Sustainability of Digital Formats
 Planning for Library of Congress Collections

Format Description Categories >> Browse Alphabetical List>> Back

Identification and description

Full name	MPEG-4 file format, version 2, with Advanced Video Coding, no profile indicated (common name)
Description	Combination of a file format (wrapper) and encoding category (Advanced Video Coding; AVC, no profile indicated).
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_AVC, Advanced Video Coding (Part 10), No Profile Indicated
May contain	AAC_MP4, (MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding)
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

LC experience or existing holdings
LC preference

Sustainability factors

Disclosure	Open standard. Developed by ISO technical program JTC 1/SC 29 (WG11), aka the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG). See http://www.itscj.ipsj.or.jp/sc29/
Documentation	See MP4_FF_2 and MPEG-4_AVC.
Adoption	See MP4_FF_2.
Licensing and patents	See MP4_FF_2.
Transparency	See MPEG-4_AVC.
Self-documentation	See MP4_FF_2.
External dependencies	See MP4_FF_2.
Technical protection considerations	See MP4_FF_2.

Quality and functionality factors

Moving Image
Normal rendering	See MP4_FF_2.
Clarity (high image resolution)	See MPEG-4_AVC.
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

Tag	Value	Note
Filename extension	See note.	See MP4_FF_2
Internet Media Type	See note.	See MP4_FF_2
Magic numbers	See note.	See MP4_FF_2
File type brand (ISO Base Media File Format)	See note.	See MP4_FF_2

Notes

General
History

Format specifications

• ISO/IEC 14496-10:2003 Information technology -- Coding of audio-visual objects -- Part 10: Advanced Video Coding
• ISO/IEC 14496-14:2003 Information technology -- Coding of audio-visual objects -- Part 14: MP4 file format

Useful references