--- title: "What Is H.264 (AVC)? The Universal Video Codec Explained | RentAnOTT" description: "H.264, or AVC, is the video codec that plays on virtually every device. See how it compares with H.265 and AV1 and why it remains the streaming baseline." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/h264" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/h264.md" category: "Streaming technology" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is H.264? H.264, also called AVC (Advanced Video Coding), is the most widely supported video compression standard. Finalized in 2003, it plays on practically every phone, computer, television and browser in use, which makes it the baseline codec for streaming. ## Why H.264 is everywhere Nearly every chip made in the last fifteen years can decode H.264 in hardware, so playback is smooth and uses little battery. Every streaming protocol, player and DRM system supports it. A service that encodes in H.264 can be sure the video will play. ## Profiles and levels A level, such as 4.0 or 5.1, caps resolution, frame rate and bitrate. Lower rungs of a ladder are sometimes encoded with a more modest profile and level so that older devices can play them. - Baseline: the simplest tools, for very old or low-power devices - Main: the standard for most streaming renditions - High: the most efficient, used for HD renditions ## H.264 vs H.265 and AV1 The newer codecs reach the same quality at much lower bitrates: H.265 at roughly 40% to 50% less, AV1 at less again. H.264's advantages are universal playback, fast and inexpensive encoding, and simple licensing for streaming. Its limits show at the top end. 4K in H.264 needs very high bitrates, and HDR is in practice delivered with newer codecs. ## Typical H.264 bitrates - 480p: about 1 to 2 Mbps - 720p: about 2.5 to 4 Mbps - 1080p: about 4 to 8 Mbps ## H.264 on RentAnOTT RentAnOTT encodes your uploads for playback across web, mobile and TV apps, up to 1080p on Launch and 4K on Growth and Scale. The bitrate calculator estimates bitrates and file sizes by codec. [Try the bitrate calculator](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/video-bitrate-calculator). ## Related terms - [Codec](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/codec) — A codec is the algorithm used to compress video or audio for storage and delivery and to decompress it for playback. The name combines coder and decoder. The choice of codec determines how small a file is at a given quality and which devices can play it. - [H.265](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/h265) — H.265, also called HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), is the successor to H.264. It delivers the same picture quality at roughly 40% to 50% lower bitrate and is the standard codec for 4K and HDR streaming. - [AV1](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/av1) — AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) is an open, royalty-free video codec released in 2018 by the Alliance for Open Media, a group that includes major browser, chip and streaming companies. It compresses roughly 30% more efficiently than H.265 and about 50% more than H.264. - [Video encoding](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/video-encoding) — Video encoding is compressing video with a codec, such as H.264, H.265 or AV1, so that it is small enough to store and stream. It removes detail the eye will not miss and describes each frame by how it differs from its neighbors. - [Bitrate](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/bitrate) — Bitrate is the amount of data used to represent one second of video or audio, measured in kilobits or megabits per second (kbps or Mbps). A higher bitrate carries more detail and produces larger files and higher delivery costs. - [Bitrate ladder](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/bitrate-ladder) — A bitrate ladder, or encoding ladder, is the list of versions a video is encoded into for adaptive streaming. Each rung pairs a resolution with a bitrate, and the player moves up and down the rungs as the viewer's connection changes. - [Transcoding](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/transcoding) — Transcoding is converting a video from one encoded format into another. On a streaming platform it means taking an uploaded file or a live feed and producing the several resolutions and bitrates needed for adaptive playback on every device. ## Further reading - [Matroska vs MP4](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/matroska-vs-mp4) - [2K video resolution explained](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/2k-video-resolution) - [Streaming bandwidth cost calculator](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/streaming-bandwidth-cost-calculator) ## Frequently asked questions ### Is H.264 the same as AVC? Yes. H.264 is the name given by the ITU and AVC, or MPEG-4 Part 10, the name given by ISO. They are one standard. ### Is H.264 the same as MP4? No. H.264 is the codec that compresses the video. MP4 is a container that commonly holds H.264 video. ### Is H.264 obsolete? No. It is less efficient than newer codecs but remains the only one guaranteed to play everywhere, so most services still encode it. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt