GoPro's CineForm Codec Adopted as New SMPTE Standard
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- June 19, 2014
Dubbed VC-5, the open codec video compression standard for video acquisition and post production
By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)
GoPro announced this week that their CineForm Codec and compression standard has been adopted by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) to become their new VC-5 open codec for video and post-production. Used in such big budget films as Slumdog Millionaire and Need for Speed, CineForm VC-5 will now drive the SMPTE standard for high resolution imagery with a high speed, low-compute intensive workflow. And it’s a coup for the action camera company, who’s not only carved out for themselves a new genre that they dominate, but they can also branch out into all forms of post production with the new Standard on the eve of their IPO.
"SMPTE standardization of the GoPro CineForm codec as the new VC-5 standard is big news for the entire production and post production industry, as well as for GoPro and its customers," said David Newman, senior director of software engineering for GoPro. "By further developing the VC-5 standard, we are building a new ecosystem for the industry in which we're enabling cinema-level acquisition quality, while also providing cinematographers the workflow technology to finish their films. We are standardizing core codec technologies, and making them extensible to even support future camera formats and future post production workflows. This is a major milestone and a huge accomplishment for GoPro."
GoPro says that with the new standardization of CineForm industry wide, user will be able to experience a more efficient, cost effective and higher-performance workflow, that promises to deliver an 8x performance boost over the current JPEG 2000 format, and with higher resolution that can also be future proofed as we head into the realm of ultra high definition, 8K Ultra Hi-Vision, and beyond. CineForm VC-5 (whose technical designation is SMPTE ST 2073 VC-5 Compression Standard Part 1 and 2: Elementary Bitstream) also supports RAW camera formats such as CFA Bayer pattern images as well as RGB and YCrCb with an optional alpha channel and sub-sampled color difference components.
Users can download VC-5 directly from the SMPTE Website here. Meanwhile, GoPro isn’t resting on its laurels… they’re busy at work continuing development on Standard Parts 3 – 7 of VC-5, which includes additional various color formats, multi-channel and metadata enhancements that will support 3D or HDR applications. And the adoption of CineForm?into a SMPTE standard couldn’t have been timed more perfectly as the action camera company is poised to launch a $3 Billion IPO to raise $400 million in venture capital.
Press Release:
GoPro CineForm Codec Standardized by SMPTE as the VC-5 Standard
SAN MATEO, CA (June 6, 2014) -- GoPro, maker of the Emmy Award-winning HERO camera and enabler of some of today's most engaging professional video content, announced today that the core technology behind the GoPro CineForm Codec has been standardized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) as the SMPTE ST 2073 VC-5 video compression standard – the new open codec standard for video acquisition and post production.
The GoPro CineForm Codec is a high-performance video codec widely valued in video post-production as the industry's highest quality compression format. It is well established in the professional filmmaking marketplace and has been extensively used in Hollywood feature films, including Slumdog Millionaire?and Need for Speed.
SMPTE standardization of the?GoPro?CineForm codec as the VC-5 standard now means the professional production and post production community can access SMPTE-standardized codec technology for presenting high resolution imagery with a high speed, low-compute intensive workflow. The new VC-5 standard will provide a more efficient, cost effective and higher-performance workflow, delivering an 8x performance boost over the current JPEG 2000 format with higher resolution.
"SMPTE standardization of the GoPro CineForm codec as the new VC-5 standard is big news for the entire production and post production industry, as well as for GoPro and its customers," said David Newman, senior director of software engineering for GoPro. "By further developing the VC-5 standard, we are building a new ecosystem for the industry in which we're enabling cinema-level acquisition quality, while also providing cinematographers the workflow technology to finish their films. We are standardizing core codec technologies, and making them extensible to even support future camera formats and future post production workflows. This is a major milestone and a huge accomplishment for GoPro!"
The SMPTE ST 2073 VC-5 Compression Standard Part 1 and 2, called the Elementary Bitstream, are available now from the SMPTE web site herehttp://standards.smpte.org/search?group-code=smptes&sortspec=date&submit=Go&hits=20. GoPro is continuing work on development on the Standard Parts 3 – 7, which includes various color formats, multi-channel and metadata enhancements to the codec for 3D or HDR applications.
The Oscar and Emmy Award-winning Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), a professional membership association, is the preeminent leader in the advancement of the art, science, and craft of the image, sound, and metadata ecosystem, worldwide. An internationally recognized and accredited organization, SMPTE advances moving-imagery education and engineering across the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. Since its founding in 1916, SMPTE has published the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal and developed more than 650 standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines. The Society is sustained by more than 6,000 members motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students who meet in Sections throughout the world. Information on joining SMPTE is available at www.smpte.org/join.
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