Overview
ISO/IEC 23008-2:2025 is the sixth edition of the International Standard for high efficiency video coding (HEVC), developed jointly by ISO and IEC. This standard defines a widely adopted method for efficient compression and delivery of video content across a variety of network and storage environments. Also known as HEVC or ITU-T H.265, this standard is a cornerstone of modern digital video encoding, enabling high-quality video transmission at substantially reduced bitrates compared to preceding standards.
The standard addresses the growing demand for compressed video representation with enhanced coding efficiency and robustness, supporting diverse applications such as internet streaming, broadcasting, storage, and real-time communications. With support for multifaceted scenarios, including high bit depths, advanced chroma formats, scalable video, multi-view, and 3D video content, HEVC is a critical enabler of today’s and tomorrow’s multimedia technologies.
Key Topics
- High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC): The main purpose is to specify syntax and decoding processes for efficient compression, supporting improved video quality at lower bitrates.
- Profiles, Tiers, and Levels: The standard defines specific sets (profiles) for different application domains, with associated tiers and levels to cover a broad range of capabilities and implementation complexity.
- Syntax and Semantics: Detailed rules for encoding and decoding video bitstreams, including specification of bitstream formats, picture partitioning, coding block structures, and logical operations.
- Scalability and Multiview Support: Facilities for scalable video transmission and encoding of multiple camera views or 3D video.
- Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI): Mechanisms to provide metadata which can enhance video usability and post-processing, such as neural network post-filter information.
- Robustness and Interoperability: Designed for heterogeneous environments, supporting parallel processing and enabling video interchange across platforms and services.
Applications
HEVC as specified in ISO/IEC 23008-2:2025 underpins a wide spectrum of applications in today’s digital ecosystem:
- Broadcasting: Used in cable, satellite, terrestrial, and internet TV, delivering ultra high-definition (UHD) and high dynamic range (HDR) content efficiently.
- Streaming and Download: Enables efficient video streaming and download-and-play services for internet, mobile, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms.
- Content Production and Distribution: Supports workflows in digital cinema, content creation, and post-production with high quality and efficient storage.
- Real-time Communication: Adopted in videoconferencing, telepresence, security monitoring, and mobile communications for latency-sensitive scenarios.
- Storage Media: Enhances digital storage solutions, including optical discs and tape recorders with higher compression ratios.
- Emerging Technologies: Supports breakthrough applications such as multi-view video, 3D video, medical imaging, and wireless display technologies.
HEVC’s adoption broadens the accessibility of high-quality video, optimizing bandwidth usage, and ensuring high performance in demanding network environments.
Related Standards
Many international standards complement or relate to ISO/IEC 23008-2:2025, supporting interoperability and advanced media experiences:
- ITU-T H.265: The aligned ITU standard for HEVC.
- ISO/IEC 23008 series: Other parts of this series address system-level media delivery and other modalities.
- ISO/CIE 11664-1: Colorimetry standards for accurate colour reproduction.
- ISO/IEC 23001-11: Media systems technologies for energy-efficient consumption.
- ISO/IEC 10646: Universal Coded Character Set for character encoding.
- Recommendation ITU-T H.274 | ISO/IEC 23002-7: Provides supplemental enhancement information (SEI) messages.
- IETF RFC 5646: Language identification in multimedia settings.
These standards collectively advance the efficiency, scalability, and reach of digital video technologies in heterogeneous computing and network environments.
By leveraging ISO/IEC 23008-2:2025 for high efficiency video coding, organizations can deliver richer multimedia experiences, utilize network resources efficiently, and ensure broad compatibility for modern video applications.
Open preview (PDF)Information technology — High efficiency coding and media delivery in heterogeneous environments — Part 2: High efficiency video coding
