ISO/IEC 14496-1:2010/Amd 2:2014

Overview

ISO/IEC 14496-1:2010/Amd 2:2014 is an important amendment to the international standard ISO/IEC 14496-1, which addresses the coding of audio-visual objects, specifically the systems aspect within the MPEG-4 framework. This amendment introduces comprehensive support for raw audio-visual data, enabling more flexible and interoperable handling of uncompressed or minimally processed audio and video streams within MPEG-4 scenes.

Issued by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), this standard enhancement advances multimedia technology by defining crucial mechanisms for integrating raw audio and raw video data in complex audio-visual systems.

Key Topics

This amendment focuses on several essential areas critical to supporting raw audio-visual data in MPEG-4 systems:

• ObjectTypeIndication and DecoderSpecificInfo Extensions
  Amendment 2 defines new object types and decoder configuration descriptors that specify characteristics of raw audio and raw video streams. These include:

  • RAWVideoConfig for raw video with attributes like width, height, bit depth, stride, and frame rate.
  • RAWAudioConfig for raw audio describing sampling rate, bit depth, number of channels, and channel configuration.

• Access Unit Definitions for Raw Data
  The amendment clarifies how raw audio and video access units are represented, enabling seamless decoder integration and streaming.

• Updated Code Ranges for Registration Authority and ISO Use
  The amendment allocates new ranges in various tables for registration authority and ISO use, facilitating registry and future extensions for raw data streams.

• Coding4CC (Four Character Code) Usage
  Coding4CC values are used to precisely represent raw data formats, supporting interoperability and compliance with the MPEG-4 Registration Authority specifications.

• Metadata for Frame Packing and Channel Mapping
  It introduces detailed metadata elements such as frame packing information for multi-view video and channel configuration mappings for audio, enhancing multi-dimensional and multi-channel content handling.

Applications

This amendment has practical applications in numerous technology domains where raw audio and video data are critical:

• Professional Video Production and Broadcasting
  Enables direct integration of raw video streams facilitating advanced editing, compositing, and real-time transmission workflows.

• High-Quality Audio Systems and Archiving
  Supports use of uncompressed or lossless audio formats in streaming, broadcasting, and archival systems, preserving audio fidelity.

• Multimedia Streaming and Network Transmission
  Enhances streaming protocols and container formats by including native support for raw data, improving compatibility across devices and platforms.

• Virtual Reality (VR) and Multi-View Video Systems
  Facilitates multi-view video streaming and 3D video applications by standardizing frame packing and multi-channel configurations.

• Custom Codec and Decoder Development
  Provides a framework for codec designers and developers to implement raw audio-video data support in MPEG-4 systems, improving embedded and multimedia device compatibility.

Related Standards

ISO/IEC 14496-1:2010/Amd 2:2014 is closely linked with the following standards and specifications:

• ISO/IEC 14496-1:2010 (Base Systems Standard)
  The foundational MPEG-4 Systems standard which Amendment 2 extends.

• ISO/IEC 14496-20:2008
  Defines LASeR and SAF streams referenced in new object type indications.

• ISO/IEC 23001-8
  Coding Independent Code Points standard used for frame packing and channel configuration definitions.

• MPEG-4 Registration Authority (mp4ra.org)
  Responsible for coding4CC registrations ensuring unique identification of raw audio and video formats.

This amendment is vital for developers, system architects, and content creators aiming to utilize raw audio-visual data in MPEG-4 environments, ensuring precise coding, interoperability, and extensibility in multimedia technology solutions. For comprehensive implementation details, access to the full ISO/IEC 14496-1:2010/Amd 2:2014 document through ISO official channels is recommended.