MPEG2

MPEG2 video has been the de facto mezzanine and broadcast video standard for decades. It is still widely utilized in HD broadcast applications, as well as for predictable and reliable storage of mezzanine files at constant bitrates.

Encoding.com supports a wide variety of parameters for producing compatible MPEG2 video output for a variety of linear playout systems and MAM/DAM storage, including CableLabs compliance in MPEG transport streams. Please reach out to our support team if you have a specific scenario requiring frame cadence, GOP, or colorimetry, as we've likely designed a job template before to match your needs.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<query>
    <userid><<id>></userid> <!-- required-->
    <userkey><<key>></userkey> <!-- required-->
    <action>[Action]</action> <!-- required-->
    <source>[SourceFile]</source> <!-- required-->
    <format>
        <output>[OutputFormat]</output> <!-- required-->
        <video_codec>mpeg2video</video_codec> <!-- required-->
        <video_codec_parameters>
            <refs>[RefsNumber]</refs>
            <sc_threshold>[Threshold]</sc_threshold>
            <b-pyramid>[0|1]</b-pyramid>
            <qmin>[QMin]</qmin>
            <qmax>[QMax]</qmax>
            <qdiff>[QDiff]</qdiff>
            <i_qfactor>[IQFactor]</i_qfactor>
            <qcomp>[QComp]</qcomp>
            <b_strategy>[0|1|2]</b_strategy>
            <seq_disp_ext>[-1|0|1]</seq_disp_ext>
            <me_range>[MERange]</me_range>
            <me_method>[MEMethod]</me_method>
            <keyint_min>[MinGOP]</keyint_min>
            <open-gop>[0-1]</open-gop>
            <force-open-gop>[0|1]</force-open-gop>
            <force-seq-header>[0|1]</force-seq-header>
            <force-seq-extension>[0|1]</force-seq-extension>
            <non_linear_quant>[0|1]</non_linear_quant>
            <intra_vlc>[0|1]</intra_vlc>
            <drop_frame_timecode>[0|1]</drop_frame_timecode>
            <video_format>[VideoFormat]</video_format>
            <cmp>[CMP]</cmp>
            <partitions>[Partitions]</partitions>
            <mpv_flags>[Flags]</mpv_flags>
            <afd>[ActiveFormatDescription]</afd>
            <colorprim>[ColorPrimaries]</colorprim>
            <transfer>[ColorTransfer]</transfer>
            <colorspace>[ColorSpace]</colorspace>
            <vprofile>[0]</vprofile>
            <level>[VideoLevel]</level>
        </video_codec_parameters>
    </format>
</query>
{
    "query": {
        "userid": "<<id>>", // required
        "userkey": "<<key>>", // required
        "action": "[Action]", // required
        "source": "[SourceFile]", // required
        "format": {
            "output": "[OutputFormat]", // required
            "video_codec": "mpeg2video",
            "video_codec_parameters": {
                "refs": "[RefsNumber]",
                "sc_threshold": "[Threshold]",
                "b-pyramid": "[0|1]",
                "qmin": "[QMin]",
                "qmax": "[QMax]",
                "qdiff": "[QDiff]",
                "i_qfactor": "[IQFactor]",
                "qcomp": "[QComp]",
                "b_strategy": "[0|1|2]",
                "seq_disp_ext": "[-1|0|1]",
                "me_range": "[MERange]",
                "me_method": "[MEMethod]",
                "keyint_min": "[MinGOP]",
                "open-gop": "[0-1]",
                "force-open-gop": "[0|1]",
                "force-seq-header": "[0|1]",
                "force-seq-extension": "[0|1]",
                "non_linear_quant": "[0|1]",
                "intra_vlc": "[0|1]",
                "drop_frame_timecode": "[0|1]",
                "video_format": "[VideoFormat]",
                "cmp": "[CMP]",
                "partitions": "[Partitions]",
                "mpv_flags": "[Flags]",
                "afd" :"[ActiveFormatDescription]",
                "colorprim": "[ColorPrimaries]",
                "transfer": "[ColorTransfer]",
                "colorspace": "[ColorSpace]",
                "vprofile": "[0]",
                "level": "[VideoLevel]"
            }
        }
    }
}
ParameterDescriptionAllowed Values
refs Number of reference framesPositive integer number
sc_threshold Scene change thresholdPositive integer number
b-pyramid Apply B-pyramid method0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
qmin Minimum quantizer scalePositive integer number
qmax Maximum quantizer scalePositive integer number
qdiff Maximum difference between quantizer scalesPositive integer number
qcompQuantizer curve compression factorPositive float number
i_qfactorSpecify the qscale difference between I-frames and P-frames.Positive float number
b_strategy B-Frames Strategy0, 1, 2
seq_disp_ext Write sequence display extension blocks-1 – auto
0 – never
1 – always
me_methodMotion estimation methodValid motion estimation method
me_rangeMaximum range of the motion search in pixelsPositive integer number
keyint_min Minimum GOP sizePositive integer number
open-gop Produce Open GOP0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
force-open-gop Don't add closed GOP flag0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
force-seq-header Add Sequence Header to each frame0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
force-seq-extension Add Sequence Extension to each frame0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
non_linear_quant Use nonlinear quantizer0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
intra_vlc Use MPEG-2 intra VLC table0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
drop_frame_timecode Timecode is in drop frame format0 – Disabled
1 – Enabled
video_format Video Format5 – unspecified
0 – component
1 – pal
2 – ntsc
3 – secam
4 – mac
cmp Full pel me compare functionValid compare function
partitions Specify the combinations of inter and intra partitions.Valid partitions description
mpv_flags MPV flagsValid flags string
afdActive Format Description16x9_top, 14x9_top, gt_16x9, coded_frame, 4x3_centre, 16x9_centre, 14x9_centre, 4x3_as_14x9, 16x9_as_14x9, 16x9_as_4x3
colorprimColor Primariesbt709, bt470m, bt470bg, smpte170m, smpte240m, film, bt2020, undef, unspecified
transferColor Transferbt709, bt470m, bt470bg, smpte170m, smpte240m, linear, log100, log316, iec61966-2-4, bt1361e, iec61966-2-1, bt2020-10, bt2020-12, undef
colorspaceColor Spacergb, bt709, fcc, bt470bg, smpte170m, smpte240m, ycocg, bt2020_ncl, bt2020_cl, smpte2085, chroma-derived-nc, chroma-derived-c, ictcp, unspecified
vprofileVideo Profile0 - 4:2:2
levelVideo LevelPositive Integer Number