video-processor/docs/user-guide/NEW_FEATURES_v0.4.0.md

🚀 Video Processor v0.4.0 - New Features & Capabilities

This release represents a massive leap forward in video processing capabilities, introducing four major phases of advanced functionality that transform this from a simple video processor into a comprehensive, production-ready multimedia processing platform.

🎯 Overview: Four-Phase Architecture

Our video processor now provides end-to-end multimedia processing through four integrated phases:

1. 🤖 AI-Powered Content Analysis - Intelligent scene detection and quality assessment
2. 🎥 Next-Generation Codecs - AV1, HEVC, and HDR support with hardware acceleration
3. 📡 Adaptive Streaming - HLS/DASH with real-time processing capabilities
4. 🌐 Complete 360° Video Processing - Immersive video with spatial audio and viewport streaming

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🤖 Phase 1: AI-Powered Content Analysis

Intelligent Video Understanding

• Smart Scene Detection: Automatically identifies scene boundaries using FFmpeg's advanced detection algorithms
• Quality Assessment: Comprehensive video quality metrics including sharpness, brightness, contrast, and noise analysis
• Motion Analysis: Intelligent motion detection and intensity scoring for optimization recommendations
• Optimal Thumbnail Selection: AI-powered selection of the best frames for thumbnails and previews

360° Content Analysis Integration

• Spherical Video Detection: Automatic identification of 360° videos from metadata and aspect ratios
• Projection Type Recognition: Detects equirectangular, cubemap, fisheye, and other 360° projections
• Regional Motion Analysis: Analyzes motion in different spherical regions (front, back, up, down, sides)
• Viewport Recommendations: AI suggests optimal viewing angles for thumbnail generation

Production Features

• Graceful Degradation: Works with or without OpenCV - falls back to FFmpeg-only methods
• Async Processing: Non-blocking analysis with proper error handling
• Extensible Architecture: Easy to integrate with external AI services
• Rich Metadata Output: Structured analysis results with confidence scores

from video_processor.ai import VideoContentAnalyzer

analyzer = VideoContentAnalyzer()
analysis = await analyzer.analyze_content(video_path)

print(f"Scenes detected: {analysis.scenes.scene_count}")
print(f"Quality score: {analysis.quality_metrics.overall_quality:.2f}")
print(f"Motion intensity: {analysis.motion_intensity:.2f}")
print(f"Recommended thumbnails: {analysis.recommended_thumbnails}")

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🎥 Phase 2: Next-Generation Codecs & HDR Support

Advanced Video Codecs

• AV1 Encoding: Latest generation codec with 50% better compression than H.264
• HEVC/H.265 Support: High efficiency encoding with customizable quality settings
• Hardware Acceleration: Automatic detection and use of GPU encoding when available
• Two-Pass Optimization: Intelligent bitrate allocation for optimal quality

HDR (High Dynamic Range) Processing

• HDR10 Support: Full support for HDR10 metadata and tone mapping
• Multiple Color Spaces: Rec.2020, P3, and sRGB color space conversions
• Tone Mapping: Automatic HDR to SDR conversion with quality preservation
• Metadata Preservation: Maintains HDR metadata throughout processing pipeline

Quality Optimization

• Adaptive Bitrate Selection: Automatic bitrate selection based on content analysis
• Multi-Format Output: Generate multiple codec versions simultaneously
• Quality Presets: Optimized presets for different use cases (streaming, archival, mobile)
• Custom Encoding Profiles: Fine-tuned control over encoding parameters

config = ProcessorConfig(
    output_formats=["mp4", "av1_mp4", "hevc"],
    enable_av1_encoding=True,
    enable_hevc_encoding=True,
    enable_hdr_processing=True,
    quality_preset="ultra"
)

processor = VideoProcessor(config)
result = await processor.process_video(input_path, output_dir)

---

📡 Phase 3: Adaptive Streaming & Real-Time Processing

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming

• HLS (HTTP Live Streaming): Full HLS support with multiple bitrate ladders
• DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming): MPEG-DASH manifests with advanced features
• Smart Bitrate Ladders: Content-aware bitrate level generation
• Multi-Device Optimization: Optimized streams for mobile, desktop, and TV platforms

Real-Time Processing Capabilities

• Async Task Processing: Background processing with Procrastinate integration
• Live Stream Processing: Real-time encoding and packaging for live content
• Progressive Upload: Start streaming while encoding is in progress
• Load Balancing: Distribute processing across multiple workers

