Editing Pixlet

{{short description|Video codec}}
'''Pixlet''' is a [[video codec]] created by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] and based on [[wavelet]]s, designed to enable viewing of full-resolution, [[High-definition video|HD]] movies in real time at low [[DV (video format)|DV]] data rates.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}  According to Apple's claims, it allows for a 20–25:1 [[compression ratio]]. Similar to DV, it does not use [[Inter frame|interframe compression]], making it suitable for previewing in production and special effects studios. It is designed to be an editing codec; however, low bitrates make it poorly suited to broadcast use.

The name ''Pixlet'' is a contraction of 'Pixar wavelet'.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kJUczzCvkdgC&q=%22pixlet%22+pixar&pg=PA359|title=A Practical Guide to Video and Audio Compression: From Sprockets and Rasters to Macroblocks|last=Wootton|first=Cliff|date=2005|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9780240806303|page=359|language=en}}</ref> When it was introduced by [[Steve Jobs]] at [[Worldwide Developers Conference]] 2003, it was said that the codec was developed at the request of animation company [[Pixar]].

A [[Power Macintosh]] with at least a 1 [[GHz]] [[PowerPC G4]] processor is required for real-time playback of half-resolution high-definition video (960x540).

Pixlet, while part of the cross-platform [[QuickTime]], is only available on [[Apple Macintosh|Macs]] running [[Mac OS X v10.3]] or later. QuickTime X cannot decode Pixlet files.

[[FFmpeg]] version 3.3 and later can decode Pixlet files.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git;a=commit;h=73651090ca1183f37753ee30a7e206ca4fb9f4f0|title=git.videolan.org Git - ffmpeg.git/commit|last=Mahol|first=Paul B.|date=December 22, 2016|website=git.videolan.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-22}}</ref> On March 21, 2019, Apple announced that Pixlet is among the codecs that will no longer be supported in its own software after the [[MacOS Catalina|successor]] to [[macOS Mojave]] is released, due to the transition to 64-bit-only software. In the same announcement, Apple noted that third-party developers could maintain support by building support directly into their apps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209000|title=About incompatible media in Final Cut Pro X|date=March 21, 2019|website=Apple Support|language=en|access-date=2019-03-22}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

{{Compression formats}}

[[Category:Video codecs]]
[[Category:Wavelets]]
[[Category:QuickTime]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 2003]]