NTT has developed a software-encoding engine which complies with the International Standard H.265/HEVC and enables the simultaneous transmission of 60 frames-per-second videos for 4K distribution as well as ultra high-definition 120 frames-per-second videos.
Encoding done by this technology will enable viewers to watch videos at 60 frames per second on existing TVs and other devices when video distribution of 120 frames per second starts in the future, facilitating a smooth switchover.
This functionality is achieved by implementing temporal-direction hierarchical encoding, which enables embedding of a 60-frame-per-second HEVC bitstream in a 120-frame-per-second HEVC bitstream.
NTT's original bit rate control algorithm is used to achieve high visual quality while keeping both 60- and 120-frame-per-second HEVC bitstreams at the desired bit rates.
By introducing an original variable bit rate-encoding technique, NTT said it has also achieved an approximately 40% reduction in the amount of data compared to a constant bit rate, with image quality equivalent to that seen previously.
NTT Advanced Technology has acquired this technique and upgraded versions of the software codec development kit "HEVC-1000 SDK" and the file conversion software "FileConverter FC4000" are going on sale.