Advanced Streaming Features

• Subtitle Integration: Multi-language subtitle support in streaming manifests
• Audio Track Selection: Multiple audio tracks with language selection
• Thumbnail Tracks: VTT thumbnail tracks for scrubbing interfaces
• Fast Start Optimization: Optimized for quick playback initiation

from video_processor.streaming import AdaptiveStreamProcessor

stream_processor = AdaptiveStreamProcessor(config)
streaming_package = await stream_processor.create_adaptive_stream(
    video_path=source_video,
    output_dir=streaming_dir,
    formats=["hls", "dash"]
)

print(f"HLS playlist: {streaming_package.hls_playlist}")
print(f"DASH manifest: {streaming_package.dash_manifest}")

---

🌐 Phase 4: Complete 360° Video Processing

Multi-Projection Support

• Equirectangular: Standard 360° format with automatic pole distortion detection
• Cubemap: 6-face projection with configurable layouts (3x2, 1x6, etc.)
• EAC (Equi-Angular Cubemap): YouTube's optimized format for better encoding efficiency
• Stereographic: "Little planet" projection for artistic effects
• Fisheye: Dual fisheye and single fisheye support
• Viewport Extraction: Convert 360° to traditional flat video for specific viewing angles

Spatial Audio Processing

• Ambisonic B-Format: First-order ambisonic audio processing
• Higher-Order Ambisonics (HOA): Advanced spatial audio with more precision
• Binaural Conversion: Convert spatial audio for headphone listening
• Object-Based Audio: Support for object-based spatial audio formats
• Head-Locked Audio: Audio that doesn't rotate with head movement
• Audio Rotation: Programmatically rotate spatial audio fields

Viewport-Adaptive Streaming

• Tiled Encoding: Divide 360° video into tiles for bandwidth optimization
• Viewport Tracking: Stream high quality only for the viewer's current view
• Adaptive Quality: Dynamically adjust quality based on viewport motion
• Multi-Viewport Support: Pre-generate popular viewing angles
• Bandwidth Optimization: Up to 75% bandwidth savings for mobile viewers

Advanced 360° Features

• Stereoscopic Processing: Full support for top-bottom and side-by-side 3D formats
• Quality Assessment: Pole distortion analysis, seam quality evaluation
• Motion Analysis: Per-region motion analysis for optimization
• Thumbnail Generation: Multi-projection thumbnails for different viewing modes
• Metadata Preservation: Maintains spherical metadata throughout processing

from video_processor.video_360 import Video360Processor, Video360StreamProcessor

# Basic 360° processing
processor = Video360Processor(config)
analysis = await processor.analyze_360_content(video_path)

# Convert between projections
converter = ProjectionConverter()
result = await converter.convert_projection(
    input_path, output_path,
    source_projection=ProjectionType.EQUIRECTANGULAR,
    target_projection=ProjectionType.CUBEMAP
)

# 360° adaptive streaming
stream_processor = Video360StreamProcessor(config)
streaming_package = await stream_processor.create_360_adaptive_stream(
    video_path=source_360,
    output_dir=streaming_dir,
    enable_viewport_adaptive=True,
    enable_tiled_streaming=True
)

---

🛠️ Development & Testing Infrastructure

Comprehensive Test Suite

• 360° Video Downloader: Automatically downloads test videos from YouTube, Insta360, GoPro
• Synthetic Video Generator: Creates test patterns, grids, and 360° content for CI/CD
• Integration Tests: End-to-end workflow testing with comprehensive mocking
• Performance Benchmarks: Parallel processing efficiency and quality metrics
• Cross-Platform Testing: Validates functionality across different environments

Developer Experience

• Rich Examples: 20+ comprehensive examples covering all functionality
• Type Safety: Full type hints throughout with mypy strict mode validation
• Async/Await: Modern async architecture with proper error handling
• Graceful Degradation: Optional dependencies with fallback modes
• Extensive Documentation: Complete API documentation with real-world examples

Production Readiness

• Database Migration Tools: Seamless upgrade paths between versions
• Worker Compatibility: Backward compatibility with existing worker deployments
• Configuration Validation: Pydantic-based config with validation and defaults
• Error Recovery: Comprehensive error handling with user-friendly messages
• Monitoring Integration: Built-in logging and metrics for production deployment

---

📊 Performance Improvements

Processing Efficiency

• Parallel Processing: Simultaneous encoding across multiple formats
• Memory Optimization: Streaming processing to handle large files efficiently
• Cache Management: Intelligent caching of intermediate results
• Hardware Utilization: Automatic detection and use of hardware acceleration

360° Optimizations

• Projection-Aware Encoding: Bitrate allocation based on projection characteristics
• Viewport Streaming: 75% bandwidth reduction through viewport-adaptive delivery
• Tiled Encoding: Process only visible regions for real-time applications
• Parallel Conversion: Batch processing multiple projections simultaneously

