How to Measure Video Quality / Compression Levels

Published Sep 16, 2016 11:44 AM

Two cameras have the same resolution, frame rate and scene monitored but camera A consumes half the bandwidth than camera B. Is Camera A better? You cannot tell until you first check / compare compression levels.

It can be hard to determine which camera's video quality is "best" and whose bandwidth consumption is really lower, as manufacturer compression settings vary and are not comparable. However, you can accurately measure H.264 and even H.265 compression levels with a little skill and some available tools. In this tutorial, we explain how to do so.

A pre-requisite for this post is our video quality/compression tutorial.

H.264 *********** *** ************

*** ****** ** *********** ** ************ by ************ ****** ** **** *.*** and *.*** (** **** ** *** older ****-* *****). ************ ** ******** on * ***** **** *-** **** the ***** *** *****, *** **** compression *******, *.*., * ****** **** Q=10 ***** **** *** **** *********** than *=** *** ***** ******* *** more *********.

***** ****** *** ********* *** ******* by ****** *************, *** ******* *** adjusted ** ******* ******, **** ** 1-100, *-**, ** ****** "***", "*******", and "****". ** *** ** ******** to ** ***********, ****** *, ** (quantization *********) ** *** (****** ******* factor) ** ******* ******* ** *****. For *******, *** ***** ***** (**** our ** ****** ************ *********** ********** ******) ***** *** *********** **** ** common *************:

Why ************ ******** *** *********

******* *** **** * *******, **** resolution, **** ***** **** *** *** consumes ***/* *** *** ***** ***/* and **** **** **** ******* ** first ******. ** *** ***** ********* camera ******? ***** *** *** *********.

*************, ************'* ******* ************ ****** *** vary ************* **** **** ************* ***** very ************, ******* * ****** ** the *** *** *** ****** ******* them ** *** ***. *** *** ** ****** ************ *********** ********** ****** *** **** ******* *** ******* values.

********* *********** **** ********* ****** *** in **** ******, ********** ****** **** with ***** ****, ** *** ** hard ** ****** *** ****** ******* difference. ******* ******** *** * *****, you ***** ******* ****** **** *** 2Mb/s ** ****** **** ** ***** just *** * **** ****** * level.

CBR *** *********** ********* *******

**** ******* ***** *********, ****** ******* they *** ********** ******* **** **** * ********* cap (*** ****** ** *** ** *** - Surveillance ********* ******). ***** ******* **** *********** ****** compression ****** ***, ** *** ***** is *******, **** **** ** *** quantization *****, ***** ******** ******* ***** quality ************* (*** ******** ********* *** *****). ******* ** ******* *** ******** artifacts ** *** *****, ** *** be **** ** **** ** **** looking. *******, ** *** ** ******** **************.

Free *******: *********

*** **** **** *** ********* ************ is*********, ***** ***** *** *** **** files, ********** ******** *******, **** ** bitrate, *********, ***** ****** ** ******, and **** ***********, ************ *********** ********* average *** *** ********** ***** *** below **** *******. ** **** ******** graphs ******* ************ *** ***** ***** over ****. **** ********** ***** *** various *** ***** ** *** ********* interface:

** **** *****, *.*** ***** ******** **** a *** *** ** ********* ** AVInaptic, *** ** **** ***** * number ** ******* *****, **** ******** to ***, **** *** *******. ** these *****,*** ***** ******, * ******* **** ****** *******, may ** **** ** **** *** camera's **** ****** ********, *** ****** it ** ****. **** ********** *** additional ************ ** *********, **** ********* from *** *** ******, *** ******** files ***** *** **** ****** ********** with *********.

**** ********** ***** ************ *** **** process:

  • **** * ******'* **** ******.
  • **** *** ****** *** ********* ** VLC.
  • ******* **** ****** **** *********.
  • ******* ********* ******* ** *********** ****** to ********* *********** ** ************ *****.

AVInaptic ***********

****** ** ** **** *** **** to ***, ********* *** **** *** limitations ***** **** ***** ** ***** its **********.

  • ** *.*** *******:********* **** *** ******* *.*** ** all, **** *.*** *** ****-*. *.*** encoded ***** ****** **** ** *******.
  • ***** ***** ******:**** ********* ***** ******* ***** ***** codecs, ********* *** ******* ******* *******, including ****** ******* ******* *** ************. It *** ** **** ** ***** dynamic * ***** ******** *** **** individual ***** *****, *** ******* ****** be ********* **********.

