So what is Opus, exactly?

"Opus is a recently developed audio codec that blows every other audio codec out of the water. While it’s not the first open and free audio codec, it is the first one with wide adoption and enough performance to warrant its use.

It was originally developed by the Xiph Foundation and several other companies, combining two different algorithms called CELT and SILK that work well in different scenarios. (You can learn more about the technical work and the history behind this codec here.)”

Why does Vimeo use AV1 and Opus codecs?

“On the open web, we need to ensure compatibility with millions of devices. That includes making sure that users can actually consume the content without strings attached, at the best possible quality.

Because of this, we favor open codecs like AV1 and Opus. Users deserve accessible, inclusive, highly performant means of communication. These royalty-free codecs level the field and allow everybody to build great experiences and services on Vimeo.”

If you are a creator yourself, you may want to explore how Vimeo can help you make, share, and manage videos. Learn more about features like video hosting, our text-based video editor, timeline editor, video graphics, image to video converter, and more.