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What Is High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC or H.265)?

HEVC, or H.265, is a video compression standard for applications ranging from streaming and video calls to storage and television broadcasting.
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High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), also called H.265, is a video compression standard. It specifies how moving pictures can be encoded into a compressed representation for uses such as streaming, video calls, storage and television broadcasting. Its international standard is ITU-T Recommendation H.265, aligned with ISO/IEC 23008-2.

What do HEVC and H.265 mean?

HEVC is the standard’s name; H.265 is its designation in the ITU-T numbering system. ISO/IEC publishes the corresponding international standard as ISO/IEC 23008-2. The terms therefore refer to the same video coding standard, not to a particular app, file extension or device.

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The current ITU-T listing identifies H.265 V11, approved on 13 January 2026, as in force. The listing marks V10 (July 2024) as superseded. Edition numbers matter when a specification or product description refers to particular requirements.

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What does HEVC do?

HEVC defines how video can be represented in compressed form. Its applications include internet streaming, communications, videoconferencing, digital storage and television broadcasting. The standard is intended to work across a range of network environments rather than one specific delivery service.

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At a high level, HEVC predicts parts of a video picture and encodes the difference between the prediction and the original signal. Prediction may use information within the same picture or motion-compensated information from other pictures. This hybrid approach is designed to compress video efficiently, but it does not guarantee a particular file size or visual result. The ITU-T description notes that the coding algorithm is typically lossy, so an HEVC encode is not necessarily identical to its source.

Where does HEVC fit in streaming and broadcasting?

Streaming and real-time video

The codec standard describes the compressed video itself. For real-time delivery over RTP, a separate specification explains how to package HEVC data into RTP packets: IETF RFC 7798. Published in March 2016, it covers transport for applications including videoconferencing and internet video streaming. It is a payload-format specification, not a replacement definition of HEVC.

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ATSC 3.0 television

HEVC also has a defined role in the ATSC 3.0 digital television system. ATSC’s A/341, “Video – HEVC”, specifies constraints on H.265 / ISO/IEC 23008-2 for that system. The ATSC page lists version A/341:2026-04, dated 14 April 2026. That broadcast-specific specification does not establish that every ATSC 3.0 receiver supports every HEVC profile or level.

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Does HEVC always make video files smaller?

No fixed reduction follows from the HEVC name alone. File size and visual quality depend on factors such as the source video, encoder settings and quality target. A claim that HEVC is a certain percentage smaller needs a specific comparison and test conditions; the standard’s general compression goals do not supply a universal percentage.

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Which HEVC edition is current?

As listed by ITU-T, H.265 V11 (January 2026) is in force; V10 (July 2024) is superseded. Check the official H.265 record when edition status matters, since standards can be revised.

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  • SIMPLE DIGITAL SIGNAGE - Automatic video playback with endless repeat and looping, and the ability to resume from the last stopping point. Configurable 90/180/270 degree video output rotation. Great for digital signage applications such as restaurant menu boards, lobby welcome videos, art and museum installations.
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