VC-1
| Internet media type | video/vc1 |
|---|---|
| Developed by | SMPTE, Microsoft, Panasonic, LG, Samsung, etc. |
| Initial release | 24 February 2006 |
| Latest release | SMPTE ST 421:2013 8 October 2013 |
| Type of format | Video coding format |
| Extended from | WMV 9 |
| Standards | SMPTE ST 421 |
| Open format? | Yes |
| Free format? | No |
SMPTE 421, informally known as VC-1, is a video coding format. Most of it was initially developed as Microsoft's proprietary video format Windows Media Video 9 in 2003. With some enhancements including the development of a new Advanced Profile, it was officially approved as an SMPTE standard on April 3, 2006. It was primarily marketed as a lower-complexity competitor to the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC standard. After its development, several companies other than Microsoft asserted that they held patents that applied to the technology, including Panasonic, LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics.
VC-1 is supported in the now-deprecated Microsoft Silverlight, the briefly-offered HD DVD disc format, and the Blu-ray Disc format.