MPEGs: MPEG-2

MPEG-2

MPEG-2 is further developed from MPEG-1 for high quality compression and also transmission of digital video and audio. It is expected to be the main digital video and maybe also audio standard in the world. The quality of video can be at least the same as in analog tv-studio master tapes. The usual bitrate area for video is 3.5 - 10 Mbit/s. The MPEG-2 audio can be at least as good as CD-audio. There are many differencies compared to MPEG-1 and here are only a few of them :

  • Unlike MPEG-1 it can also predict interlaced video (field prediction) to use in TV. (TV-images are made instead of whole frames but of two fields with time delay between them. First field contains odd lines and second field contains even horizontal lines. So like 50 or 60 (NTSC) fields are shown per sec in TV.)
  • Improved coding efficiency through different kind of techniques (better mismatch control, non-linear quantization, VLC-tables..)
  • Scalable extensions which permit two or more different resolution of same video and audio to be included at same digital signal. The better resolution can be used in good receiving conditions (near TV tranmission station) and the worse one in bad conditions.
  • Much broader choice of quality through different levels and profiles.
  • Better transmission specification of video and audio in computer networks, fiber,cable, ATM and satellite environments.
  • Improved audio specification.

    • MPEG-2 is a much more complex standard than MPEG 1 because it offers very flexible specification for very different professional purposes. The specification of MPEG-2 is still not completely finished (04.12.96). Applications of MPEG-2 are for example DBS (Digital Broadcast Satellite), CATV, DVD Video.

    Links:

    MPEG-2 FAQ

    MPEG-2 FAQ II

    ITU organization