H.266 (VVC)
H.266, also called VVC (Versatile Video Coding), is a video compression standard finalized in 2020 as the successor to HEVC. H.266 aims to deliver the same quality as HEVC at roughly half the bitrate, which helps with 4K, 8K and 360 degree video. Encoding is very demanding. Device and browser support remains limited, and patent licensing is complex.
Why it matters
VVC promises to halve bitrate compared with HEVC, which matters most for 4K, 8K and immersive video where files are huge. For most streaming businesses today it is a future option, because few phones, browsers or TVs can play it and licensing is complex.
How it works
- The encoder splits frames into blocks, with even more flexible shapes and sizes than HEVC.
- Each block is predicted from nearby pixels or other frames using a larger set of tools.
- The remaining difference is rounded and packed into a compact bitstream.
- A VVC decoder, in software or a chip, rebuilds the frames; support is still limited.
H.266 vs H.265: what is the difference?
H.266 (VVC) is H.265's successor and is designed to deliver the same perceptual quality at about half the bitrate. The tradeoff is much higher encoding complexity and far less device support today. H.265 is widely supported on TVs and Apple devices, so it remains the practical choice for most services.
VVC vs AV1: which will win?
Neither has clearly won. AV1 is royalty-free and already plays in most browsers and many newer devices. VVC can compress more efficiently but has limited device support and complex licensing. Broadcasters adopting new TV standards are testing VVC, while web and app streaming services mostly lean toward AV1.
Where it's used
Broadcasters moving to next-generation TV standards, such as Brazil's TV 3.0, test H.266 for 4K and 8K channels that need less bandwidth than HEVC.
By the numbers
- The content of the final VVC standard was approved on July 6, 2020. (Wikipedia: Versatile Video Coding)
- VVC is described as having about 50% better compression than HEVC at the same perceptual quality. (Wikipedia: Versatile Video Coding)
