What is MPEG-2 video codec?
MPEG-2 is the designation for a group of coding and compression standards for Audio and Video (AV), agreed upon by MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), and published as the ISO/IEC 13818 international standard. MPEG-2 is typically used to encode audio and video for broadcast signals, including direct broadcast satellite and Cable TV. MPEG-2, with some modifications, is also the coding format used by standard commercial DVD movies. The Video part (part 2) of MPEG-2 is similar to MPEG-1, but also provides support for interlaced video (the format used by analog broadcast TV systems). MPEG-2 video is not optimized for low bit-rates (less than 1 Mbit/s), but outperforms MPEG-1 at 3 Mbit/s and above. All standards-conforming MPEG-2 Video decoders are fully capable of playing back MPEG-1 Video streams. With some enhancements, MPEG-2 Video and Systems are also used in most HDTV transmission systems.