System Tools - Video Codecs

A video codec is a device or software that enables video compression and/or decompression of digital video. They are used with QuinticSoftware to reduce the size of the video file to benefit storage and transmission.

The many types of video codec have differing performance as there is a complex balance between the video quality, the quantity of the data needed to represent it (also known as the bit rate), the complexity of the encoding and decoding algorithms, robustness to data losses and errors, ease of editing, random access, the state of the art of compression algorithm design, end-to-end delay, and other factors. If a video file has been compressed with a particular codec then that codec has to be available for decompression to enable its use.

i) Commonly used standards and Codecs : A variety of codecs can be implemented with relative ease on computers and in consumer electronics equipment. It is therefore possible for multiple codecs to be available in the same product, avoiding the need to choose a single dominant codec for compatibility reasons. In the end it seems unlikely that one codec will replace them all. Some of the video codecs that Quintic currently uses are MPEG-4 Part 2, DivX, Xvid, FFmpeg MPEG-4 and 3ivx.

ii) Missing codecs and video-file issues : A common problem when a user wants to watch a video stream encoded with a specific codec is that, if the exact codec is not present and properly installed on the user’s machine, the video won’t play (or won’t play optimally). If a video codec has not been installed when a video is loaded into Quintic’s main or best screen an information box (Figure 1) will pop up directing you to this page on our website where a range of codecs can be downloaded below. For further information please visit our Troubleshooting page.

Figure 1 : Warning – Quintic is unable to play this video.