Moving Picture Experts Group

The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is a team created by two big groups called ISO and IEC. They work together to make rules for how to store and send pictures, sounds, and videos on computers and other devices. These rules help make files smaller so they can be sent quickly over the internet or stored on devices without taking up too much space.

MPEG has made many important rules over the years. Some of the most common ones are called MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 AVC. These rules are used in things like movies, music, and videos on your computer, phone, or tablet.

Today, many new systems use a special kind of file made by MPEG called the base media file format. There is also a way to send videos smoothly over the internet called dynamic streaming or MPEG-DASH. Thanks to MPEG’s work, we can enjoy high-quality videos and music on all kinds of devices easily.

History

The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) was created in 1988 by Dr. Hiroshi Yasuda and Dr. Leonardo Chiariglione. Chiariglione led the group until June 2020. The first meeting happened in May 1988 in Ottawa, Canada.

Around the late 1990s, MPEG grew to include about 300–500 members from many industries and universities. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, MPEG switched to online meetings. After Chiariglione retired, new leaders took over, and MPEG changed its structure to include several advisory and working groups to handle different tasks. Meetings continued online and then returned to in-person events in 2022.

Cooperation with other groups

MPEG has worked together with other groups to create better ways to compress and send video and audio. For example, MPEG-2 was developed with help from ITU-T Study Group 15, leading to standards for video and systems used in many TV broadcasts.

Later, the Joint Video Team combined experts from ITU-T and MPEG to create H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, which uses less space for video than older methods. Even newer teams, like the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding and the Joint Video Experts Team, continued this work, making video compression even better. These teams helped develop standards like High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and Versatile Video Coding (VVC), which save more space than before. The MPEG Industry Forum, a group formed to support MPEG standards, helped spread the use of these standards until it closed in 2012 after H.264 became very popular.

Standards

The MPEG standards are made up of different parts, each covering a specific area of the overall specification. These standards also include profiles and levels. Profiles define the tools that can be used, while levels set the range of values for those tools.

Some important early MPEG formats include:

• MPEG-1 (1993): This was the first MPEG compression standard for audio and video. It is used for things like Video CDs and low-quality DVD videos.
• MPEG-2 (1996): This standard is used for broadcast-quality television, including digital TV and DVD videos.
• MPEG-4 (1998): This format offers more advanced compression and supports interactive multimedia applications. It is used in things like HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

Other MPEG standards include MPEG-7 for describing multimedia content, MPEG-21 for a multimedia framework, and many more that continue to evolve to support new technologies and applications.

Standardization process

Main article: International Organization for Standardization § Standardization process

Creating a new standard for things like videos and music starts with a proposal. This idea goes through several steps before it becomes an official standard. First, it’s called a “New Project” or “New Work Item Proposal.” Then it becomes an “Approved Work Item.” Next, it turns into a “Working Draft,” which is like a first version. After more work, it becomes a “Committee Draft” and is shared for feedback. If everything looks good, it moves to a “Draft International Standard.” Finally, it becomes a “Final Draft International Standard” before the last check. If approved, it’s officially an “International Standard.” Sometimes, some steps are skipped if the standard is ready early. This careful process helps make sure standards work well for everyone.