What is Azure Media Services Encoding?
Azure Media Services Encoding is a cloud-based transcoding service that converts video content into various formats, resolutions and bitrates. The service enables content delivery for different devices and bandwidths.
Core Features
- Adaptive bitrate encoding for HLS, DASH and Smooth Streaming
- Content-Aware Encoding for optimized quality with smaller file sizes
- Support for modern codecs like H.265/HEVC and AV1
- Thumbnail generation and sprite sheets for video preview
- Integration with Azure Blob Storage for input and output
Typical Use Cases
- Video-on-demand platforms with content for various devices
- Live event recording with subsequent delivery as on-demand content
- Enterprise video portals with consistent quality across all devices
Benefits
- No encoding infrastructure required
- Automatically scales with workload
- Integrated DRM support for content protection
- Cost-effective through pay-per-minute billing
Integration with innFactory
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, innFactory supports you with Azure Media Services: encoding pipeline design, workflow automation and CDN integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which codecs are supported?
Azure Media Services supports H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC and AV1 for video as well as AAC and Dolby Digital for audio. Output in HLS, DASH and Smooth Streaming.
What is Content-Aware Encoding?
Content-Aware Encoding analyzes the source video and automatically optimizes bitrate and resolution for each scene. This reduces file size while maintaining quality.
How long does encoding take?
Encoding duration depends on source resolution, target formats and selected preset. For faster processing, Reserved Units can be added.
Can I use custom FFmpeg presets?
Yes, Azure Media Services supports custom presets for specific encoding requirements. You define codecs, bitrates and filters via JSON configurations.
