SMPTE and DPP Collaborate in Pilot Project to Deliver Draft of First SMPTE Specification

SMPTE and the Digital Production Partnership (DPP) have announced the success of a first-of-a-kind pilot project to define a prototype SMPTE Specifications process. SMPTE and DPP have delivered the first draft SMPTE Specification, which focuses on the use of the Interoperable Master Format (IMF), or SMPTE ST 2067, for broadcast and online applications.

The DPP delivered the working drafts of the IMF Requirements and IMF Specification for broadcast and online applications to SMPTE last week at the HPA Tech Retreat in Palm Desert, California. The documents represent input by the DPP, SMPTE, the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), as well as manufacturers and end users across the media industry.

Now out for public comment, the draft specification for IMF for broadcast and online applications will address constraints including MXF Track Files, composition playlists (CPLs), output profile lists (OPLs), and IMF packages. The specification will reference other activities as well, such as the EBU.io/qc project for carrying quality-control metadata and EBU-TT, and it includes optional methods for carrying traditional EBU-STL subtitles in Europe and CTA-608/CTA-708 captions in North America.

Built upon the IMF standard, this first SMPTE Specification will play a critical role in enabling broadcasters to use IMF workflows with their existing content archives, and it also will facilitate the realization of file-based interoperability on a large scale. By providing manufacturers with the guidance they need to move forward in designing and building readers, writers, and analyzers, the specification will bring the benefits of IMF more fully into the broadcast and online realm.

Once they are finalized, the new SMPTE documents will join other SMPTE technical publications, including standards, that help manufacturers, engineers, and technologists to develop new products and services in broadcasting, cinema, and online video. The draft documents are available here.