aomenc

aomenc is a command-line tool used for encoding video streams using the AV1 video codec. It is part of the AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) reference encoder project, developed by the Alliance for Open Media. AV1 is an open, royalty-free video coding format designed for web video, offering significant improvements in compression efficiency compared to previous codecs like VP9 and H.265 (HEVC).

The aomenc encoder allows users to configure various encoding parameters to balance compression efficiency, encoding speed, and output quality. These parameters include settings related to the encoding speed preset, film grain synthesis, content-adaptive content-adaptive encoding, and various quality-related options. Users can specify the input video file, the desired output file, and a wide array of encoding options through command-line arguments.

Using aomenc typically involves specifying an input video file and an output file. For example, a basic command might look like `aomenc input.yuv -o output.ivf`. More complex commands involve numerous options to fine-tune the encoding process, such as `--cpu-used=4` to control the encoding speed or `--enable-chroma-delta-q` for quality adjustments.

The reference encoder, including aomenc, is primarily used for testing, development, and ensuring compliance with the AV1 specification. While it provides a baseline for AV1 encoding, other more optimized encoders based on the AV1 specification have been developed for production environments to achieve faster encoding times. However, aomenc remains a crucial tool for understanding and advancing the AV1 codec.