transportstreamformaate

Transport stream formats refer to digital container formats used for the transmission and storage of audio, video, and data. The MPEG-2 Transport Stream (MPEG-TS) multiplexes multiple elementary streams into a single stream suitable for broadcast and streaming environments. A defining feature is the 188-byte packet structure, with each packet starting with a 0x47 sync byte, which helps receivers synchronize and recover from errors.

Key concepts within transport streams include Program Association Table (PAT) and Program Map Table (PMT) that describe which packet identifiers (PIDs) carry which streams. Each packet contains a PID that identifies video, audio, or data streams. The adaptation field can carry timing information such as the Program Clock Reference (PCR), used to synchronize decoding. A continuity counter assists in detecting lost or reordered packets.

Common variants and usages include MPEG-TS itself (ISO/IEC 13818-1) as a general standard, with M2TS representing a Blu-ray disc variant that uses the same packing approach in a different file layout. DVB-TS is the form used by DVB broadcasting, while ATSC-TS is used in North American digital television. Transport streams can be transmitted over physical media or encapsulated over IP, using protocols such as UDP or RTP, in various broadcasting or streaming workflows.

Applications of transport stream formats span broadcast distribution, IPTV, digital cinema, and traditional streaming services. Historically, MPEG-TS segments have been used in HTTP-based streaming like HLS; many modern workflows also employ alternative containers such as fragmented MP4 (fMP4) for compatibility with CMAF. Despite shifts toward newer formats in some contexts, transport streams remain widely supported due to their robustness and interoperability.