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  "markdown": "Ut Video is a fast lossless codec by Takeshi Umezawa, built as a better-compressing alternative to HuffYUV. It is light enough on the CPU to capture HD in real time, which makes it a common choice for lossless screen and video captures and editing intermediates. Files are noticeably larger than [FFV1](/codecs/video/ffv1/), but encoding and decoding are much faster.\n\nThe original Ut Video Codec Suite (GPL v2 or later, version 23.2.0) is a Windows VCM and DirectShow codec. FFmpeg ships an independent encoder and decoder, which is what most people use on Linux and macOS. Current Windows builds of the suite require a CPU with AVX2 and BMI2.\n\n## Encode with FFmpeg\n\n```sh\nffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v utvideo -pred median output.mkv\n```\n\n`-pred` takes `none`, `left` (the default) or `median`. `median` gives smaller files at about the same speed. The FFmpeg encoder has no gradient prediction.\n\nThe encoder works in 8-bit `yuv420p`, `yuv422p`, `yuv444p`, `gbrp` and `gbrap` and converts anything else, so a 10-bit source is reduced to 8 bits. FFmpeg cannot encode the 10-bit Ut Video Pro family; use [FFV1](/codecs/video/ffv1/) for 10-bit lossless work.\n\nFor YCbCr, the FourCC records the matrix: FFmpeg writes `ULH*` (BT.709) when the stream is tagged BT.709 and `ULY*` (BT.601) otherwise. Add `-colorspace bt709` for untagged HD sources, or the decoding application may convert with the wrong matrix.\n\n## Families and FourCCs\n\nThe suite contains several codec families. The FourCC in the file tells you which one:\n\n| Family | FourCCs | Notes |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Ut Video | `ULRG`, `ULRA`, `ULY0/2/4`, `ULH0/2/4` | 8-bit RGB, RGBA and YCbCr. `ULY*` is BT.601 and `ULH*` BT.709. |\n| Ut Video T2 | `UMRG`, `UMRA`, `UMY2/4`, `UMH2/4` | Usually faster with lower compression; supports inter-frame compression. |\n| Ut Video Pro | `UQRG`, `UQRA`, `UQY0/2` | 10-bit. |\n\nFFmpeg encodes only the first family. It decodes all three, but its T2 decoder has no inter-frame support, so use the Windows suite for T2 files encoded with inter-frame compression.\n\n## Pitfalls\n\n- AVI is the traditional container because the Windows suite is a VfW/DirectShow codec. FFmpeg-based tools are just as happy with Matroska.\n- Lossless only holds for the format Ut Video stores. Converting RGB to YUV, 10-bit to 8-bit or 4:4:4 to 4:2:0 loses data before compression.\n- Files are large and there is no browser or hardware playback; make a viewing copy.\n"
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