VVC (Versatile Video Coding, H.266) is the latest-generation MPEG codec, offering another step up in efficiency over HEVC and AV1, with features aimed at 4K/8K, HDR, and even immersive and screen content. On paper it is the most capable codec available.
In practice its real-world role in OTT is still small: hardware decode support is sparse, and like HEVC it carries patent-licensing questions. For now VVC is one to track on the roadmap rather than deploy at scale; a codec strategy mentions it as the future ceiling while H.264/HEVC/AV1 carry today's traffic.
The handbook · 7 volumes
Fora Soft Video Engineering Handbook
VVC promises another big efficiency step, but device decoding support decides whether H.266 saves anything in production. We wrote seven volumes covering the whole video stack, and for VVC start with Volume 1: H.264, HEVC and AV1 compared, quality metrics, rate control and encoder settings. Volumes 2 and 3 cover packaging and the players that must decode the result. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
Deciding whether VVC / H.266 belongs in your codec roadmap yet?
Send us your device mix and catalog, and we will give you a codec roadmap across H.264, HEVC, AV1 and VVC with projected bitrate savings. 250+ video products shipped since 2005.
