smpte

SMPTE stands for the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. It is a professional association and standards organization for the media and entertainment industry. Founded in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture Engineers by engineers and industry executives, it later expanded to include television and other media and adopted its current name. The organization is headquartered in White Plains, New York, and operates globally through chapters and member organizations.

SMPTE develops and publishes standards, engineering guidelines, and recommended practices that underpin production, post-production, distribution, and exhibition of film, television, and digital media. Its work covers timing and synchronization, image and audio formats, metadata, data transport, and interoperability across devices and networks. One of its best-known contributions is the SMPTE time code, a standardized method for labeling and synchronizing frames across audio and video equipment. The organization also maintains test patterns and performance specifications used in calibration and quality control. In the digital era, SMPTE has expanded standards work to include digital cinema interfaces, professional media over IP networks (for example, SMPTE ST 2110), high dynamic range workflows, and associated mastering practices.

SMPTE operates through technical committees, regional chapters, and professional education programs. It publishes standards documents, engineering papers, and magazines, and it hosts conferences and industry events that bring together engineers, designers, and creators to discuss emerging technologies. SMPTE's work informs the interoperability of broadcast, film, streaming, and cinema infrastructures worldwide.