Selecting capped CRF in the Hybrik cloud encoder. The CRF clip was consistently slightly higher than the 200% constrained VBR. The result plot shows significant qualitative differences between capped CRF and 200% constrained VBR. Even worse data rate swings in this file encoded using 200% constrained VBR. Significant data rate swings in this file encoded using Capped CFR. A per-title scorecard from Streaming Media East 2018.

Table 1 Three stream delivery patterns.

Bandwidth Savings, Increase QoS, or Both?.

Or, depending upon your encoding platform, you can roll your own via a technique called Capped CRF.

You can license optimization technology from Beamr, Crunch Media, Euclid IQ, and ZPEG deploy on-premise encoders from Capella Systems, Harmonic, Elemental, and others with per-title capabilities, or access per-title encoding in the cloud from Bitmovin, Brightcove, JWPlayer, and Mux. You can access per-title encoding in many forms from many different vendors. Since most encoding ladders are so conservative, in most cases, deploying per-title encoding results in a data rate reduction for most clips. Hard-to-encode video clips are encoded at higher data rates than your normal ladder, while easier-to-encode clips are encoded at lower data rates. Per-title encoding customizes each encode for the complexity of the video footage. Capped CRF is a credible technique currently used by JWPlayer in the company’s online video platform for both H.264 and VP9.

Capped CRF is also a simple per-title encoding method that can reduce your bandwidth costs and improve viewer QoE.

The first article was Saving on Encoding: Adjust Encoding Configuration to Increase Capacity.Īrticle summary: Capped CRF encoding is a single-pass encoding method that can save encoding costs compared to two-pass VBR. This is the second in a five-part series on how to cut your encoding and streaming costs.

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