H.264

H.264 is one of the most commonly used video compression formats for the recording, compression, and distribution of video content. H.264 is the most widely used Codec, especially in broadcast and streaming video markets.

Many uses of H.264 are subject to royalties, something that should be considered prior to its adaption. Other factors to consider include comparative quality against other available technologies, like Google’s WebM, as well as the general availability of decoding capabilities on target platforms and devices.

Historical perspective: The final drafting work on the first version of the standard was completed in May 2003.