[NUT-devel] FourCC vs format_id

[Jeff Clagg]

On Sun, Jun 18, 2006 at 03:59:04PM +0300, Ivan Kalvachev wrote:
> First few word:
> 
> Codec identification is actually most important part of the container,
> because all other so technically great features are "under the hood".
> 
> Fourcc is among the few things that users (even windows one!) are
> aware these days .

Personally I suspect this is only because the flaws in the system often
require workarounds (changing fourcc from XVID to DIVX so that your
friend's stupid player will actually play the file).

> Second:
> 
> The real issue is not how we will save and name codecs.
> The real issue is how to prevent propagation of existing fourcc
> schemes into nut, with all their drawbacks.
> 
> 
> What I think we may need:
> 
>  format_id - mandatory field. identification of the format, by
> standard or bitstream syntax. e.g. "mpeg2","h264","theora", "vorbis".
> 
>  profile - optional field. depends on the specifications (e.g. main
> simple, etc...). This field informs that full possibilities of the
> format are not used.

I don't know about ALL codecs, but in mpeg2/4 this type of info should
already be in the sequence parameter set.