Video Codec & Compression Training

Practical training in modern video codecs — H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC and AV1. GOP structure, bitrate control, ABR ladder design and objective quality measurement. Hands-on FFmpeg exercises throughout.

Course Modules

Video Compression FundamentalsIntra/inter prediction, DCT transform, quantisation and entropy coding. Why codecs work and exactly where quality loss occurs in the pipeline.

H.264 / AVC In DepthProfile and level selection, GOP structure (I/P/B frames), keyframe intervals, reference frames and slice types — with practical encode comparisons.

H.265 / HEVC & AV1CTU block partitioning, in-loop filters and tile encoding. AV1 vs H.265 trade-offs — computational cost, browser support and when to use each codec.

Bitrate Control ModesCBR, VBR, CRF and 2-pass encoding explained with real examples. Practical selection criteria for VOD, live and archive workflows.

ABR Ladder DesignConstructing bitrate/resolution rendition ladders for HLS and DASH. Device targeting, bandwidth distribution analysis and content-adaptive encoding principles.

FFmpeg Hands-On LabsWrite and run real encode commands. Multi-pass, hardware acceleration (NVENC/QSV), filter graphs, batch scripting and validating output quality — live exercises.

Quality Metrics — VMAF, SSIM, PSNRRun objective quality scoring on encode outputs. Interpret scores, tune encoder settings to hit target quality and reduce storage bitrate measurably.

HLS & DASH PackagingSegment encoded output into HLS (.m3u8) and DASH (.mpd). CMAF fMP4, segment duration trade-offs and manifest structure validation with hls.js.

Learning Outcomes

Codec Theory Applied

Understand what's happening inside the encoder and how each setting trades quality against bitrate and compute cost — not just which knobs to turn.

Confident FFmpeg Use

Build encoding pipelines from scratch, debug encode issues using ffprobe and validate output quality with objective metrics before pushing to production.

ABR Ladder Design

Design a rendition ladder matched to your audience, target devices and storage budget — not copied from a generic template that doesn't fit your content.

HLS/DASH Output Ready

Package encode output for any streaming origin and verify playback in hls.js and dash.js before production — a complete encode-to-stream workflow.

Who Should Attend

Video Engineers

Engineers building or maintaining encoding pipelines who need to go beyond running scripts to understanding why the settings exist and what each one controls.

Media & Post-Production Teams

Post-production and media asset teams delivering content to streaming platforms who need encoding knowledge beyond the GUI of their existing tools.

OTT Platform Teams

Teams making codec and ladder decisions for large VOD libraries or live channels — understanding the fundamentals prevents expensive mistakes at scale.

Technical Focus Areas

H.264 / AVCH.265 / HEVCAV1FFmpegGOP StructureI/P/B FramesCRF EncodingCBR / VBR2-Pass EncodingABR LadderVMAFSSIMPSNRHLS PackagingDASH MPDCMAF fMP4NVENCQSVPer-Title EncodingBitrate LadderCodec Comparison

Related Services & Training

Understand the Codec. Control the Quality.

From H.264 basics to AV1 ABR ladders — hands-on codec training your team can apply immediately.