In October 2020, MPEG announced the completion of the new ISO/IEC 23094-2 standard, i.e., Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (MPEG-5 Part 2 LCEVC).
LCEVC adds an enhancement data stream that can appreciably improve the resolution and visual quality of reconstructed video with effective compression efficiency of limited complexity by building on top of existing and future video codecs.
LCEVC uses a lightweight video codec to add up to two layers of encoded residuals. The aim of these layers is correcting artefacts produced by the base video codec and adding detail and sharpness for the final output video.
The target of this standard comprises software or hardware codecs with extra processing capabilities, e.g., mobile devices, Set Top Boxes (STBs), and PC-based decoders. Additional benefits are the reduction in implementation complexity or a corresponding expansion in spatial resolution.
LCEVC can be used to complement devices originally designed only for decoding the base layer bitstream, by using firmware, operating system, or browser support. It is designed to be compatible with existing video workflows (e.g., CDNs, metadata management, DRM/CA) and network protocols (e.g., HLS, DASH, CMAF) to facilitate the rapid deployment of enhanced video services.
LCEVC can be used to deliver higher video quality in limited bandwidth scenarios, especially when the available bit rate is low for high-resolution video delivery and decoding complexity is a challenge. Typical use cases include mobile streaming and social media, and services that benefit from high-density/low-power transcoding.