• AAC and HE-AAC offer a significantly better audio quality while using the same bit rate as other audio codecs, especially for bit rates below 192 kbps.


• AAC may only need a fraction of the bandwidth than MP3 for your field of application (e.g. broadcasting concerts), thus resulting file sizes will be smaller too.


• AAC offers a significantly higher coding as well as compression efficiency and allows you a higher flexibility in usage than MP3.

The introduction of the ARM-based Apple M1 chipset for the new MacBooks and Mac mini, as well as ARM processors already in production within the Windows PC ecosystem, brings us to an inflection point within the video production industry.

The average consumer may not know the difference between an ARM-based MacBook or PC and the x86 version. They will, however, know when software doesn’t work on their new hardware. At MainConcept, we are making the transition seamless by bringing our best-in-class video codecs to macOS and Windows on ARM processors.

Now creators can render project timelines from DaVinci Resolve Studio 17 into professional camera formats from Sony, Panasonic and others.  With the MainConcept Codec Plugin for DaVinci Resolve Studio, the complete production chain—from filming, capturing, editing and playout—can remain in the same broadcast format so your workflow remains seamless and efficient.

MainConcept’s Codec Plugin allows native access to HEVC Main and Main 10 profiles, making use of our industry-leading HEVC/H.265 software video encoder. And, it’s fast—up to 20% faster than open source.*

With encoding in up to 8K resolution and 10-bit 4:2:2, our video encoder satisfies the needs of most broadcast and OTT use cases. It also supports AS-11 UK DPP project rendering directly from the DaVinci Resolve Studio timeline management tool.

• Decoder Pack MPEG-2


• Decoder Pack AVC/H.264 Pro


• Decoder Pack AVC/H.264 Broadcast


• Decoder Pack DVCPRO HD

• Blu-ray Disc*


• Adobe Flash F4V streams


• AVC-Intra Class 50 and Class 100


• DVD*


• Sony XDCAM HD, XDCAM EX, XDCAM DV and XDCAM IMX


• Panasonic P2 DVCPRO and AVC-Intra


• Sony PSP


• Apple iPod


• AVCHD*


• …many more

Today’s production workflows are heterogeneous deployments, i.e. running on local server farms, or in the cloud, or as hybrid solutions. No standard software fits all possible requirements for data transfer, platform integration, scalability, user interface or codec and streaming features. Thus creating an optimized broadcast workflow is a challenge. MainConcept 2GO products are the building blocks with the perfect balance between flexible usage and fast integration in your work environment or service. Bundled in an isolated container each 2GO product is unique, easy to deploy, scale and ready-to-use in any process. Whether you are looking for a live streaming feature, an archiving module, a distributed transcoder, or an on-demand packaging and distribution add-on. The usage scenarios for MainConcept 2GO are endless. And it’s as easy as download, install and use.

The MainConceptⓇ 2GO products are containerized applications that run in all environments supported by Docker. Known systems include Microsoft Windows 10, Windows Server 2016 & 2019, Linux and most cloud platforms from Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Support on Windows 7 and macOS is limited with Docker Toolbox and a 3rd party virtualization software.

Please note that on Windows you must configure Docker for Linux Containers, so you should use the CE (Community Edition) rather than EE (Enterprise Edition) version of Docker. Docker CE requires a full GUI to install, so for this reason, Windows Server 2016 users must have the full ‘desktop experience’ installed. The lighter-weight versions of Windows Server 2016 cannot be used because they do not have a full GUI. Other versions of Windows only have a full GUI. Due to some limitations in VirtualBox, MainConcept 2GO does not work if you are running the VM tool with Windows Server 2016.

Computers running MainConcept 2GO products need an outgoing internet connection via port 443 (https).

• 8K live


• 4:2:2 10-bit chroma for professional video


• Hybrid GPU acceleration


• HDR decoder with support for HLG/PQ and SDR conversion


• Canon XF HEVC 4:2:2 10-bit decoder support


• 30% encoding time savings with MainConcept’s patented Intelligent ABR (SABET™) technology

• 20% better bitrate encoding efficiency than Open Source


• 2.5x encoding performance increase with Hybrid GPU acceleration


• Fast integration


• Codec optimization with MainConcept Professional Services

In real-time you can encode content into multi-bitrate and multi-resolution layers, for a complete OTT ready output that includes playlist generation. The powerful solution also offers a variety of prepared encoding presets for simplified parallel live encoding, upload to supported CDNs, and live archiving.MainConcept Live Encoder is available in both Windows and Linux, as a web-application or easily integrated using REST-API.

The MainConcept MPEG-1/2 Encoder and Decoder Packages enable software solutions to read, write and edit MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 streams in high quality with exceptional speed. The SDK is ideal for consumer-level products and broadcast usage. The full-featured encoder provides access to all MPEG setting as encoder parameters.

The MPEG-1/2 Video Encoder meets the highest broadcast quality standards and includes professional features like transport streams, 4:2:2 10-bit support, 2-pass encoding, XDCAM Compatibility and more. The MPEG-1/2 Video Decoder processes all sorts of MPEG video streams. It offers a DXVA option to utilize GPU power for accelerated MPEG-2 playback on Windows with dedicated graphics boards. The decoder can process and deliver Closed Captions (CC) and other userdata.

The MainConcept Motion JPEG SDK eliminates the need of expensive hardware, because it is perfectly suited for a wide variety of industrial areas, such as surveillance, security and medicine technology as well as in video conferencing systems.

Our Motion JPEG codec pack is also perfect for manufacturers developing webcams, surveillance systems and other video devices. The codec offers a complete, software-only solution which eliminates the need for expensive compression chipsets.

