Video compression through codecs is the process of reducing the number of bits needed to represent a given set of data. Compression works by eliminating redundancies in the raw data. In video encoding, further compression can be achieved by reducing detail, color, size and luminescence from the video signal
Frame-based codecs employ intra-frame compression using a mathematical algorithm acting on pixels within the frame. The two most common frame-based codecs are MJPEG and Wavelet. Frame-based codecs are preferred for many security applications because each frame represents only data that is collected at that single point in time. This can make them more appropriate for forensic purposes, where the viewer is studying each individual frame for information.