ISO base media file format

ISO base media file format
(MPEG-4 Part 12)
Developed byISO, IEC
Initial releaseFebruary 2004; 20 years ago (2004-02)
Latest release
ISO/IEC 14496-12:2022
January 2022; 2 years ago (2022-01)
Type of formatContainer format
Container forAudio, video, text, data
Extended fromQuickTime File Format
Extended toMP4, 3GP, 3G2, .mj2, .dvb, .dcf, .m21, .f4v, HEIF
StandardISO/IEC 14496-12
Open format?No[1][2]
Free format?No[1]
Websitewww.iso.org/standard/83102.html

The ISO base media file format (ISOBMFF) is a container file format that defines a general structure for files that contain time-based multimedia data such as video and audio.[3][4] It is standardized in ISO/IEC 14496-12, a.k.a. MPEG-4 Part 12, and was formerly also published as ISO/IEC 15444-12, a.k.a. JPEG 2000 Part 12.

It is designed as a flexible, extensible format that facilitates interchange, management, editing and presentation of the media. The presentation may be local, or via a network or other stream delivery mechanism. The file format is designed to be independent of any particular network protocol while enabling support for them in general.[4]

The format has become very widely used for media file storage and as the basis for various other media file formats (e.g. the MP4 and 3GP container formats), and its widespread use was recognized by a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award presented on 4 November 2021 by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ a b ISO Base Media File Format (Full draft). Sustainability of Digital Formats. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  2. ^ "MPEG-4 File Format, Version 2".
  3. ^ ISO/IEC (2008). "Information technology – Coding of audio-visual objects – Part 12: ISO base media file format; ISO/IEC 14496-12:2008" (PDF). International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission. pp. 88, 94. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  4. ^ a b ISO/IEC (February 2004). "Information technology – Coding of audio-visual objects – Part 12: ISO base media file format; ISO/IEC 14496-12:2004". Retrieved 2017-10-19.
  5. ^ "ISO and IEC Experts Win Prestigious Emmy Award". International Organization for Standardization. 2021-02-01.
  6. ^ "Another EMMY awarded to IEC and ISO expert group". International Electrotechnical Commission. 2021-11-05.
  7. ^ "MPEG 133 Press release: MPEG Systems File Format Subgroup wins Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award". MPEG. 2021-01-15.