# What is SVO and why it is used for **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [April 22, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.stereolabs.com/t/what-is-svo-and-why-it-is-used-for/1071 "2022-04-22T15:30:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flash](https://community.stereolabs.com/user_avatar/community.stereolabs.com/flash/32/452_2.png) [@Flash](https://community.stereolabs.com/u/Flash)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.stereolabs.com/t/what-is-svo-and-why-it-is-used-for/1071/1 "2022-04-22T15:30:08Z")
Hi, I was wondering what is SVO and how and why it is used. Any documentation or examples would be helpful. Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![Myzhar](https://community.stereolabs.com/user_avatar/community.stereolabs.com/myzhar/32/11_2.png) [@Myzhar](https://community.stereolabs.com/u/Myzhar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.stereolabs.com/t/what-is-svo-and-why-it-is-used-for/1071/2 "2022-04-22T16:02:34Z")
The SVO is a custom file format created by Stereolabs to save data from a real camera to be used as input for the ZED SDK as if the same camera is connected to the USB port. The SVO contains the video stream in RAW format and a sub-set of the sensors’ data. By using an SVO you can develop your own algorithms by testing them on the same equal data which allows you to better tune your parameters. The `zed-examples` Github repository contains examples about how to save an SVO and use it as input: [zed-examples/svo recording at master · stereolabs/zed-examples · GitHub](https://github.com/stereolabs/zed-examples/tree/master/svo%20recording) Our tools, ZED Explorer, ZED Depth Viewer, and ZEDfu are enabled to use the SVO as input. When you share an SVO with the Stereolabs support team, you allow us to test your data as if we have your camera connected to our PC, allowing us to better understand its behaviors and easily detect eventual issues.