This Recommendation | International Standard specifies the coded representation of picture information for digital storage media and digital video communication and specifies the decoding process. The representation supports constant bitrate transmission, variable bitrate transmission, random access, channel hopping, scalable decoding, bitstream editing, as well as special functions such as fast forward playback, fast reverse playback, slow motion, pause and still pictures.This Recommendation | International Standard is forward compatible with ISO/IEC 11172-2 and upward or downward compatible with EDTV, HDTV, SDTV formats.

This Recommendation | International Standard is primarily applicable to digital storage media, video broadcast and communication. The storage media may be directly connected to the decoder, or via communications means such as busses, LANs, or telecommunications links.