VOD ENCODING
The same picture, for fewer bits
Encoder Version 3’s new HEVC codec matches your current quality at 15.5% lower bitrate, and AV1 needs 30.6% fewer bits than the current HEVC encoder, measured by Bitmovin across 14 clips. New codecs tuned for Per-Title Encoding, HDR10 and HLG at SDR prices, AV1 at HEVC prices for managed cloud customers, and an MCP server your AI agent can query. In beta now; general availability for VOD this fall.
Let your AI get to know Bitmovin:
Works with Claude, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Trae, and any MCP-compatible agent.
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View Bitmovin’s VOD Encoder in action
A quick introduction into the capabilities of Bitmovin’s VOD Encoder
Cinematic Experience
Crystal-clear quality and optimum files sizes on content up to 8K with support for Dolby Vision & Atmos.
Short form
and clips
Powered by Nvidia GPUs, our solution encodes faster and benefits sports, news, UGC and ads streaming workflows.
Content Scalability
100x real-time processing for long-form content and built for the rapid handling of entire content libraries.
AI Scene Analysis
Pre-integrated with Bitmovin’s AI Scene Analysis, to improve content discovery, automate workflows, and enhance monetization strategies.
Benefits
Quality you can measure
Encoder Version 3’s new HEVC codec matches your current picture at 15.5% lower bitrate or, on a static ladder, scores 3.9 VMAF points higher on average at the same bitrate. In the same testing, a leading public cloud encoder’s per-title HEVC needed 58.5% more bitrate to match Version 3 with Per-Title Encoding. AV1 needs 30.6% fewer bits than the current HEVC encoder. Add premium HDR and UHD tiers, with HDR10 and HLG priced the same as SDR, and check any encode with Real-Time VMAF scoring for H.264, HEVC and AV1. Measured by Bitmovin across 14 clips with VMAF v1.0.16.
Simple tools, powerful results.
With options for all skill levels from our dashboard wizard and watch folders to our Simple API and complete SDKs, anyone on your team can start encoding in minutes. Smart presets and code examples get you up and running with the power to build and support the most advanced and complex workflows.
From Research to Reality
Bitmovin was born from innovation when our founders co-authored the MPEG-DASH streaming protocol and that spirit continues today. Ongoing research and collaboration drive the development of patented and award-winning techniques like our Per-Title and 3-pass Encoding as well as AV1 and VVC codec support.
How Bitmovin’s VOD Encoding compares
| Bitmovin’s VOD Encoding | Open-source encoders | |
|---|---|---|
 Out-of-the-box horizontal scalability (Split and stitch) |  |  |
 Automatic (spot) instance selection for price efficiency | | |
 Automatic ABR (Per-Title) | | |
 Advanced bitrate distribution (3-pass, Smart Chunking) | | |
 Out-of-the-box DRM and Forensic Watermarking support | | |
 Dolby (Vision, Atmos, Digital Plus) and DTS certified | | |
Get started easily with our VOD Encoding Wizard and get access to 2000 free encoding minutes monthly
Some of our innovative features
Three-pass encoding saves up to 10% on BD-rate. It moves bits from the segments that do not need them to the ones that do, so the hardest segments gain the most quality at the same total bitrate. Enhanced analysis removes outlier low-quality frames without raising the bitrate.
Advanced optimization of encoding around shot boundaries allows for better bitrate distribution and reduces your storage footprint. By removing unnecessary I-frames, playback becomes visually smoother, improving QoE and VMAF quality scores.
Our smart chunking feature enhances encoded assets by intelligently allocating higher bitrates to crucial file segments. This ensures an optimal quality and streaming experience through variable chunk sizes.
Per-Title Encoding: the ladder is built from the title, not the catalog
The encoder analyzes each videoās complexity and builds a bitrate ladder with enough room for the codec to carry what a viewer can see, and no more. On the 14-clip set, Per-Title saved 8.0% over a static ladder for the new HEVC and 23.1% for AV1, and letting both codecs choose their own rungs takes AV1ās saving over the current HEVC encoder from 23% to 31%. Per-Title needs one line of configuration and no tuning; the ladder comes from the content.
