(2009-07-19) Competing Video Standards

HTML-v5 has a "VidEo" element that will allow browsers to play video without a plugin. Google is playing with a version of YouTube that takes that approach. There are other advantages, too.

But there's a debate about which video codec to support. The HTML 5 working group is split between supporters of Ogg Theora and H.264. Their inability to find a compromise that is acceptable to all stakeholders has compelled HTML 5 spec editor Ian Hickson to "admit defeat" and give up on the effort to define specific codecs and media formats in the standard itself. This is problematic because the lack of uniform codec availability will make it impossible for content creators to publish their videos in a single format that will be viewable through the HTML 5 video element in all browsers. Ogg Theora has an Open Source implementation and no Patent-s; H.264 is controlled by the MPEG group, and requires patent licenses. But H.264 is often considered to be higher quality, and is often supported by computer hardware directly. Google is leaning toward H.264, while Wikipedia is leaning toward Ogg Theora. Microsoft, which has no plans to implement the HTML 5 video element at all (MsIE), is also still an impediment to bringing open Internet video to the masses.

Update: see 2010-05-18-DiveIntoHtml5VideoMobile.

Jan'2011 update: Google Chrome is dropping support for H.264.