Netflix is bringing the AV1 codec to TVs, but what does that mean for you?

Last year, Netflix brought the AV1 video coding format to Android devices, but they just rolled it out to select TVs, as well as any TV connected to the PS4 Pro. That sounds great, but what exactly is AV1 and how will it affect your viewing experience?

What is AV1?

The popularity of shows like ‘Squid Game’ has previously caused massive network traffic surges for Internet service providers (ISPs), costing a fortune in maintenance fees. This problem can be remedied by compressing the streaming data in a smarter way. That’s where AV1 comes in.

AV1, or Alliance of Open Media (AOMedia) Video 1, is a royalty-free video coding format that launched three years ago. Netflix is actually a founding member of AOMedia and contributes both research and development.

Why is AV1 better?

Netflix content streamed in the AV1 format scores higher in Netflix’s VMAF video quality metric. At the same bitrate, AV1 streaming results in higher VMAF scores, which means better visual quality. This improvement is more prominent during sessions with a bad network connection, where AV1 streaming boosts the VMAF score up by 10.

Viewers also watch more high-quality content, as they found that the duration of 4K videos being streamed increased by about 5% with AV1. This is most likely due to the higher compression efficiency and lower bandwidth needed for streaming 4K content.

One of the most frustrating things about streaming Netflix content with slow internet is the quality dropping. As AV1 takes up less bandwidth, the video player does not need to switch to a lower bitrate stream as much anymore, with drops in quality reducing by as much as 38% on some TVs.

With AV1 streaming, Netflix also observed a 2% reduction in “start play delay”, which refers to how long it takes to reach the target buffer level and start the playback.

Here is the full list of compatible devices that were added:

• Select Samsung 2020 UHD Smart TVs
• Select Samsung 2020 UHD QLED Smart TVs
• Select Samsung 2020 8K QLED Smart TVs
• Samsung The Frame 2020 Smart TVs
• Samsung The Serif 2020 Smart TVs
• Samsung The Terrace 2020 Smart TVs
• Any TV connected to a PS4 Pro streaming with the Netflix app
• Select Amazon Fire TV devices with Fire OS 7 and above
• Select Android TV devices with Android OS 10 and above

Netflix is working with external partners to enable AV1 streaming for more devices. They are also exploring AV1 with HDR, which is highly anticipated among fans.

Overall, if you have a compatible device, you should expect an increase in video quality and a better viewing experience. Users struggling with challenging network conditions will benefit from AV1 streaming the most, as the higher compression efficiency will make it easier for you to stream your content.

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