ISO/IEC 13818-1:2022

Overview

ISO/IEC 13818-1:2022 (also published as Rec. ITU‑T H.222.0) defines the system layer for generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio (commonly known as MPEG‑2 Systems). This edition (eighth, 2022) specifies how multiple compressed streams are packaged, synchronized, signalled and delivered as either transport streams or program streams. The standard is essential for building interoperable delivery systems that combine video, audio and auxiliary data in a single multiplexed bitstream.

Key topics and technical requirements

• System functions: synchronization of multiple compressed streams, interleaving into a single stream, buffer initialization for decoder start-up, continuous buffer management, time identification, and multiplexing/signalling of program components.
• Stream types: definition and use-cases of transport streams (robust for error-prone networks; supports multiple programs with independent time bases) and program streams (better for near error‑free environments and software processing for single-program content).
• Packet structure: both stream types are constructed from PES (Packetized Elementary Stream) packets plus system information packets and descriptors.
• Timing and buffering: timing model, PCR/PTS/DTS semantics and buffer models to ensure synchronized decoding and playback across audio/video streams.
• Program-specific information (PSI): tables, descriptors and mechanisms for signalling program composition, PID allocation and program metadata.
• Compatibility and carriage: rules for carrying other compressed formats and metadata-explicit support and carriage guidelines for standards such as H.264 | ISO/IEC 14496-10, HEVC, VVC, EVC, JPEG 2000, ISO/IEC 14496, ISO/IEC 15938, MPEG‑H 3D audio and related elements.
• Annexes and conformance: CRC/decoder models, DSM‑CC, splicing rules, real‑time interfaces and registration procedures for private data formats and identifiers.

Applications and who uses it

• Broadcast and cable system designers implementing DVB, ATSC or similar systems.
• Streaming and OTT platform engineers packaging live or on‑demand content.
• Hardware and software codec, multiplexer and demultiplexer vendors ensuring interoperable decoders.
• Digital storage and disc authoring tools using program streams for near‑error‑free media.
• Systems integrators handling carriage of multiple programs, subtitles, metadata and ancillary data.

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 13818-2 (Video) and ISO/IEC 13818-3 (Audio) - compression layers that the system layer is designed to multiplex.
• Rec. ITU‑T H.222.0 - equivalent recommendation describing MPEG‑2 Systems.
• Other referenced carriage mappings: ISO/IEC 14496 (MPEG‑4), ISO/IEC 23008 (HEVC/other), ISO/IEC 15938 (MPEG‑7) - for integration scenarios.

Keywords: ISO/IEC 13818-1:2022, MPEG‑2 Systems, transport stream, program stream, PES packets, synchronization, multiplexing, buffering, ITU‑T H.222.0.