Enabling Interoperable IT-Based Program-Making Tools with AAF and MXf

摘要

Many organizations are contemplating the move to new program-making tools based on generic information technology (IT) equipment. There is remarkable consensus among key manufacturers and end-users that the Advanced Authoring Format (AAF) and related Material exchange Format (MXF) will be the key standards for the interchange of program material within IT structures. This paper addresses the scope of application of AAF and MXF. First, the underlying data model is examined and related to concepts familiar to program makers. Second, the use of different essence codecs is described including MPEG-2-long GOP. Third, the application of MXF as a storage format for editing systems is discussed. Finally, the status of implementations of AAF, MXF, and MPEG-2 in open-source applications and development libraries is reviewed.