3GP and 3G2

3GP is defined in the ETSI 3GPP technical specification.ETSI 3GPP [http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26244.htm 3GPP TS 26.244; Transparent end-to-end packet switched streaming service (PSS); 3GPP file format (3GP)] Retrieved on 2009-06-02. 3GP is a required file format for video and associated speech/audio media types and timed text in ETSI 3GPP technical specifications for IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) and Transparent end-to-end Packet-switched Streaming Service (PSS).ETSI (2009-04) [http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26234.htm ETSI TS 126 234 V8.2.0 (2009-04); 3GPP TS 26.234; Transparent end-to-end Packet-switched Streaming Service (PSS); Protocols and codecs] Page 58. Retrieved on 2009-06-02.ETSI (2009-01) [http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26140.htm ETSI TS 126 140 V8.0.0 (2009-01); 3GPP TS 26.140; Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS); Media formats and codes] Page 11. Retrieved on 2009-06-02.{{cite web | title=ETSI TS 126 346 V8.3.0 (2009-06); 3GPP TS 26.346; Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Protocols and codecs | url=http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26346.htm | page=85 | publisher=ETSI | date=June 2009 | access-date=2009-10-13}}ETSI (2009-01) [http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26141.htm ETSI TS 126 141 V8.0.0 (2009-01); 3GPP TS 26.141; IP Multimedia System (IMS) Messaging and Presence; Media formats and codecs] Page 10. Retrieved on 2009-06-02.

3G2 is defined in the 3GPP2 technical specification.{{cite web | title = 3GPP2 C.S0050, 3GPP2 File Formats for Multimedia Services, File Format for Multimedia Services for cdma2000 | publisher = 3GPP2 | year = 2003 | url = http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/Specs/index.cfm | access-date = 2009-06-12 }}

{{Update|3GP codec list (see [https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/126200_126299/126244/12.05.00_60/ts_126244v120500p.pdf release 12 of 2016] p.65)|inaccurate=yes|reason=3GP has expanded codec lists while 3G2 has stagnated|date=February 2021}}

Image:Relations between ISO MP4 3GPP and 3GPP2 file format.svg

The 3GP and 3G2 file formats are both structurally based on the ISO base media file format defined in ISO/IEC 14496-12 – MPEG-4 Part 12,{{cite web| publisher = ETSI 3GPP | title = 3GPP TS 26.244; Transparent end-to-end packet switched streaming service (PSS); 3GPP file format (3GP) | date = 2008-12-11 | url = http://pda.etsi.org/pda/home.asp?wkr=RTS/TSGS-0426244v800 | format = PDF | page = 9 | access-date = 2009-05-30}}

{{cite web| title = ISO Base Media File Format white paper – Proposal | date = April 2006 | url = http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/technologies/mp04-ff/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080714101745/http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/technologies/mp04-ff/ | archive-date = 2008-07-14 | access-date = 2009-12-26 }}{{cite web| title = ISO Base Media File Format white paper – Proposal | publisher = Chiariglione | date = October 2009 | url = http://mpeg.chiariglione.org/technologies/mpeg-4/mp04-ff/ | access-date = 2009-12-26 }} but older versions of the 3GP file format did not use some of its features.{{cite web|title=3GPP2 C.S0050-B Version 1.0, 3GPP2 File Formats for Multimedia Services |publisher=3GPP2 |date=18 May 2007 |url=http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/specs/C.S0050-B_v1.0_070521.pdf |pages=67, 68 |access-date=2009-06-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007071048/http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/specs/C.S0050-B_v1.0_070521.pdf |archive-date=7 October 2009 }} 3GP and 3G2 are container formats similar to MPEG-4 Part 14 (MP4), which is also based on MPEG-4 Part 12. The 3GP and 3G2 file format were designed to decrease storage and bandwidth requirements to accommodate mobile phones. They are good for lower end smartphones for faster streaming & download.

