoded [...]

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