Appendix A: MPEG Format Support in DirectShow

Appendix A

MPEG Format Support in DirectShow

DirectShow includes support for several video compression formats, including those defined by the Motion Picture Experts Group, or MPEG. There are several MPEG standards. MPEG-1 is commonly used for video CDs, and the audio encoding standard, known as MPEG Layer 3, or MP3, has become the de-facto standard for audio compression. MPEG-2 was introduced with the DVD, and includes capabilities for very high-quality encoding of video signals. In 2002, MPEG-4 was released. It provides for better encoding quality than MPEG-2 and has features designed for interactivity and delivery over data networks. Here s a brief exploration of the MPEG features in DirectShow.