Panasonic Unveils Smart Coding Technology to Reduce Video Surveillance Bandwidth and Storage

Panasonic, a leading provider of integrated security and video surveillance solutions, has released Smart Coding, a new technology that enhances the encoding algorithm in standard H.264 video streams, yielding up to a 70 percent improvement in bandwidth reduction.

Available as a firmware upgrade to all new generation Panasonic 3, 5 and 6 Series Models, the technology effectively lessens the bandwidth demand and the amount of storage needed for surveillance video images while maintaining high picture quality and full compliance with the H.264 standard.

Smart Coding technology employs a variety of advanced noise reduction processes and algorithm advancements, including Frequency Divided Filter (FDF); 3-D Multi-Process Noise Reduction (3D-MNR) and Group of Picture (GOP) Control to achieve a lower bit rate for images without degrading the captured and transmitted video stream.

More specifically, FDF and 3D-MNR act to reduce both fine picture noise and video-grain generated under low illumination improving picture quality before compression. GOP Control removes unnecessary information in a scene which results in a lower bit rate.

Together, these features can effectively provide a substantial bit rate reduction (the number of bits per second that can be transmitted along a digital network) in the recorded video without a loss in image quality.

"Smart Coding provides up to 70 percent improvement in bandwidth reduction, depending on the scene and the amount of movement," said Charlie Hare, Panasonic's National Category Manager, Security and Mobile Video Solutions. "This innovative encoding technology will help users better manage network bandwidth resources, reducing storage requirements and lower the overall total cost of ownership, while still providing the crisp, high-resolution images they've come to expect from Panasonic."

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.