Gamers rejoice. AV1 encoding is rolling out this week on Discord, promising 4K, 60FS streams at just 8MBps, a breakthrough in streaming video quality.
Discord is rolling out an update this week that will speed up video encoding on the platform. The update includes AV1 encoding, a new video compression standard that improves the quality of online video and reduces bandwidth usage.
Right now, AV1 encoding is limited to newer GPUs like the RTX 40-series, AMD RX 7900 XT, and Intel Arc series. We expect that AV1 will soon seep into newer hardware and devices as the months roll on.
AV1 is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, H.264, and allows for streaming 4K, 60FPS with Discord Nitro at just 8Mbps, a remarkable improvement in video quality. The news comes from Gerardo Delgado, a Product Line Manager at Nvidia.
Discord is currently rolling out an update that enables AV1 streaming with GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs!The upate is rolling out starting this week and will slowly populate to all users. With AV1 you'll be able to stream up to 4K60 with nitro, at 8 Mbps!
— Gerardo Delgado (@gerdelgado) January 25, 2023
Additionally, Discord’s P2P streaming system will automatically check if users can support AV1, and if not, it will revert to H.264, according to Delgado. However, companies such as YouTube have been testing AV1, but it is far from having mainstream adoption, while OBS locks AV1 to just local encoding. Now Discord is looking to keep up with the rest of the pack with this latest update.
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Why AV1 support is a big deal
Av1 encoding is a big deal, as it allows users to stream at a higher quality without consuming as much bandwidth. It’s a perfect fit for people who rely on low-latency connections for gaming, as well as for users who might not have the best internet speed in the world.
Discord’s AV1 encoding update is a major breakthrough in video quality, making video encoding on the platform more efficient. This update is a must-have for any Discord users who have an AV1-capable device, and it’ll be rolling out starting this week.
The AV1 revolution is upon us, and we cannot wait until it gets more widespread adoption.