Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections

Introduction | Sustainability Factors | Content Categories | Format Descriptions | Contact
Format Description Categories >> Browse Alphabetical List

MPEG-4 File Format, Version 2, with Visual Coding

>> Back
Table of Contents
Format Description Properties Explanation of format description terms

Identification and description Explanation of format description terms

Full name Formal name (for set of specifications that include Part 14, MP4 File Format, and Part 2, Visual [encoding]): ISO/IEC 14496. Information technology -- Coding of audio-visual objects. Common name: MPEG-4 file format, version 2, with Visual Coding.
Description Combination of a file format (wrapper) and encoding category (Visual Coding, all profiles).
Production phase Generally a final-state (end-user delivery) format, may also serve as middle-state format.
Relationship to other formats
    Subtype of MP4_FF_2, MPEG-4 File Format, Version 2
    May contain MPEG-4_V, MPEG-4, Visual Coding (Part 2) (H.263)
    May contain AAC_MP4, Advanced Audio Coding (MPEG-4)
    May contain AAC_MP4_LC, AAC (MPEG-4) Low Complexity Object
    May contain Additional audio, graphics, and scene graph stream types. Not documented at this time.

Local use Explanation of format description terms

LC experience or existing holdings The content produced by the NDIIPP partnership project with SCOLA consists of foreign television news broadcasts in MP4_FF_2_V, MPEG-4 File Format, V.2, with Visual Encoding.
LC preference  

Sustainability factors Explanation of format description terms

Disclosure Open standard. Developed through ISO technical program JTC 1/SC 29 for coding of audio, picture, multimedia and hypermedia information by Working Group 11 (WG11) aka the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG).
    Documentation See MP4_FF_2 and MPEG-4_V.
Adoption See MP4_FF_2.
    Licensing and patents See MP4_FF_2.
Transparency See MPEG-4_V.
Self-documentation See MP4_FF_2.
External dependencies See MP4_FF_2.
Technical protection considerations See MP4_FF_2.

Quality and functionality factors Explanation of format description terms

Moving Image
Normal rendering See MP4_FF_2.
Clarity (high image resolution) See MPEG-4_V.
Functionality beyond normal rendering See MP4_FF_2.
Sound
Fidelity (high audio resolution) See MP4_FF_2.
Multiple channels See MP4_FF_2.
Functionality beyond normal rendering See MP4_FF_2.

File type signifiers and format identifiers Explanation of format description terms

Tag Value Note
Filename extension See related format. 

See MP4_FF_2

Internet Media Type See related format. 

See MP4_FF_2

Magic numbers See related format. 

See MP4_FF_2

File type brand (ISO Base Media File Format) See related format. 

See MP4_FF_2


Notes Explanation of format description terms

General The video-capable iPod introduced by Apple in late 2005 features this specification: MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 mbps, 480 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile [MPEG-4_V_SP] with AAC-LC [AAC_MP4_LC] up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats.
History  

Format specifications Explanation of format description terms


Useful references

URLs


Last Updated: 08/04/2021