The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) released the AV2 video coding specification, version v1.0.0, as the next-generation standard building on AV1 with superior compression efficiency [1, 2]. AV2 is designed to deliver high-quality video at significantly lower bitrates, targeting streaming, broadcasting, and real-time video conferencing applications [1, 2].
The specification acts as the definitive technical reference for developers, describing the complete bitstream syntax, semantics, and decoding processes required for full compliance with AV2 [1, 2]. It includes enhanced features such as improved support for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) applications, split-screen delivery of multiple programs, advanced handling of screen content, and compatibility across a broader range of visual quality levels [1, 2].
To support implementation, AOMedia provides the AOMedia Video Model (AVM) reference software, with the version 1.0.0 tag corresponding directly to the released AV2 spec. Additional resources include a full specification document, a PDF version, extracted lookup tables in C header file format from section 9, and a syntax browser interface to ease development and debugging [1, 2].
These deliverables collectively serve as a comprehensive toolkit for software and hardware developers aiming to adopt AV2 for next-generation video applications.
The v1.0.0 specification establishes a clear foundation for AV2 adoption and development, with the expectation that the ecosystem will develop products and tools aligned to this reference version [1, 2].