GlossaryLCEVC

LCEVC

LCEVC (Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding), standardized as MPEG-5 Part 2, is a video coding method that adds a thin enhancement layer on top of an existing codec such as H.264, HEVC or AV1. The base codec carries a lower-resolution picture. The enhancement layer adds back fine detail. This boosts quality or cuts bitrate without replacing devices or decoders already in the field.

Why it matters

LCEVC lets a service raise quality or cut bitrate without waiting for every viewer to own a device that supports a new codec. Because the enhancement layer is light to decode, it can often run in software on devices already in homes.

How it works

  1. The encoder shrinks the source to a lower resolution and compresses it with a base codec such as H.264.
  2. It compares the upscaled base picture with the original and records the missing fine detail.
  3. That detail is sent as a thin enhancement layer alongside the base stream.
  4. Devices with LCEVC support add the detail back; others simply play the base stream.

How does LCEVC work with existing codecs?

LCEVC works on top of existing codecs rather than replacing them. A base codec such as H.264, HEVC or AV1 carries a lower-resolution picture, and LCEVC adds an enhancement layer with the fine detail. Players that support LCEVC show the full-quality picture, while others still play the base layer.

Is LCEVC a codec?

LCEVC is not a standalone codec; it is an enhancement method that works with a base codec. It is standardized as MPEG-5 Part 2 and adds detail on top of streams made with H.264, HEVC, VVC or AV1. That is why it can improve quality on devices that already have those decoders.

Where it's used

OTT services and broadcasters, often for sports and high-resolution channels, add LCEVC to improve quality from existing H.264 or HEVC streams without new hardware.

By the numbers

  • LCEVC reached the Final Draft stage at the 132nd MPEG meeting in October 2020. (Wikipedia: LCEVC)
  • In January 2022, the SBTVD Forum approved a selection of technologies for Brazil's TV 3.0 that includes MPEG-5 LCEVC. (Wikipedia: LCEVC)

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