Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections

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Matroska File Format with YUY2 Video Encoding

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Format Description Properties Explanation of format description terms

Identification and description Explanation of format description terms

Full name Matroska File Format with YUY2 Video Encoding
Description

Matroska file containing a YUY2 video essence.

Supported encodings are declared via the unique Codec ID in the Matroska Codec Mappings. For YUY2 files, the information is the following. Note that the Microsoft defined FOURCC code for YUY2 files is YUY2 (from the FOURCC page).

  • Codec ID: V_MS/VFW/FOURCC
  • Codec Name: Microsoft (TM) Video Codec Manager (VCM)
  • Description: The private data contains the VCM structure BITMAPINFOHEADER including the extra private bytes, as defined by Microsoft. The data are stored in little-endian format (like on IA32 machines).
  • Initialization: Private Data contains the VCM structure BITMAPINFOHEADER including the extra private bytes, as defined by Microsoft in https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd183376(v=vs.85).aspx.
Production phase Generally employed in post-production or editing (middle phase) and in limited modes of dissemination (final phase).
Relationship to other formats
    Subtype of Matroska, Matroska Multimedia Container
    Contains YUY2, YUY2 Video Picture Encoding
    May contain Audio and other essences of various types, not discussed at this time.

Local use Explanation of format description terms

LC experience or existing holdings No extensive experience.
LC preference None. For preservation reformatting, the Library of Congress' Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation has chosen MXF_OP1a_JP2_LL (lossless JPEG 2000 wrapped in MXF operational pattern 1a).

Sustainability factors Explanation of format description terms

Disclosure See Matroska and YUY2.
    Documentation See Matroska and YUY2.
Adoption Moderate levels of adoption in professional production.
    Licensing and patents None.
Transparency Relatively transparent; requires tools to write and read.
Self-documentation See Matroska.
External dependencies None.
Technical protection considerations None.

Quality and functionality factors Explanation of format description terms

Moving Image
Normal rendering Supported
Clarity (high image resolution) See YUY2.
Functionality beyond normal rendering See Matroska.

File type signifiers and format identifiers Explanation of format description terms

Tag Value Note
Filename extension See related format.  See Matroska.
Internet Media Type See related format.  See Matroska.
Magic numbers See related format.  See Matroska.
Microsoft FOURCC YUY2
The encoding is identified using the codecID "V_MS/VFW/FOURCC" (Video for Windows/FOURCC) plus what Matroska calls private codec data containing the FOURCC code.
Pronom PUID See related format.  See Matroska
Wikidata Title ID See related format.  See Matroska

Notes Explanation of format description terms

General  
History  

Format specifications Explanation of format description terms


Useful references

URLs


Last Updated: 04/08/2022