Overview
ISO/IEC 23000-8:2008 - "Information technology - Multimedia application format (MPEG‑A) - Part 8: Portable video application format" specifies a single-file format for mid‑resolution, “DVD‑style” video packages targeted at portable devices. The standard defines how to store video and audio streams, images, metadata and a user interface (menu) together in an MP4‑derived file so playback devices can present a menu‑driven, rich multimedia experience.
Keywords: ISO/IEC 23000-8:2008, Portable video application format, MPEG‑A, LASeR, MP4, ISO Base Media File Format, menu scene description, MPEG‑7
Key topics and technical requirements
- File scope and purpose: Designed for mid‑resolution portable video applications (DVD‑style) that combine media and UI in a single file.
- Base format: Built on the ISO Base Media / MPEG‑4 file format (ISO/IEC 14496‑12/14). The Portable video brand identifier is 'pvp1' in the file type box (‘ftyp’).
- Mandatory components: A normative Portable video file shall contain video, audio, and a LASeR scene description for the menu (stored in the file‑level ‘meta’ → ‘xml’ box). Metadata and text (e.g., subtitles) are optional.
- Scene description (UI): Uses LASeR (ISO/IEC 14496‑20) for a lightweight 2D scene description - graphics, animation, text, spatial/temporal layout and interactivity for menu screens.
- Metadata: Supports MPEG‑7 Multimedia Description Scheme (ISO/IEC 15938‑5) for descriptive metadata. Timed text formats (e.g., 3GPP timed text) and subtitle/captioning references are addressed as optional features.
- Playback behavior: Players extract the LASeR menu for user navigation, then decode selected audio/video tracks. If a player cannot decode LASeR, it should still play main audio/video tracks as a regular MP4 file (backward compatibility).
- Normative references: ISO/IEC 14496‑12, 14496‑14, 14496‑20, ISO/IEC 15938‑5, and 3GPP TS 26.245 are foundational documents.
Applications and who uses it
- Device manufacturers / OEMs: Implement portable media players, smartphones and consumer electronics supporting menu‑based playback.
- Software developers / media players: Create decoding and playback software that renders LASeR menus and plays audio/video tracks.
- Content creators / authoring tools: Author single‑file packages with multiple video clips, audio tracks (language tracks), menus, images and metadata for distribution.
- Metadata specialists: Integrate MPEG‑7 descriptions for searchability and cataloguing.
Practical use cases include distributed movie packages with bonus material, packaged educational video content, and portable media that needs a self‑contained menu-driven presentation.
Related standards
This standard is part of the MPEG‑A family (ISO/IEC 23000 parts 1–11) for packaged multimedia application formats.
Open preview (PDF)Information technology — Multimedia application format (MPEG-A) — Part 8: Portable video application format
