List of codecs

The following is a list of compression formats and related codecs.

1 Audio codecs
2 Text codecs
3 Video codecs
- 3.1 Lossless compression
- 3.2 Lossy compression
4 Other
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

Audio codecs

Main article: Audio codec

Non-compression formats

Linear Pulse Code Modulation (LPCM, generally only described as PCM) is most used format for uncompressed audio and it is also standard for Compact Disc Digital Audio; note that LPCM is in a computer usually stored in AIFF, WAV, AU container formats or as RAW audio format
- Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF, audio container format)
  - FFmpeg
- WAV – Microsoft "WAVE", audio container format (format supports compression, but it is rarely used)
  - FFmpeg
Pulse-density modulation (PDM)
- Direct Stream Digital (DSD) is standard for Super Audio CD
  - foobar2000 Super Audio CD Decoder (based on MPEG-4 DST reference decoder)
Pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM)

Lossless data compression

Main article: Lossless data compression

Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)
- FFmpeg
- QuickTime
ATRAC Advanced Lossless (AAL)
Direct Stream Transfer (DST)
- MPEG-4 DST reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001/Amd.10:2007)
Dolby TrueHD – Optional lossless surround sound format used by HD DVD and Blu-ray, it uses MLP but adds higher sample rates, bit rates, and more channels
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
DTS-HD Master Audio – Optional lossless surround sound format used by HD DVD and Blu-ray, it was previously known as DTS++ and DTS-HD
Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
- FFmpeg
- libFLAC
Lossless Audio (LA)
Lossless Predictive Audio Compression (LPAC)
Lossless Transform Audio Compression (LTAC)
MPEG-4 Audio Lossless Coding (MPEG-4 ALS)
- MPEG-4 ALS reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001/Amd 10:2007/Cor 3:2009)
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
MPEG-4 Scalable Lossless Coding (MPEG-4 SLS, also used in audio profile HD-AAC)
- MPEG-4 SLS reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001/Amd 10:2007)
Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP), also known as Packed PCM (PPCM), it is as Dolby TrueHD the standard lossless compression method for DVD-Audio content
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
Monkey's Audio (APE)
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
mp3HD
OptimFROG (OFR)
Original Sound Quality (OSQ)
RealAudio Lossless
RK Audio (RKAU)
Shorten (SHN)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
True Audio (TTA)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
WavPack (WV)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless
- Flip4Mac WMV (QuickTime)

Lossy data compression

Main article: Lossy data compression

General

Adaptive Differential (or Delta) pulse-code modulation (ADPCM, see Pulse-code modulation)
Adaptive Rate-Distortion Optimised sound codeR (ARDOR)
Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (ATRAC, used in MiniDisc devices)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
apt-X
Dolby Digital (A/52, AC3)
- FFmpeg
- liba52 (decoder only)
DTS Coherent Acoustics (DTS, Digital Theatre System Coherent Acoustics)
- FFmpeg
Impala FORscene audio codec
ITU standards:
- G.719
- G.722
  - FFmpeg
- G.722.1 and G.722.1 Annex C
  - libg722_1
  - libsiren (part of libmsn and msn-pecan)
- G.722.2
  - 3GPP TS 26.173 - AMR-WB speech Codec (C-source code) - reference implementation^[1]
  - opencore-amr (decoder)
  - FFmpeg (decoding only)
MPEG-1 Audio and MPEG-2 Audio
- layer I (MP1) (MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and non-ISO MPEG-2.5)
  - FFmpeg (decoder only)
- layer II (MP2) (MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and non-ISO MPEG-2.5)
  - FFmpeg
  - tooLame (encoding only)
  - twoLame (encoding only)
- layer III (MP3) (MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and non-ISO MPEG-2.5)
  - FFmpeg (decoding only)
  - LAME (encoding only)
- Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) (MPEG-2 Part 7)
  - FAAC, FAAD
  - FFmpeg
  - iTunes
  - Nero AAC Codec
MPEG-4 Audio
- Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), (MPEG-4 Part 3 subpart 4), HE-AAC
  - FAAC, FAAD2
  - FFmpeg
  - iTunes
  - Nero AAC Codec
  - MPEG-4 AAC reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001)
- Harmonic and Individual Lines and Noise (HILN, MPEG-4 Parametric Audio Coding)
  - MPEG-4 reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001)
- TwinVQ
  - MPEG-4 reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001)
  - FFmpeg (decoding only)
- BSAC (Bit-Sliced Arithmetic Coding)
  - MPEG-4 reference software (ISO/IEC 14496-5:2001)
Musepack
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
Perceptual Audio Coding
QDesign
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
Siren 7
- libg722_1
- libsiren (part of libmsn and msn-pecan)
Siren 14
- libg722_1
Siren 22
TwinVQ
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
- NTT TwinVQ Encoder, NTT TwinVQ Player
Vorbis
- aoTuV
- FFmpeg
- libvorbis
- Tremor (decoder only)
Windows Media Audio (WMA)
- Windows Media Encoder
- FFmpeg