• HEVC/H.265 Video Encoder


• AVC/H.264 Video Encoder


• Fraunhofer AAC Encoder


• MPEG-2 Multiplexer


• MP4 Multiplexer


• MPD Generator


• HLS Generator


• File Sink

Focused on OTT, AV1 is ideally suited for content delivery to web browsers and mobile devices. MainConcept seamlessly combines AV1 encoding with our proven MPEG-DASH multiplexing and formatting technology to greatly enhance streaming quality. It supports the common MainConcept API and adds useful features unavailable elsewhere.Working with Intel, the SVT framework is integrated into the MainConcept AV1 encoder, allowing it to run efficiently from edge to cloud on multi-core CPUs like Intel Xeon Scalable processors and Intel Xeon D processors.

Internet browser support is a must have feature for any web-based application looking to engage more viewers. HEVC/H.265 is a top codec of choice for high quality video viewing, but HTML5 doesn’t support it, which degrades the user experience.WebAssembly, aka WebASM or Wasm, is a simple option to securely view videos on any web browser, anywhere, using the latest and greatest codec technology, without needing 3rd party browser plug-ins. WebAssembly lets you develop secure JavaScript (JS) self-contained apps that run in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari.MainConcept WebASM HEVC Decoder SDK is an ideal solution for browser-based workflows that require HEVC/H.265 preview, playback, editing or monitoring. With the MainConcept HEVC Decoder, you can build powerful applications with optimized performance for multi-threaded H.265 video decoding on any device with an Internet browser supporting WebAssembly. And, since WebAssembly is a binary format, the MainConcept WebASM HEVC Decoder does not require specialized hardware or software.Our WebASM HEVC decoder offers the same feature set as its powerful cross-platform counterpart, supporting 8-bit, 10-bit and 12-bit profiles up to 4:4:4. It comes with a simple tool for testing performance and conformance using different processing modes, and includes JavaScript samples for quick application integration.

Article: Secure Browser-based Video with WebAssembly

• Configurable and dynamically adjustable codec


• Integrate with a wide portfolio of Xilinx and partner IP cores such as 12G-SDI, ST 2110, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 etc.


• Up to 4K60 4:2:2 10-bit H.264/H.265 encode + decode


• Multichannel support up to 4K60 (e.g. 2x 1080p60 or 4x 1080p30)


• Ultra-low-latency mode of <35ms glass-to-glass


• Total device power for a single pipeline as low as 8.5W

Today’s production workflows are heterogeneous deployments, i.e. running on local server farms, or in the cloud, or as hybrid solutions. No standard software fits all possible requirements for data transfer, platform integration, scalability, user interface or codec and streaming features. Thus creating an optimized broadcast workflow is a challenge. MainConcept 2GO products are the building blocks with the perfect balance between flexible usage and fast integration in your work environment or service. Bundled in an isolated container each 2GO product is unique, easy to deploy, scale and ready-to-use in any process. Whether you are looking for a live streaming feature, an archiving module, a distributed transcoder, or an on-demand packaging and distribution add-on. The usage scenarios for MainConcept 2GO are endless. And it’s as easy as download, install and use.

The MainConceptⓇ 2GO products are containerized applications that run in all environments supported by Docker. Known systems include Microsoft Windows 10, Windows Server 2016 & 2019, Linux and most cloud platforms from Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Support on Windows 7 and macOS is limited with Docker Toolbox and a 3rd party virtualization software.

Please note that on Windows you must configure Docker for Linux Containers, so you should use the CE (Community Edition) rather than EE (Enterprise Edition) version of Docker. Docker CE requires a full GUI to install, so for this reason, Windows Server 2016 users must have the full ‘desktop experience’ installed. The lighter-weight versions of Windows Server 2016 cannot be used because they do not have a full GUI. Other versions of Windows only have a full GUI. Due to some limitations in VirtualBox, MainConcept 2GO does not work if you are running the VM tool with Windows Server 2016.

Computers running MainConcept 2GO products need an outgoing internet connection via port 443 (https).

In real-time you can encode content into multi-bitrate and multi-resolution layers, for a complete OTT ready output that includes playlist generation. The powerful solution also offers a variety of prepared encoding presets for simplified parallel live encoding, upload to supported CDNs, and live archiving.MainConcept Live Encoder is available in both Windows and Linux, as a web-application or easily integrated using REST-API.

The introduction of the ARM-based Apple M1 chipset for the new MacBooks and Mac mini, as well as ARM processors already in production within the Windows PC ecosystem, brings us to an inflection point within the video production industry.

The average consumer may not know the difference between an ARM-based MacBook or PC and the x86 version. They will, however, know when software doesn’t work on their new hardware. At MainConcept, we are making the transition seamless by bringing our best-in-class video codecs to macOS and Windows on ARM processors.

The MainConcept Motion JPEG SDK eliminates the need of expensive hardware, because it is perfectly suited for a wide variety of industrial areas, such as surveillance, security and medicine technology as well as in video conferencing systems.

Our Motion JPEG codec pack is also perfect for manufacturers developing webcams, surveillance systems and other video devices. The codec offers a complete, software-only solution which eliminates the need for expensive compression chipsets.

Focused on OTT, AV1 is ideally suited for content delivery to web browsers and mobile devices. MainConcept seamlessly combines AV1 encoding with our proven MPEG-DASH multiplexing and formatting technology to greatly enhance streaming quality. It supports the common MainConcept API and adds useful features unavailable elsewhere.Working with Intel, the SVT framework is integrated into the MainConcept AV1 encoder, allowing it to run efficiently from edge to cloud on multi-core CPUs like Intel Xeon Scalable processors and Intel Xeon D processors.