MainConcept Expands LCEVC with Wowza and Adds JPEG XS SDK to MainConcept Easy Video API ‘EVA’

Aachen, Germany; San Diego, California – September 11, 2024 – MainConcept, the leading provider of video and audio codecs, has expanded the availability of LCEVC with Wowza Streaming Engine and released a JPEG XS SDK featuring low latency and low complexity that also benefits from the MainConcept Easy Video API.

MainConcept and Wowza have continually advanced their offerings to meet the industry’s ever-changing needs. By adding LCEVC into Wowza Streaming Engine that uses MainConcept codecs to encode or transcode to and from AVC/H.264 and HEVC/H.265, the teams have been able to provide reduced bitrates by enhancing compression efficiency resulting in significantly lower encoding costs while keeping backward compliance with all sorts of legacy playback devices.

LCEVC (standardized as MPEG-5 Part 2) is an enhancement layer which, when combined with a base video encoded with a codec like AVC, HEVC or VVC produces an enhanced video stream. Last year MainConcept in partnership with V-Nova, the primary developers of LCEVC, added LCEVC to the MainConcept Live Encoder. This latest project with Wowza further expands the availability of this codec enhancement and is the first ever to offer both LCEVC and VVC together, the combination recently selected  by Forum SBTVD and standardized in the upcoming TV 3.0 digital television in Brazil.

First standardized in 2019, MainConcept has added enhancements to the JPEG XS codec powered by Fraunhofer IIS, including RGB/YCbCr (4:4.4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0) and CFA/RAW up to 16-bit, MPEG-2 TS and MXF, multiplexing and demultiplexing, as well as compliance with ST 2110 IP workflows. The JPEG XS codec also supports the MainConcept Easy Video API (EVA).

Working with major technology providers – AMD, Intel and NVIDIA – MainConcept EVA was launched earlier this year marking a major step forward in video workflow management. Already a powerful addition to its core codecs (AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265 and AV1 SDKs), the inclusion of JPEG XS for NVIDIA hardware adds even more flexibility to the framework. The single interface lets multi-platform users integrate hardware codecs in a far more efficient manner. Utilizing one SDK with a single API instead of four saves time and money, adds flexibility, consumes less energy, adds extended features and more.

Deacon Johnson, SVP and General Manager, MainConcept commented: “How media is delivered and viewed is evolving at a breakneck pace. Having an engaged customer like Wowza to work with allows our engineers to continually assess the ever-changing environment and its impact on production. Adding LCEVC to Wowza Streaming Engine is just the latest example. As for JPEG XS, this will directly benefit those prioritizing visually lossless quality, ultra-low latency and low computational complexity. By upgrading our codec library to support more options, MainConcept is aiming to boost these new hardware categories to ensure the creators that use them can maximize their artistic output.”

Dave Stubenvoll, CEO and Founder, Wowza commented: “Partnering with MainConcept to integrate LCEVC into Wowza Streaming Engine reaffirms our commitment to delivering advanced video streaming technology that optimizes efficiency and enhances viewer experiences. Additionally, with Wowza Player now supporting LCEVC, customers can benefit from higher-quality streams and the flexibility to accommodate both legacy and future playback environments, all while reducing storage and delivery costs.”

Guido Meardi, CEO of V-Nova said, “We are proud of participating in this world’s first encoder that incorporates both LCEVC and VVC, the most efficient codec combination so far. Most content providers can now access on the market a very powerful tech platform that will improve efficiency, image quality and cost savings. We look forward to demonstrating it at IBC this year.

The latest developments expand MainConcept’s codec library, offering flexibility across architectures, formats and resolutions, while also showcasing real-world applications of its components. For the technologies critical to media and entertainment, including video editing and production management, updated codecs are key to meeting workflow performance goals.

The Wowza Streaming Engine with LCEVC will be showcased during IBC at the MainConcept (7.C12) and LCEVC (5.A24) booths. The JPEG XS SDK and MainConcept EVA will also be available for live demonstrations during the show on 7.C12.