Multi-codec
Match the codec to the device. AV1 for the screens that decode it, at 30.6% fewer bits than the current HEVC encoder; HEVC with Dolby Vision or multi-HDR for the rest; H.264 for the long tail. Each codec gets its own Per-Title ladder.
HDR10 is 10-bit BT.2020 with the PQ transfer function, metadata carried through to the output; HLG works the same way. Version 3 adds HDR10 for VP9 and AV1, and prices HDR10 and HLG encoding the same as SDR. Create Dolby Vision, HDR10 and SDR outputs from a single mezzanine file, with HLG and HDR10 cross-conversion or up/down conversion to SDR. Dolby Vision on AV1, Profiles 10.0 and 10.1, is coming soon.
An encoder your AI agents can read
Through the Bitmovin MCP server, Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and GitHub Copilot get read-only, plain-language access to your own VOD and Live encodings. They can list and filter recent jobs, inspect encoding parameters, explain failures and summarize activity, with no custom API integration code on your side. āWhy did last nightās encode fail?ā becomes something you ask, not debug.
Give your AI agent deep knowledge of Bitmovinās APIs, MCP servers, and products with one prompt. Everything your agent needs to hit the ground running.
Encoding MCP documentation ā
Built by and for developers
Developer resources to get started quickly, APIs & documentation to integrate easily.
Getting started guides
Step-by-step VOD Encoding Wizard
Tutorials
API Reference
Code Samples
Developer Community
metadata:
type: VOD
name: Standard VOD Workflow
encodings:
main-encoding:
properties:
name: Standard VOD Workflow
streams:
video_h264:
properties:
inputStreams:
- inputId: "{{inputId}}"
inputPath: tears_of_steel_1080p.mov
codecConfigId: $/configurations/video/h264/streams_encoding_h264
mode: PER_TITLE_TEMPLATE
muxings:
fmp4:
fmp4_h264:
properties:
name: fmp4_h264
streams:
- streamId: $/encodings/main-encoding/streams/video_h264
outputs:
- outputId: "{{outputId}}"
outputPath: "content/vod_standard/{width}_{bitrate}_{uuid}/"
acl:
- permission: PRIVATE
segmentLength: 4
start:
properties:
perTitle:
h264Configuration: {}MORE RESOURCES
Simplifying encoding workflows through our innovation
Learn about the latest features built to encode your files in the best quality with the quickest turn-around times.
Cloud Connect
Bitmovin dynamically scales worker nodes in your cloud environment on AWS, Azure or GCP. Reduce costs and use VOD encoding to satisfy your committed contracts.
Cloud Scalability
Scale with efficiency and sustainability in mind with our cloud-native encoding service. Adapt to changing demand with no idle infrastructure and no fixed cost.
Per-title Encoding
Efficiently encode video, maintaining the highest visual quality with a customized adaptive bitrate ladder.
Multi-pass Encoding
Ensure crystal-clear quality and maximize video processing efficiency through the Bitmovin VOD Encoderās multi-pass encoding capabilities.
Split and Stitch
Unlock the quickest asset turnaround times and unrivaled video compression efficiency with Bitmovinās split and stitch technology, revolutionizing how companies deliver high-definition content seamlessly.
AV1
The next generation video codec that can deliver stunning 4K video over connections that are limited to SD with older codecs.
Purchase options
We offer a number of flexible ways to try our products, directly from Bitmovin or from one of the following marketplaces:
Partnerships
The right partners
for every workflow
The Bitmovin VOD Encoder is integrated with trusted industry partners, providing seamless integration for Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Forensic Watermarking to Server-Side Ad Insertion and CDNs.
With this collaborative approach, Bitmovin empowers development teams to get to market faster, helping keep their content secure, maximizing ROI and streaming worldwide.
