April 2026 — Performance-focused feature delivery in libsdl-org/aom. Implemented an encoder speed optimization for inter-mode pruning using the Temporal Prediction Layer (TPL) at speed level 1. The change extends prune_inter_modes_based_on_tpl (commit ebfb32687839f5e6fc3da589b3a8a54dd1b7249a) to speed 1, with measured results indicating a ~2.6% reduction in instruction count and negligible BD-rate impact, while preserving perceptual quality.

February 2026 — libsdl-org/aom (Encoder performance optimizations) delivered a cohesive set of speed-focused changes to the AV1 encoder path, with measurable throughput gains and preserved quality. The work focused on consolidating multiple encoder speedups into a single optimization package, plus targeted refactors and a code-cleanup to simplify future tuning. Key outcomes: - Encoder Performance Speed Optimizations: enabled fast compound mode search at speed 0; introduced inter-mode pruning based on tpl stage inter cost for LAST2 reference; optimized sub-pel search via USE_2_TAPS; refactored motion-vector refinement for COMPOUND_DIFFWTD to reuse an existing speed feature. - Code hygiene cleanup: removed the incorrectly named skip_mv_refinement_for_diffwtd variable and replaced its usage with the enable_fast_compound_mode_search speed feature to skip MV refinement when appropriate. - Measured impact (per commit series): across resolutions, notable reductions in instruction count and small BD-rate changes, including speed 0 instruction count reductions up to ~16.8% with BD-rate loss around 0.08%; additional speed tiers show stable BD-rate changes within a few hundredths and bit-exact behavior for sub-pel paths. - Deliverables aligned to business value: faster encoding throughput with modest quality impact, enabling higher-throughput pipelines and potential CPU-time savings in production workloads. Technologies/skills demonstrated: - C/C++ engineering in AV1 encoder internals, performance benchmarking and instrumentation, feature-flag driven optimization, and careful patch orchestration across multiple commits.

Monthly performance summary for 2026-01 focusing on the libsdl-org/aom repository. Highlights include delivering a targeted encoder optimization that shifts specific speed features from speed level 2 to speed level 1, with measurable impact on encoding efficiency and quality metrics. No major bugs fixed in this period; the work emphasizes business value through performance improvements and maintainable changes.