You may be wondering, "What is transcoding?" if you're not familiar with the terminology of digital and internet video. The process of transcoding video is essential to an adaptive streaming approach. It takes an encoded digital file or collection of files and produces a new set of digital files tailored to your gear and/or audience's preferences. It's crucial in making sure as many devices as possible can display your information. This article will explain what transcoding is, why it's important, and how it may be used by video streaming content producers and broadcasters.
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What is Transcoding?
Transcoding is the process of taking digital media that has already been encoded (or "compressed") and then decoding, editing, and re-encoding it. In order to facilitate editing, high-definition (HD, 4K, etc.) digital camera footage may be transcoded into a lower-definition format (i.e., smaller files that are quicker and simpler to operate in editing software).
Live video may also be transcoded from one format to another so that it can be streamed to the most people possible on most devices. Transcoding involves changing the elements and format of encoded data (video or audio) from one digital format to another digital format, often because the device that will be used to play back the material demands a more compact file size. Imagine trying to watch a full-length movie on your phone.
The Umbrella Concept of Transcoding
Transcoding, in its most basic form, is a two-stage process involving the decoding and subsequent encoding of (encoded) data. When discussing the process of transcoding video footage, three activities may be included under the bigger heading:
- Transcoding that is "standard" - This refers to altering the video or audio file itself, which may be thought of as the broadest definition of "transcoding" a movie or stream. To broadcast a digital meeting live online, for instance, IP cameras might be set up in the meeting room. IP cameras, which most likely use the RTSP protocol, won't generate a video stream optimized for online viewing without the help of transcoding software or service. The two kinds of adjustments listed below are also possible during the "transcoding" process.
- Transrating - The goal of transrating, a subset of transcoding, is to alter the bitrate directly. The only difference is the bitrate, which may be reduced from 8 Mbps to 3 Mbps so that the same amount of video can be stored in less space or transmitted over a more modest connection.
- Transsizing - Video frame resizing (also termed "image scaling") is a subset of transcoding used to accomplish tasks like downscaling 4K resolution to 1080p.
How Does Transcoding Work?
Video (or audio) material is transcoded when it is first decoded into an intermediate uncompressed format and then re-encoded into its final compressed format. Translating and transsizing/image scaling is also likely to be a part of the process, as we explained in the previous section. Transcoding software may take an already-compressed and encoded video file (we'll name it "ExampleVideo.mov") and convert it to an MP4 file using the H.264 codec, making it more suited for internet streaming (we'll call this new file "ExampleVideo.mp4").
You may use anything from open-source systems with a command-line interface to something with a lot more capabilities and a graphical user interface for your video transcoding needs. Any personal computer, a specialized media server, or a software-as-a-service platform (SaaS) might do the transcoding. Remember that transcoding is, in a word, "computationally intensive." In a nutshell, it performs better with more powerful gear and software, such as more of memory, faster processors, and better graphics acceleration.
In other words, you shouldn't expect to be able to easily transcode 4K video to a quality HLS or DASH stream with a Chromebook. In traditional video production (corporate video, television, etc.), the ingesting and transcoding of HD video for editing can be known to tie up powerful desktop machines—sometimes for hours at a time.
Conclusion
Those just starting in the streaming industry will hopefully have a better understanding of what transcoding is and why it's so important.
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