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GraphicsAcademy.com  >  File Formats  >  Moving Picture Experts Group

MPEG File Format

Short Name MPEG
Long Name Moving Picture Experts Group
Typical File Extensions .mpeg .mpg .m1v .mpe
Contains Video


MPEG is a standard for storing video (with sound).

There a number of variants: MPEGs are compressed:
  • Within frames they are compressed using a lossy scheme, somewhat similar to that used in JPEG images.

  • Between frames ("frame-to-frame" or "temporal" compression), they are compressed by storing the difference between frames.
Please Note: As far as video is concerned, the Windows Media player can only support MPEG-1 unless additional software is installed. See http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;q316992

A technical discussion of this format can be found in Chapter 30 of Graphics File Formats by David C. Kay and John R. Levine. This book discusses only MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, and then only at a high level.



Related Books:
  • Graphics File Formats
     
    Graphics File Formats
     
      
    By David C. Kay

    McGraw-Hill Companies
    Paperback (496 pages)

    Product Description:
    For software developers, systems managers, and computer hobbyists, this book will help bring a welcome sense of order to the chaotic world of graphics file format. David Kay and John Levine have compiled detailed specifications for 30 popular graphics file formats, so readers can more quickly and easily decide which standards are best for their applications.

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  • Introduction to MPEG; MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4
     
    Introduction to MPEG; MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4
     
      
    By Lawrence Harte

    Althos Publishing
    Paperback (92 pages)

    Product Description:
    This book explains the fundamentals of how MPEG works and how MPEG is used in cable television, satellite systems, mobile telecom and Internet television systems. You will discover the basics of audio and video digitization and compression and the standard formats that are used in MPEG files. Introduction to MPEG explains the processes that control media flow and timing synchronization along with how MPEG transmission can monitor and control audio and video quality. You will discover about video compression, streaming services and media control protocols. MPEG has the capability of providing multiple media channels including data channels that can provide media information such as play list titles, artists and media descriptions. You will learn how these channels are combined and time synchronized along with how to manage quality of service (QoS). You will learn how MPEG audio coders can range from low complexity (layer 1) to high complexity (layer 3) including a new AAC that has improved compression performance than MP3. MPEG video coders range from simple digital video compression technologies used in MPEG-1 to complex multi-object compression used in MPEG-4. Various compression technologies such as motion estimation and compression scalability are described. Discover how the MPEG system groups image elements (pixels) within each image (frame) into small blocks, which are grouped into macroblocks. Macroblocks can be combined into slices and each image may contain several slices. Learn how slices make up frames, which come in several different types and how different types of frames can be combined into a group of pictures (GOP). Explanations of how MPEG transmission can combine, send and manage the transmission of multiple forms of information (multimedia) is also provided. You will learn that MPEG systems are composed of various types of streams ranging from the basic raw data stream (elementary streams) to stream that contain a single television video (a program stream) or a stream that combines multiple programs (transport streams). The different frame types including independent reference frames (I-frames), predicted frames (P-frames), bi-directionally predicted frames (B-Frames) and DC frames (basic block reference levels) are described. Learn how MPEG transmission systems regularly broadcast tables that describe programs, program components or other information that is related to the delivery and decoding of programs. Discover how MPEG standards use profiles to define required protocols and actions that enable the providing of features and services for particular MPEG applications. These applications range from providing standard television services over a broadcast system to providing video services on a mobile wireless network. Some of the most important topics featured are: · How MPEG Works · Audio Compression · Video Compression · Digital Quantization · Transmission Formats · Media Streams · Frame Types · Program Tables · Channel Multiplexing · Profiles and Levels

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  • MPEG Video Compression Standard (Digital Multimedia Standards Series)
     
    MPEG Video Compression Standard (Digital Multimedia Standards Series)
     
      
    By Chad Fogg; Didier J. LeGall; Joan L. Mitchell; William B. Pennebaker

    Springer
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    Product Description:
    This book gives the professional and student one place to look for answers and guidance on MPEG. It incorporates low-level as well as sophisticated reviews of the major technical elements,and includes sufficient tutorial material that even naive users should be able to understand the answers to their MPEG questions. It contains many pictorial examples so that the benefits and limits of MPEG can be estimated from the data in the book. The full functionality of the entire MPEG standard is exclaimed. Guidance is given about the purpose behind some of the choices and implementers. Paricular emphasis is placed on the image compression of the MPEG standard.

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  • The MPEG Handbook, Second Edition
     
    The MPEG Handbook, Second Edition
     
      
    By John Watkinson

    Focal Press
    Hardcover (470 pages)

    Product Description:
    A complete, professional 'bible' on all aspects of audio and video compression using MPEG technology, including the MPEG-4 standard and, in this second edition, H-264. The clarity of explanation and depth of technical detail combine to make this book an essential and definitive reference work.

    THE MPEG HANDBOOK is both a theoretical and practical treatment of the subject. Fundamental knowledge is provided alongside practical guidance on how to avoid pitfalls and poor quality. The often-neglected issues of reconstructing the signal timebase at the decoder and of synchronizing the signals in a multiplex are treated fully here.

    Previously titled MPEG-2, the book is frequently revised to cover the latest applications of the technology.

    * Benefit from John Watkinson's in-depth understanding of MPEG technology with explanations developed and proven in seminars presented worldwide.
    * Comprehensive coverage of the main and latest standards--MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H-264.
    * Learn how you can apply MPEG technology to achieve the best quality.
    * Coverage of enabling technologies such as interpolation, motion estimation and transforms.
    * An invaluable treatment of significant new extensions made available by MPEG-4, such as object coding, mesh coding and animation.
    * Essential reading for those involved with the delivery of compressed audio, video, graphics and interactive capability over the Internet and broadband networks.

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