One-page A4 reference: MPEG-2 parts, key profiles and levels, typical bitrates, patent status, and where the codec is still used in 2026.
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The book · Volume 1 of 7
Video Encoding: A Complete Guide to Video Compression — From Pixels and Color to H.264, HEVC, AV1, Quality Metrics, and AI
This MPEG-2 quick reference lists the codec's parts, profiles and levels, typical bitrates, patent status and where it still runs in 2026. Volume 1 covers this topic in depth: how block-based compression evolved from MPEG-2 to H.264, HEVC and AV1, color and pixel formats, and the quality metrics that guide a migration off legacy broadcast encoding. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
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