Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections

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MXF Operational Pattern Atom (OP-Atom)

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Format Description Properties Explanation of format description terms

Identification and description Explanation of format description terms

Full name MXF Operational Pattern Atom (OP-Atom)
Description

Operational Pattern (OP) for a file with a tightly defined structure for a single item of essence described by a single essence track. OP-Atom is designed for applications where each essence track is held separately. According to an Avid promotional booklet (link available through Internet Archive), OP-Atom files are "applicable to content authoring steps such as non-linear editing, where programs are created by slicing and dicing different sections of source material." This contrasts with the OP preferred for "applications where each file represents a complete program or take," e.g., MXF_OP1a. An explanatory paper from MOG Solutions in 2007 stated that if "you want to keep the picture and sound information separately . . . OP-Atom is the way to go. And you will then gradually improve the linkage between the different assets by using mechanisms in MXF Structural Metadata that enable you to link the OP-Atom files together." OP-Atom files are output by some digital video cameras.

Production phase Initial or middle state
Relationship to other formats
    Subtype of MXF, Material Exchange Format (MXF)
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, Uncompressed Images in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, MPEG-2 in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, SDTI-CP in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, DV-DIF in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, Lossless JPEG 2000 in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF_OP-Atom_JP2_LSY, MXF File, OP-Atom, Lossy JPEG 2000 in Generic Container
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, D-10 in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, AES3 Audio in Generic Container, not described at this time.
    Has subtype MXF File, OP-Atom, with other essence types in Generic Container, not described at this time.

Local use Explanation of format description terms

LC experience or existing holdings See MXF
LC preference See MXF

Sustainability factors Explanation of format description terms

Disclosure Open standard. Developed by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), a member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
    Documentation SMPTE 390M-2004, Material Exchange Format (MXF) -- Specialized Operational Pattern "Atom" (Simplified Representation of a Single Item)
Adoption

OP-Atom is supported in Avid systems. MXF in an OP-Atom mode is part of the ensemble of specifications associated with the Digital Cinema Initiative; see DCDM, DCP, and MXF_DCI. Panasonic P2 digital video cameras can output MXF OP-Atom files with DVC Pro encodings (see DV-DIF).

    Licensing and patents See MXF
Transparency See MXF
Self-documentation See MXF
External dependencies See MXF
Technical protection considerations See MXF

Quality and functionality factors Explanation of format description terms


File type signifiers and format identifiers Explanation of format description terms

Tag Value Note

Notes Explanation of format description terms

General  
History  

Format specifications Explanation of format description terms


Useful references

URLs


Last Updated: 08/04/2021