Related content
Case study
BILD
Transforming global news delivery with lightning-fast encoding, streaming, and top-notch quality
Case study
Globo
Delivering top-quality content without compromising bandwidth with Bitmovin’s 3-pass encoding
Case study
Easel TV
Leveraging Bitmovin, Easel TV reduced latency by 94% and sped up content delivery by 93%
Case study
NRL
Enhancing the National Rugby Leagues video workflow to boost efficiency and resolve issues
VOD Encoder features and capabilities
| Input Formats |
|---|
| MPEG-1 Video |
| MPEG-2 Video |
| MPEG-4 Video |
| H.261 |
| H.262 |
| H.263 |
| H.264/AVC |
| H.265/HEVC |
| VP6 |
| VP8 |
| VP9 |
| DNxHD |
| Theora |
| XDCAM |
| XDCAM HD22 |
| XDCAM IMX |
| DV |
| DVCPRO |
| DVCPROHD |
| ProRes |
| AVCHD |
| AVCIntra |
| Cineform HD |
| Intel Indeo |
| JPEG2000 |
| Input File Formats |
|---|
| MP4 |
| MKV |
| MOV |
| AVI |
| FLV |
| MPEG-2 TS |
| MPEG-2 PS |
| MXF |
| LXF |
| GXF |
| 3GP |
| Webm |
| MPG |
| QuickTime |
| Output File Formats |
|---|
| MPEG-2 TS |
| MP4 |
| fMP4 |
| MOV |
| WebM |
| CMAF |
| MXF (XDCAM HD 422) |
| Input Audio Codecs |
|---|
| AAC |
| MP3 |
| DTS Express |
| FLAC |
| WMA |
| Vorbis |
| PCM |
| WAV |
| Dolby Atmos (DAMF and ADM) |
| Dolby Digital (AC3) |
| Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) |
| Dolby E |
| ALAC |
| Content Protection (DRM) |
|---|
| Widevine DRM |
| PlayReady DRM |
| Marlin DRM |
| FairPlay DRM with HLS |
| DASH ClearKey encryption |
| SAMPLE-AES, AES-128 encryption (HLS) |
| Multi-DRM |
| Forensic Watermarking |
| PrimeTime DRM |
| CENC |
| Closed Captions & Subtitles |
|---|
| WebVTT |
| CEA-608/708 |
| SRT |
| SRT to CEA-608/708 |
| TTML (EBU-TT, SMPTE-TT, IMSC) |
| SMPTE-TT |
| Burn-in Subtitles |
| HDR |
|---|
| HLG |
| HDR10 |
| Dolby Vision |
| Machine Learning |
|---|
| Super Resolution |
| Filters |
|---|
| Motion Adaptive Deinterlace |
| Denoise |
| Crop/Scale/Rotate |
| Watermarking |
| Audio Mixing |
| Unsharp Masking |
| Text Overlay |
| Streaming Protocols |
|---|
| MPEG-DASH |
| Apple HLS |
| Progressive MP4 |
| Smooth Streaming |
| Output Audio Codecs |
|---|
| AAC-LC |
| HE-AACv1 |
| HE-AACv2 |
| MP2 |
| MP3 |
| DTS Express, DTS:HD, DTS:X |
| Vorbis |
| Opus |
| Dolby Atmos |
| Dolby Digital |
| Dolby Digital Plus |
| Output Video Codecs |
|---|
| MPEG-2 Video (XDCAM HD 422) |
| MPEG-4 Video |
| H.264/AVC |
| H.265/HEVC |
| MV-HEVC |
| VP8 |
| VP9 |
| AV1 |
| Supported Storage |
|---|
| Bitmovin Storage & CDN |
| AWS S3 |
| Google Cloud Storage |
| Azure Blob |
| Generic Object Storage |
| FTP |
| SFTP |
| HTTP/HTTPs |
| Akamai NetStorage |
| Aspera |
| Akamai MSL4 Support |
| Managed Cloud |
|---|
| Amazon Web Services |
| Google Cloud Platform |
| Microsoft Azure |
| Akamai Connected Cloud |
| Oracle Cloud Infrastructure |
| Cloud Connect |
|---|
| Amazon Web Services |
| Google Cloud Platform |
| Microsoft Azure |
| Oracle Cloud Infrastructure |
| Other Features (AI) |
|---|
| AI Scene Analysis |
| Contextual Advertising |
Try it on your own content
Per-Title AV1 needs one line of configuration and no tuning; the ladder comes from the content. Encode a title you know well and compare it against what you ship today. Your account includes 2,000 free encoding minutes a month.
Existing Bitmovin customers can request Version 3 beta access now, ahead of general availability for VOD production deployments this fall.