Paid *******: ******* *********

*******'* ********* ********** ******* **** **** *** ********* compression *** ***** *******, **** * much **** ******** *******, ********* *****-**-***** analysis, ********** *******, *** ****. ************, Elecard ******** *.***, ** **** ** smart ******.

*******, ********* ** *** ****, ****** AVInaptic, and ***** *** ********* ** ******* per *******, ****** ** ********** *** casual ** ***** ***. *******, * feature ******* **** ***** ******* ** Elecard ** *********, ***** **** ****** users ** *** **** ******* *** the ***** ***** (** ******** ** overall ********). ******* ***** ** **** ******* IP ****** ************* *** ********* ********** (though *** *** **** *****). 

**** ***** ******* ********* *** (**** our*.*** ** ******* ****):

****: **** **** *** ********** ******** in **** *** *** ******* ** 2016 ** ***** ***** ****** *** H.265.

Comments (18)
Avatar
Carl Lindgren
Feb 18, 2013

Has VLC fixed their frame drop issues? I used to use it for just about everything but starting with around version 1.1, it became unstable with many file types.

MI
Matt Ion
Feb 18, 2013

VLC can also display some realtime decoding info while streaming a camera. Go to the Tools menu, select Media Information (Ctrl+I) or Codec Information (Ctrl+J), then click the Statistics tab.


Carl, VLC is up to 2.0.5 now... might be worth another try.

BTW Ethan, your AVInaptic link is broken (appears to point to a non-existent article). The AVInaptic homepage is here: Untitled Document - latest version appears to be from Dec. 2011.

U
Undisclosed #1
Feb 21, 2013

Nice Post. I do some Video IP training and I have learned about Avinaptik and compression scales through the recording mode. I was only using global VLC statitics ...Thank you !

I agree with Karl :For example, VLC 1.05 tested on some Sony HD /H264 were working fine with 200 ms buffer when with the 2.05 version .. just doesn'twork under 500 ms and freezes. Why ? strange

UE
Undisclosed End User #2
Jun 26, 2013

Since H.265 (superior to H.264) standard introduced, I was wondering if there any manufacturer planning to use this compression standard and what experts thinking about it?

Regards

MH
Michael Harris
Sep 23, 2016

test

TH
Truman HW
Sep 10, 2017

Gitl HEVC/H.265 Analyzer

This looks like a free utility which does HEVC analysis. :) 

(2)
JH
John Honovich
Sep 10, 2017
IPVM

Truman, Thanks! We'll try it out and report back what we find.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Sep 10, 2017

Can I take a moment to say I miss Carl?

(2)
(1)
Avatar
Carl Lindgren
May 14, 2018

Is your aim getting any better?

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
May 14, 2018

Carl, that was a compliment.  It was not intended as sarcasm or negative in any way.  I enjoyed your posts.

Avatar
Carl Lindgren
May 14, 2018

Sorry Undisclosed. That was my (admittedly poor) attempt at humor. I appreciate the compliment.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
May 14, 2018

Just glad to have you back!

UE
Undisclosed End User #4
May 14, 2018

Thank you for the article.

UE
Undisclosed End User #4
May 14, 2018

An informative article.

U
Undisclosed #5
Nov 19, 2018

Interesting to know about the compression levels.

AS
Alfredo Santiago
Feb 05, 2019
ALFREDO'S TELEPHONE SERVICE

Nice to know but I do not think it is something I would be using or when to use.

AS
Amitkumar Sirjusingh
Dec 31, 2020

The applications are deep video inspection tools which I can't really see myself utilizing for my present or future functions however it is still good to be aware of for problem resolution.

Avatar
Jim duPuis
Jan 18, 2022
IPVMU Certified

Does anyone know of a vendor that mimics SoleraTec's RTSP URIs displayed during the AVInaptic demo video? I don't believe that list is publicly visible anymore with StorMagic's acquisition of SoleraTec, and it's a pain to dig through the documentation for the model-specific URI. Camera SDK's list is as good as I can find: How to connect to a Axis camera

NOTICE: This comment has been moved to its own discussion: Does Anyone Know Of A Vendor That Mimics Soleratec's RTSP Uris?