In the first installment of this two-part blog series, I touched on the Codec Triangle and several factors that make up a complex relationship between bandwidth, latency and quality in Pro AV. Additionally, I discussed video image compression and the harmful effects it can have on your picture. SDVoE™-based Pro AV solutions, built on Semtech’s BlueRiver® technology, are transforming the matrix switch and allowing uncompressed, low latency AV content up to 4K60 over standard Ethernet infrastructure. SDVoE-based solutions are uniquely equipped to fight the harmful effects of compression by leveraging Ethernet. In this blog, I will break down common compression codecs used in the AV space today and offer insight into the pros and cons of each for your application.

The professional AV market continues to show strong growth with Software Defined Video over Ethernet (SDVoE™)-based infrastructure set to replace traditional matrix switching technology in the near future. SDVoE solutions, built on Semtech’s BlueRiver® technology, offer a few fundamental advantages for AV systems allowing uncompressed, low latency AV distribution over standard Ethernet infrastructure. In the AV world, a common gauge for how well your solution distributes AV content lies in how well it manages the “Codec Triangle.” Similar to the old adage: “good, fast and cheap, pick two,” the Codec Triangle refers to a similar scenario for bandwidth, latency and quality in regard to video compression and distribution over standard network infrastructure. In this two-part blog series, I will use the Codec Triangle to illustrate why BlueRiver-enabled SDVoE solutions deliver a better Pro AV user experience than any other AV distribution solution, including best in class AV over IP and matrix switch solutions.