New SMPTE ST 2067-70 standard streamlines VC-3 codec integration for broadcast distribution

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and Avid have announced the publication of SMPTE ST 2067-70, a new standard for the VC-3 codec within the Interoperable Master Format (IMF) framework. This collaboration aims to improve the efficiency and flexibility of audiovisual content distribution, particularly for broadcasters and media organizations involved in large-scale production and delivery.

The VC-3 codec, provided by Avid under its DNx brand, is a widely used production codec for various broadcast operations, including capture, editing, rendering, and long-term archiving. The new standard specifies how VC-3 should be integrated into IMF, building on the existing SMPTE ST 2019-1 standard.

Shailendra Mathur, Avid’s VP of Technology, explained, “For many of Avid’s customers, the DNx family of codecs, specifically VC-3, is used as a mezzanine format to maintain high-quality footage and optimal editing performance. The new SMPTE ST 2067-70 standard will ensure that this same quality can be carried through the IMF mastering stage, simplifying the process for distribution.”

IMF is a key international standard designed to simplify the management and distribution of content. It consolidates all audiovisual assets needed for different versions of a program into a single, interchangeable package. This framework supports content fulfillment and versioning across multiple territories and platforms, making it a critical tool for modern media supply chains.

The adoption of VC-3 within IMF aims to maintain high-quality video for broadcast, distribution, and archiving, ensuring that the original creative intent is preserved throughout the production and delivery pipeline. The new standard also offers broadcasters the option to use a constant bit rate (CBR) profile for VC-3, which improves predictability for storage and network transport, further optimizing workflows and reducing the potential for quality loss due to transcoding.

The Digital Production Partnership (DPP), an organization representing the media supply chain, played a key role in supporting the development of this standard. DPP Technology Strategist David Thompson noted, “The collaboration between Avid and SMPTE has addressed a clear need for broadcasters who rely on VC-3 as their primary production codec and are looking to adopt IMF for distribution and archiving. The standard offers significant workflow advantages, including faster turnaround times and easier integration of changes before creating a final IMF deliverable.”

Kevin Riley, Avid’s Chief Technology Officer, added, “We are committed to improving the DNx family of codecs, including VC-3, to meet the needs of our customers and partners. This new standard aligns with our goal of making media processing more efficient, while delivering time and cost savings. It allows broadcasters to maintain existing media workflows and deliver content using the same codec from production through to distribution and archiving.”

The ST 2067-70 standard is expected to streamline workflows for broadcasters and media organizations, offering a more efficient path from production to delivery without the need for additional transcoding or format conversions. This approach will not only help preserve quality but also simplify the storage and transport of large media files, offering significant operational advantages for high-scale content distribution.