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Format

MPEG-2 Program Stream

Download XML

Summary

Name
MPEG-2 Program Stream
Identifiers
  • Apple Uniform Type Identifier: public.mpeg
  • MIME: video/mpeg
  • PUID: x-fmt/386
Format type
Video
Description
MPEG-2 is a lossy compression standard (an improvement and expansion of the MPEG-1 standard) designed for the generic coding of video and audio and intended to cover a wide scope of application, including: video production, broadcast and editing. Streams are at potentially higher bitrates than MPEG-1 but more efficient compression making it suited to High Definition video. MPEG-2 Video supports both 'progressive' and 'interlaced' frame video. An MPG-2 ‘Program’ stream (PS) file (*.mpg, *.mpeg) generally contain both video and audio streams, generally for synchronised playback, and may carry a variety of other data (e.g. video captions). Some camcorders store their MPEG-2 Program Stream video data as files with the .mod extension, usually alongside other files containing metadata and management information for the video.
File extensions
mpeg, mpg, mod
Source
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives

Relationships

Can contain
Has lower priority than
Has priority over
Is supertype of

Internal signatures

MPEG-2 Program Stream

Note
Pack Header Start Code + System Header Start Code

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
0
Byte Sequence
000001BA{8-12}000001BB{8-65536}000001B3{8-136}000001B5
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • Updated in V94

    Release date
    17 September 2018

    MPEG-2 Program Stream: Added .mod extension and explanatory note to the format description. Submitted by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  • Updated in V85

    Release date
    29 June 2016

    MPEG-2 Program Stream: Improved signature following research prompted by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  • Updated in V75

    Release date
    17 July 2014

    MPEG-2 Program Stream: Name changed to improve consistency across the MPEG formats. Description added. Improved specificity of BOF signature sequence. Given priority over MPEG-1 Program Stream and removed priority over Video Object File (MPEG-2 subset).

  • Updated in V73

    Release date
    27 February 2014

    MPEG-2 Video Format: Binary signature edited, requested on behalf of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  • Added in V60

    Release date
    11 June 2012

    MPEG-2 Video: Signature developed through PRONOM Research.