YouTube to showcase 4k streaming at CES

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Google's online video service, YouTube is reportedly planning to showcase low-bandwidth 4k streaming at CES, reports GigaOM. Reportedly, YouTube will be using Google's VP9 video codec. Google has been developing this new video codec for sometime as an alternative to H.265 codec that is currently quite ubiquitous.

This is not the first time Google has attempted to deploy a royalty free open source codec. Back in 2010 it tried to deploy VP8, but it failed to do so because of the lack of support from hardware OEMs. This time around things could be different as the report claims that Google will have LG, Panasonic, and Sony in cahoots. On Thursday, Google released a list of 19 OEMs and hardware partners that pledged support for VP9.

The list includes big chipset makers like ARM, Intel and Marvell in addition to consumer electronics companies like Sharp, Samsung and Toshiba.

YouTube's global director of platform partnerships, Francisco Varela revealed that the new codec will not only help YouTube deliver 4k video, but also will reduce bandwidth consumed by 4K video. Additionally, it will also reduce the bandwidth consumed by regular HD video by half, while at the same time facilitating 4k resolutions at reasonable bitrates.

According to Varela, the new codec is expected to hit PCs and mobile devices first, and TVs having the ability to display VP9 content will likely ship only in 2015.