| LCEVC | |
|---|---|
| Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding MPEG-5 Part 2 | |
 | |
| Year started | 2018 |
| Latest version | June 2021 |
| Organization | ITU-T (SG16),ISO,IEC |
| Committee | ISO,VCEG,MPEG |
| Base standards | H.261,H.262 (akaMPEG-2 Video),H.263,MPEG-1 |
| Related standards | H.264 (aka AVC),H.265 (aka HEVC),H.266 (aka VVC) |
| Domain | Video compression |
| Website | https://www.lcevc.org/ |
Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) is aISO/IECvideo coding standard developed by theMoving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) under the project nameMPEG-5 Part 2 LCEVC.[1][2]
LCEVC specifies an enhancement layer which, when combined with a base video encoded with a separate codec, produces an enhanced video stream. The base layer is decodable by a hardware decoder, and the enhancement layer is suitable for software processing implementation with sustainable power consumption.[further explanation needed] The enhancement layer provides improved features to existing codecs, such as compression capability extension and lower encoding/decoding complexity, for live streaming or broadcasting applications.[3]
LCEVC leverages a base video codec (e.g.,AVC,HEVC,VP9,AV1,EVC orVVC) and employs an efficient low-complexity enhancement that adds up to two layers of encoded residuals, along with normative signalled up-sampling methods, that correct artifacts produced by the base video codec and add detail and sharpness for the final output video.[4]
It provides additional compression efficiency to any existing or future video codec and reduces the processing complexity of encoding and decoding.[5][6]
LCEVC can be implemented with software updates for encoders and decoders, and was designed to leverage available hardware acceleration for graphics processing.[7]
It is possible for licensed users of theV-NOVA P+ codec to encode LCEVC files.[3]
In October 2018, MPEG issued a set of requirements for a new video coding standard and a Call for Proposals for Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding.[8][9]
At IBC 2019 a preliminary implementation for encoding and decoding the forthcoming MPEG-5 Part 2 LCEVC was demonstrated.[10]
October 2020 at the 132nd MPEG meeting, LCEVC is completed reaching Final Draft stage.[11]
In April 2021,MPEG Video validated the Verification Test of LCEVC (Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding) standard (ISO/IEC 23094-2). Test results tended to indicate an overall benefit also when using LCEVC to enhanceAVC,HEVC,EVC andVVC.[12][13]
In May 2021,V-NOVA LCEVC Licensing Terms were announced for Entertainment Video Services. It is a software development kit and a wide range of reference integrations that add MPEG-5 Part 2 LCEVC (ISO/IEC 23094-2) encoding and decoding to any existing video delivery workflow.V-NOVA LCEVC is an implementation of MPEG-5 Part 2 LCEVC, the codec-agnostic (ISO/IEC) enhancement standard capable of providing higher quality at up to 40% lower bitrates than codecs used natively.[14][15]
As per Jan Ozer's report, LCEVC Technology entitled LCEVC x264 Report: Live Sports & eGames, ABR Ladder.[16]
In January 2022,SBTVD Forum approved a selection of technologies for SBTVD 3.0 which include MPEG-5 LCEVC,V-NOVA &Harmonic's submission.[17][18]
In January 2022, ISO/IEC published a set of tests and procedures to verify whether bitstreams and decoders meet normative requirements specified in the MPEG-5 LCEVC part 2 standard in order for implementers of LCEVC to be able to test the functioning and verify the conformance of their implementations.[19]
Stefano Battista,Guido Meardi, Simone Ferrara, Lorenzo Ciccarelli, Massimo Conti and Simone Orcioni are the co-authors of Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) Standard.[20][21]
LCEVC is proprietary to V-Nova and subject to V-Nova'sproprietary licence. Therefore, distribution of anypre-compiledsubsystem is strictlyprohibited, even between groupcompanies.[22]
In August 2025, V-Nova rolled out two licensing programs for MPEG-5 LCEVC, with terms crafted for both video distribution services and consumer device makers. Public reporting indicates the service program bases royalties on active user counts (with a waiver for free-to-air broadcasting), while the device program starts at about US $0.20 per unit (and includes discounts for open-access configurations).[23]
FFmpeg version 7.1[24] officially supports decoding using official external library: LCEVCdec.[25]
GStreamer supports LCEVC since version 1.26 released on March 11, 2025.[26]
