Editing Advanced Video Coding (section)

== Applications ==
{{Further|List of video services using H.264/MPEG-4 AVC}}
The H.264 video format has a very broad application range that covers all forms of digital compressed video from low bit-rate Internet streaming applications to HDTV broadcast and Digital Cinema applications with nearly lossless coding. With the use of H.264, bit rate savings of 50% or more compared to [[MPEG-2 Part 2]] are reported. For example, H.264 has been reported to give the same Digital Satellite TV quality as current MPEG-2 implementations with less than half the bitrate, with current MPEG-2 implementations working at around 3.5&nbsp;Mbit/s and H.264 at only 1.5&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Wenger|title=RFC 3984 : RTP Payload Format for H.264 Video |newspaper=Ietf Datatracker |date=February 2005 |url=http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3984#page-2 |page=2|doi=10.17487/RFC3984 |display-authors=etal|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Sony claims that 9&nbsp;Mbit/s AVC recording mode is equivalent to the image quality of the [[HDV]] format, which uses approximately 18–25&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Which recording mode is equivalent to the image quality of the High Definition Video (HDV) format?|website=Sony eSupport|url=https://ca.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41994|access-date=December 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109054553/https://ca.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41994|archive-date=November 9, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

To ensure compatibility and problem-free adoption of H.264/AVC, many standards bodies have amended or added to their video-related standards so that users of these standards can employ H.264/AVC. Both the [[Blu-ray Disc]] format and the now-discontinued [[HD DVD]] format include the H.264/AVC High Profile as one of three mandatory video compression formats. The Digital Video Broadcast project ([[Digital Video Broadcasting|DVB]]) approved the use of H.264/AVC for broadcast television in late 2004.

The [[Advanced Television Systems Committee]] (ATSC) standards body in the United States approved the use of H.264/AVC for broadcast television in July 2008, although the standard is not yet used for fixed ATSC broadcasts within the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a_72_part_1.pdf |title=ATSC Standard A/72 Part 1: Video System Characteristics of AVC in the ATSC Digital Television System |access-date=2011-07-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807103348/http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a_72_part_1.pdf |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a_72_part_2.pdf |title=ATSC Standard A/72 Part 2: AVC Video Transport Subsystem Characteristics |access-date=2011-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807103411/http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a_72_part_2.pdf |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It has also been approved for use with the more recent [[ATSC-M/H]] (Mobile/Handheld) standard, using the AVC and SVC portions of H.264.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://atsc.org/cms/standards/a153/a_153-Part-7-2009.pdf |title=ATSC Standard A/153 Part 7: AVC and SVC Video System Characteristics |access-date=2011-07-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726151422/http://atsc.org/cms/standards/a153/a_153-Part-7-2009.pdf |archive-date=July 26, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

The [[closed-circuit television|closed-circuit-television and video-surveillance]] markets have included the technology in many products.

Many common [[DSLR]]s use H.264 video wrapped in QuickTime MOV containers as the native recording format.

=== Derived formats ===
[[AVCHD]] is a high-definition recording format designed by [[Sony]] and [[Panasonic]] that uses H.264 (conforming to H.264 while adding additional application-specific features and constraints).

[[AVC-Intra]] is an [[Video compression#Encoding theory|intraframe]]-only compression format, developed by [[Panasonic]].

[[XAVC]] is a recording format designed by Sony that uses level 5.2 of H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, which is the highest level supported by that video standard.<ref name=SonyXAVCrecordingformat>{{cite news |title=Sony introduces new XAVC recording format to accelerate 4K development in the professional and consumer markets |publisher=Sony |url=http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/broadcast-xavc-codec-1012 |date=2012-10-30 |access-date=2012-11-01}}</ref><ref name=SonyXAVCrecordingformatpdf>{{cite news |title=Sony introduces new XAVC recording format to accelerate 4K development in the professional and consumer markets |publisher=Sony |url=http://www.xavc-info.org/resource/1351573070000/xavcsite/share/data/XAVC_30-Oct-2012_NewsRelease.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323100304/http://www.xavc-info.org/resource/1351573070000/xavcsite/share/data/XAVC_30-Oct-2012_NewsRelease.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |date=2012-10-30 |access-date=2012-11-01 }}</ref> XAVC can support [[4K resolution]] (4096 × 2160 and 3840 × 2160) at up to 60&nbsp;[[frames per second]] (fps).<ref name=SonyXAVCrecordingformat/><ref name=SonyXAVCrecordingformatpdf/> Sony has announced that cameras that support XAVC include two [[CineAlta]] cameras—the Sony PMW-F55 and Sony PMW-F5.<ref name=Engadget4KCineAltaF55F5>{{cite news |title=Sony goes Red-hunting with PMW-F55 and PMW-F5 pro CineAlta 4K Super 35mm sensor camcorders |publisher=Engadget |url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/10/30/sony-goes-red-hunting-with-pmw-f55-and-pmw-f5-pro-cinealta-4k/ |author=Steve Dent |date=2012-10-30 |access-date=2012-11-05}}</ref> The Sony PMW-F55 can record XAVC with 4K resolution at 30&nbsp;fps at 300 [[Mbit/s]] and 2K resolution at 30&nbsp;fps at 100&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref name=SonyPMW-F55datasheet>{{cite news |title=F55 CineAlta 4K the future, ahead of schedule |publisher=Sony |url=http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/show/highend/pdf/F55_Camera.pdf |date=2012-10-30 |access-date=2012-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119001306/http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/show/highend/pdf/F55_Camera.pdf |archive-date=November 19, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> XAVC can record 4K resolution at 60&nbsp;fps with 4:2:2 chroma sampling at 600&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref name=SonySxSPro4Kvideo>{{cite news |title=Ultra-fast "SxS PRO+" memory cards transform 4K video capture |publisher=Sony |url=http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/km-rme-sxspro+-launch |access-date=2012-11-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308090520/http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/km-rme-sxspro+-launch |archive-date=March 8, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=SonySxSPro4Kvideopdf>{{cite news |title=Ultra-fast "SxS PRO+" memory cards transform 4K video capture |publisher=Sony |url=http://www.sony.co.uk/res/attachment/file/60/1237488996260.pdf |access-date=2012-11-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123222/http://www.sony.co.uk/res/attachment/file/60/1237488996260.pdf |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>