Stretch adds support for H.264 SVC

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Configurable processor vendor Stretch Inc., now supports the Scalable Video Codec (SVC) extension to the H.264 standard. H.264 SVC enables a system to derive multiple streams with different frame rates, resolutions, and image quality from a single source (Figure 1). This allows SVC enabled systems to send H.264 streams to a multitude of conventional surveillance decoders as well as mobile devices such as PDAs and cell phones. By having a single bitstream, SVC reduces system complexity by eliminating multiple streams and transcoding.

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Figure 1. H.264 SVC transmits a low-bit-rate base layer (e.g., CIF @ 15 fps) along with enhancement layers that improve resolution (e.g., to D1), frame rate (e.g., to 30 fps), and quality.

H.264 SVC's unique "layered" approach to video scaling also allows recorded video to be reduced in size and quality over time. This frees up space for new video while still retaining older video information (Figure 2). In this way, storage requirements can be reduced for older video, and more recent video footage can be maintained at a higher level of quality – important for evidentiary records of recent events. In this way, overall storage costs can be reduced.

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Figure 2. A storage management system can retain video for a longer period of time by removing enhancement layers for older video.

The Stretch H.264 SVC implementation is applicable to both IP Cameras and Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), and will be integrated as part of its Intelligent Encoder suite of video and audio codecs, which currently supports MJPEG, MPEG4, and H.264.

Stretch will demonstrate H.264 SVC at the ISC West trade show in Las Vegas in April 2008. For more information visit http://www.stretchinc.com

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