Scalability Features

• Distributed Processing: Scale across multiple workers and machines
• Queue Management: Procrastinate integration for enterprise-grade task processing
• Load Balancing: Intelligent task distribution based on worker capacity
• Resource Monitoring: Track processing resources and optimize allocation

---

🔧 API Enhancements

Simplified Configuration

# New unified configuration system
config = ProcessorConfig(
    # Basic settings
    quality_preset="ultra",
    output_formats=["mp4", "av1_mp4", "hevc"],
    
    # AI features
    enable_ai_analysis=True,
    
    # Advanced codecs
    enable_av1_encoding=True,
    enable_hevc_encoding=True,
    enable_hdr_processing=True,
    
    # 360° processing
    enable_360_processing=True,
    auto_detect_360=True,
    generate_360_thumbnails=True,
    
    # Streaming
    enable_adaptive_streaming=True,
    streaming_formats=["hls", "dash"]
)

Enhanced Result Objects

# Comprehensive processing results
result = await processor.process_video(input_path, output_dir)

print(f"Processing time: {result.processing_time:.2f}s")
print(f"Output files: {list(result.encoded_files.keys())}")
print(f"Thumbnails: {result.thumbnail_files}")
print(f"Sprites: {result.sprite_files}")
print(f"Quality score: {result.quality_analysis.overall_quality:.2f}")

# 360° specific results
if result.is_360_video:
    print(f"Projection: {result.video_360.projection_type}")
    print(f"Recommended viewports: {len(result.video_360.optimal_viewports)}")
    print(f"Spatial audio: {result.video_360.has_spatial_audio}")

Streaming Integration

# One-line adaptive streaming setup
streaming_result = await processor.create_adaptive_stream(
    video_path, streaming_dir, 
    formats=["hls", "dash"],
    enable_360_features=True
)

print(f"Stream ready at: {streaming_result.base_url}")
print(f"Bitrate levels: {len(streaming_result.bitrate_levels)}")
print(f"Estimated bandwidth savings: {streaming_result.bandwidth_optimization}%")

---

🎯 Use Cases & Applications

Content Platforms

• YouTube-Style Platforms: Complete 360° video support with adaptive streaming
• Educational Platforms: AI-powered content analysis for automatic tagging
• Live Streaming: Real-time 360° processing with viewport optimization
• VR/AR Applications: Multi-projection support for different VR headsets

Enterprise Applications

• Video Conferencing: Real-time 360° meeting rooms with spatial audio
• Security Systems: 360° surveillance with intelligent motion detection
• Training Simulations: Immersive training content with multi-format output
• Marketing Campaigns: Interactive 360° product demonstrations

Creative Industries

• Film Production: HDR processing and color grading workflows
• Gaming: 360° content creation for game trailers and marketing
• Architecture: Virtual building tours with viewport-adaptive streaming
• Events: Live 360° event streaming with multi-device optimization

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🚀 Getting Started

Quick Start

# Install with all features
uv add video-processor[ai,360,streaming]

# Or install selectively
uv add video-processor[core]  # Basic functionality
uv add video-processor[ai]    # Add AI analysis
uv add video-processor[360]   # Add 360° processing  
uv add video-processor[all]   # Everything included

Simple Example

from video_processor import VideoProcessor
from video_processor.config import ProcessorConfig

# Initialize with all features enabled
config = ProcessorConfig(
    quality_preset="high",
    enable_ai_analysis=True,
    enable_360_processing=True,
    output_formats=["mp4", "av1_mp4"]
)

processor = VideoProcessor(config)

# Process any video (2D or 360°) with full analysis
result = await processor.process_video("input.mp4", "./output/")

# Automatic format detection and optimization
if result.is_360_video:
    print("🌐 360° video processed with viewport optimization")
    print(f"Projection: {result.video_360.projection_type}")
else:
    print("🎥 Standard video processed with AI analysis")
    
print(f"Quality score: {result.quality_analysis.overall_quality:.1f}/10")
print(f"Generated {len(result.encoded_files)} output formats")

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📈 What's Next

This v0.4.0 release establishes video-processor as a comprehensive multimedia processing platform. Future developments will focus on:

• Cloud Integration: Native AWS/GCP/Azure processing pipelines
• Machine Learning: Advanced AI models for content understanding
• Real-Time Streaming: Enhanced live processing capabilities
• Mobile Optimization: Specialized processing for mobile applications
• Extended Format Support: Additional codecs and container formats

The foundation is now in place for any advanced video processing application, from simple format conversion to complex 360° immersive experiences with AI-powered optimization.

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Built with ❤️ using modern async Python, FFmpeg, and cutting-edge video processing techniques.