Transcoding is the process of converting a media file from one format to another. In order to perform this procedure, the file must first be decoded so that it can then be encoded into the desired format. This technique can be applied in different cases. For example, we can use it to convert an HD video to one with lower resolutions. The new file may continue to use the codec used by the original, but the encoding profile of both will be different. We can identify three types of transcoding:
- Lossless to Lossy. This uses a codec that maintains the quality of the video and transfers it to another codec that loses part of the data. It is usually used to obtain lighter files or fast decompression.
- Lossy to lossless. The codec used cannot recover the quality, so it is transcoded without losing any of the data, avoiding file degradation.
- Lossy to lossy. A lossy codec is used and transcoded to another format that also has losses, reducing the final quality of the audiovisual content.
