Windows 7 Limited on VC-1 Video Codec Use

Microsoft last week acknowledged that the VC-1 video codec has limited performance on multicore systems running Windows 7.

VC-1 currently does not use all of the cores in processing video on three-core and six-core computer systems, according to a Microsoft support article. Microsoft is currently investigating the issue, the article states, without indicating when a resolution will be found.

VC-1 follows standards set by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and is formally known as "SMPTE 421M." Microsoft contributed the VC-1 technology in its Windows Media Player 9 video player product for the SMPTE standard, according to a Microsoft technical overview article, which describes the two technologies as being "functionally equivalent."

The patents for technologies used in VC-1 are held by a number of companies (including Microsoft) under MPEG LA, which controls licensing of the video codec. VC-1 is supported by various devices, such as Blu-ray disc players, mobile devices, video cameras, set-top boxes and game machines, including Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console.

Lately, video codecs have made the news, mostly because of disputes among browser makers with regard to HTML 5 support. The HTML 5 spec, currently under development by the Worldwide Web Consortium, promises to enable native Web browser support for video playback. However, the spec doesn't indicate which video codecs will support HTML 5.

The Table shows currently announced browser maker support for the three main video codecs with HTML 5. Mozilla and Opera only support open source video codecs (VP8 and Ogg Theora). Google launched VP8 into open source in May as part of the WebM open Web media project.


Browser Support for Video Codecs With HTML 5
H.264 Ogg Theora VP8
Apple Safari - -
Google Chrome Google Chrome Google Chrome
Microsoft IE 9 - Microsoft IE 9
- Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox
- Opera Opera

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.

Featured

  • server racks, a human head with a microchip, data pipes, cloud storage, and analytical symbols

    OpenAI, Oracle Expand AI Infrastructure Partnership

    OpenAI and Oracle have announced they will develop an additional 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity, expanding their artificial intelligence infrastructure partnership as part of the Stargate Project, a joint venture among OpenAI, Oracle, and Japan's SoftBank Group that aims to deploy 10 gigawatts of computing capacity over four years.

  • geometric grid of colorful faculty silhouettes using laptops

    Top 3 Faculty Uses of Gen AI

    A new report from Anthropic provides insights into how higher education faculty are using generative AI, both in and out of the classroom.

  • illustration of an open textbook, computer monitor with flowchart, gears, a wrench, and AI cloud symbol

    Wiley Introduces New AI Courseware Tools

    Wiley has created four new tools for its zyBooks courseware platform designed to improve instruction, learning outcomes, and academic integrity in college STEM courses.

  • student reading a book with a brain, a protective hand, a computer monitor showing education icons, gears, and leaves

    4 Steps to Responsible AI Implementation

    Researchers at the University of Kansas Center for Innovation, Design & Digital Learning (CIDDL) have published a new framework for the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence at all levels of education.