New video standards: Full AV1 support for suitable headsets
We're converting our library to the AV1 codec to deliver improved quality and efficiency.
October 2024: Full AV1 support
SLR now supports the new AV1 codec. Our video library is currently being converted to AV1 - this means better quality, with around 30% lower bitrate than the HEVC codec. This means more efficient streaming and lower memory costs.
The Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets fully support AV1. If you have a suitable VR headset, we have a background mechanic that automatically applies the AV1 codec - we strongly recommend choosing the AV1 option when viewing VR content at SLR. If your headset does not support AV1, it will automatically select the HEVC code.
Try out the AV1 Codec
Want to help out and see for yourself? Stream this short video from SLR Labs:
Or download the video file to play natively:
Play in your VR headset and let us know your thoughts at the SLR forum.
What is AV1 and why is it better?
AV1 delivers equal video quality at a lower bit-rate, meaning a smaller file size - which means greatly enhanced streaming properties for higher quality video, reduced bandwidth costs and a major boost for those users with less than ideal internet connections.
As well as this vastly improved efficiency, it is open source with a royalty-free algorithm, making it free-to-use for everyone, worldwide.
Drawbacks of AV1
Currently, encoding AV1 video with a CPU takes five times longer than it does to encode h265 video. (This is when using libaom (libaom-av1), which is the reference encoder for the AV1 format.) This does not affect you the user.
Playing AV1 video with PCVR
To play AV1 videos using PCVR, you'll need to install the AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft app store. It's completely free and this will enable AV1 video playback support for the DeoVR Steam app. Windows 10 and above.
Any comments or suggestions? We'd love to know your thoughts at the new video standards post on the SLR forum.