Voice

Main article: Speech encoding

(low bit rate, optimized for speech)

Advanced Multi-Band Excitation (AMBE)
Algebraic Code Excited Linear Prediction (ACELP)
CDMA compression formats and codecs
- Enhanced Variable Rate Codec (EVRC)
- Enhanced Variable Rate Codec B (EVRC-B)
- QCELP (Qualcomm Code Excited Linear Prediction)
  - FFmpeg (decoder only)
- Selectable Mode Vocoder (SMV)
- Variable Multi Rate – WideBand (VMR-WB)
CELT
- libcelt
Code Excited Linear Prediction (CELP)
Continuously variable slope delta modulation (CVSD)
Dialogic ADPCM (VOX)
Digital Speech Standard (DSS)
FS-1015 (LPC-10)
- HawkVoice (libHVDI)
FS-1016 (CELP)
- HawkVoice (libHVDI)
ITU standards:
- G.711 (a-law and μ-law companding), also known as PCM of voice frequencies
  - FFmpeg (libavcodec)
- G.711.0 (G.711 LLC)
- G.711.1
- G.718
- G.719
- G.721 (superseded by G.726)
- G.722
  - FFmpeg
- G.722.1
- G.722.2 (AMR-WB)
  - 3GPP TS 26.173 - AMR-WB speech Codec (C-source code) - reference implementation^[1]
  - opencore-amr (decoder)
  - FFmpeg (decoder only)
- G.723 (24 and 40 kbit/s DPCM, extension to G.721, superseded by G.726)
- G.723.1 (MPC-MLQ or ACELP)
  - FFmpeg
- G.726 (ADPCM)
  - FFmpeg (libavcodec)
- G.728 (LD-CELP)
- G.729 (CS-ACELP)
  - FFmpeg (decoder only)
- G.729a
- G.729d
  - FFmpeg (decoder only)
- G.729.1
GSM compression formats and codecs:
- Full Rate (GSM 06.10)
  - libgsm
  - FFmpeg (decoder only)
- Half Rate (GSM 06.20)
- Enhanced Full Rate (GSM 06.60)
- Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR)
  - AMR-NB
    - 3GPP TS 26.073 - AMR speech Codec (C-source code) - reference implementation^[2]
    - opencore-amr
    - FFmpeg (decoder only)
  - AMR-WB
    - 3GPP TS 26.173 - AMR-WB speech Codec (C-source code) - reference implementation^[1]
    - opencore-amr (decoder)
    - FFmpeg (decoder only)
  - AMR-WB+
    - 3GPP TS 26.273 - AMR-WB+ speech Codec (C-source code) - reference implementation^[3]
Harmonic Vector Excitation Coding (HVXC)
Internet Low Bit Rate Codec (iLBC)
- WebRTC
Improved Multi-Band Excitation (IMBE)
internet Speech Audio Codec (iSAC)
- WebRTC
Mixed Excitation Linear Prediction (MELP)
Nellymoser Asao Codec
- FFmpeg (libavcodec)
Opus
PT716, PT716plus
PT724
RALCWI (Robust Advanced Low Complexity Waveform Interpolation)
Relaxed Code Excited Linear Prediction (RCELP)
RTAudio - used by Microsoft Live Communication Server
SILK - used by Skype
Speex, patent free
- libspeex
SVOPC - used by Skype
Triple Rate CODER (TRC) - used in some pocket recorders.
Vector Sum Excited Linear Prediction (VSELP)
OpenLPC
- HawkVoice (libHVDI)
Voxware VR12 - used by Microsoft DirectPlay
Voxware SC03 - used by Microsoft DirectPlay
Voxware SC06 - used by Microsoft DirectPlay
Truespeech
- FFmpeg (decoder only)

Text codecs

BiM
Continuous Media Markup Language (CMML)
MPEG-4 Part 17 (e.g. 3GPP Timed Text)
Ogg Kate
Ogg Writ

Video codecs

Main article: Video codec

Lossless compression

Alpary
Animation (qtrle)
- QuickTime
- FFmpeg
ArithYuv
AVIzlib
- LCL (VfW codec)
- FFmpeg
CamStudio GZIP/LZO
Dirac lossless
- libdirac
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
FastCodec
Fraps
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
FFV1
- FFmpeg
H264 lossless
- x264 (encoder only)
- FFmpeg (decoder only, uses x264 for encoding)
Huffyuv
- FFmpeg
JPEG 2000 lossless
Lagarith
- Lagarith Codec (VfW codec)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
LOCO
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
LZO
MSU Lossless Video Codec
PNG
- CorePNG
- FFmpeg
SheerVideo
Snow lossless
- FFmpeg
TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC)^[4] used by camtasia.
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
Ut Video^[5]
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
YULS
ZMBV (Zip Motion Block Video) Codec
- FFmpeg
ZRLE used by VNC

Lossy compression

Audio Video Standard (AVS)
- OpenAVS
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
Blackbird FORscene video codec
Cineform
Cinepak
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
Dirac
- Schrödinger
- dirac-research
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
DV
- FFmpeg
Firebird [1] Original FORscene video codec
H.261
- FFmpeg H.261 (libavcodec)
MPEG-1 Part 2 (MPEG-1 Video)
- Cinema Craft Encoder
- Elecard MPEG-1 Decoder/Encoder
- FFmpeg
- Ligos LSX MPEG-1
- MainConcept MPEG-1
- TMPGEnc
H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2 (MPEG-2 Video)
- Canopus ProCoder
- Cinema Craft Encoder
- Elecard MPEG-2 Video Decoder/Encoder
- FFmpeg
- InterVideo Video Decoder
- Ligos LSX MPEG-2
- MainConcept MPEG-2
- TMPGEnc
H.263
- FFmpeg H.263 (libavcodec)
MPEG-4 Part 2 (MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile)
- 3ivx
- DivX
- Elecard MPEG-4 Decoder/Encoder
- libavcodec
- HDX4
- Nero Digital
- Xvid
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC or MPEG-4 Part 10 (MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding), approved for Blu-ray
- CoreAVC
- Elecard AVC Decoder/Encoder
- MainConcept
- Nero Digital
- QuickTime H.264
- Sorenson AVC Pro codec, Sorenson's new implementation
- Vanguard Software Solutions
- x264 (encoder only)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
Indeo 3/4/5
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
MJPEG
- FFmpeg
- Morgan Multimedia M-JPEG
- Pegasus PICVideo M-JPEG
- PICVideo
JPEG 2000 intra frame video codec
- FFmpeg
OMS Video
On2 Technologies TrueMotion VP3/VP4, VP5, VP6, VP7, VP8; under the name The Duck Corporation: TrueMotion S, TrueMotion 2
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
Pixlet
Apple ProRes 422
- FFmpeg
RealVideo
- FFmpeg
Snow Wavelet Codec
Sorenson Video, Sorenson Spark
- FFmpeg
Tarkin
Theora
- FFmpeg (decoding only)
- libtheora
VC-1 (SMPTE standard, subset of Windows Media Video)
- FFmpeg (decoder only)
VC-2 SMPTE standard (a.k.a. Dirac Pro)
- Schrödinger
- dirac-research
VC-3 SMPTE standard
- Avid DNxHD
- FFmpeg
Windows Media Video (WMV)
- WAX (Part of the Windows Media Series)
- FFmpeg

Other

References

^ ^a ^b ^c 3GPP (2008-12-11) 3GPP TS 26.173 - AMR-WB speech Codec; version 8.0.0 Release 8, Retrieved 2009-09-09
^ 3GPP (2008-12-11) 3GPP TS 26.073 - AMR speech Codec; version 8.0.0 Release 8, Retrieved 2009-09-08
^ 3GPP (2008-12-18) 3GPP TS 26.273 - AMR-WB+ speech Codec; version 8.0.0 Release 8, Retrieved 2009-09-09
^ TechSmith Codecs
^ http://www.ffmpeg.org/trac/ffmpeg/ticket/534

External links

Subjective codec comparison
Audio formats comparison, a look at six lossless formats and five lossy formats.
http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php, list of codec four digit codes (like DIV3, XVID, ...)
Interactive blind listening tests of audio codecs over the internet
http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Support/Formats,List of different audio codecs and meta-data by them
Online Video Format Identification Tool - Designed primarily for CCTV video formats and codecs

List of codecs

Contents

Audio codecs

Non-compression formats

Lossless data compression

Lossy data compression

General

Voice

Text codecs

Video codecs

Lossless compression

Lossy compression

Other

See also

References

External links