3GP and 3G2 are similar standards, but with some differences:

• 3GPP file format was designed for GSM-based phones and may have the filename extension .3gp
• 3GPP2 file format was designed for CDMA-based phones and may have the filename extension .3g2

Some cell phones use the .mp4 extension for 3GP video.

The 3GP file format stores video streams as MPEG-4 Part 2, H.263, or MPEG-4 Part 10 (AVC/H.264), and audio streams as AMR-NB, AMR-WB, AMR-WB+, AAC-LC, HE-AAC v1 or Enhanced aacPlus (HE-AAC v2). 3GPP allowed use of AMR and H.263 codecs in the ISO base media file format (MPEG-4 Part 12), because 3GPP specified the usage of the Sample Entry and template fields in the ISO base media file format as well as defining new boxes to which codecs refer. These extensions were registered by the registration authority for code-points in ISO base media file format ("MP4 Family" files).{{cite web

| title = ISO/IEC 14496-12:2008, Information technology -- Coding of audio-visual objects -- Part 12: ISO base media file format

| publisher = International Organization for Standardization

| year = 2008

| url = http://standards.iso.org/ittf/PubliclyAvailableStandards/c051533_ISO_IEC_14496-12_2008.zip

| format = PDF

| page = 95

| access-date = 2009-05-30

}}

{{cite web

|title = Registered types – Codecs

|publisher = Registration authority for code-points in "MP4 Family" files – mp4ra.org

|year = 2008

|url = http://www.mp4ra.org/codecs.html

|access-date = 2009-05-31

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090419074514/http://www.mp4ra.org/codecs.html

|archive-date = 2009-04-19

|url-status = dead

}}

For the storage of MPEG-4 media specific information in 3GP files, the 3GP specification refers to MP4 and the AVC file format, which are also based on the ISO base media file format. The MP4 and the AVC file format specifications described usage of MPEG-4 content in the ISO base media file format.

A 3GP file is always big-endian, storing and transferring the most significant bytes first. {{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}

The 3G2 file format can store the same video streams and most of the audio streams used in the 2007 3GP file format. In addition, 3G2 stores audio streams as EVRC, EVRC-B, EVRC-WB, 13K (QCELP), SMV or VMR-WB, which was specified by 3GPP2 for use in ISO base media file format. The 3G2 specification also defined some enhancements to 3GPP Timed Text. 3G2 file format does not store Enhanced aacPlus (HE-AAC v2) and AMR-WB+ audio streams. For the storage of MPEG-4 media (AAC audio, MPEG-4 Part 2 video, MPEG-4 Part 10 – H.264/AVC) in 3G2 files, the 3G2 specification refers to the MP4 file format and the AVC file format specification, which described usage of this content in the ISO base media file format. For the storage of H.263 and AMR content 3G2 specification refers to the 3GP file format specification.

• Most 3G capable mobile phones support the playback and recording of video in 3GP format (memory, maximum filesize for playback and recording, and resolution limits exist and vary).{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}
• Some newer/higher-end phones without 3G capabilities may also playback and record in this format (again, with said limitations).{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}
• Audio imported from CD onto a PlayStation 3 when it is set to encode to the MPEG-4 AAC format copies onto USB devices in the 3GP format. {{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}
• The Nintendo 3DS used 3GP technology to play YouTube videos.
• Apple iDevices used to support files for playback only as passthrough files, hence no editing ability, but since iOS 9 this has been deprecated meaning files of this format have to be manually converted to H.264.{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}

When transferred to a computer, 3GP movies can be viewed on Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and the various Linux-based operating systems; on the former two with Windows Media Player{{cite web | title = File types supported by Windows Media Player | publisher = Microsoft | url = https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/316992/file-types-supported-by-windows-media-player | access-date = 2020-07-25}} and Apple QuickTime{{cite web |title = What's New in QuickTime 6.3 + 3GPP | publisher = Apple, Inc | url = https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/QuickTime/QT6_3/Chap1/QT6WhatsNew.html | access-date = 2020-07-25}} respectively (their built-in media players), and on all three with VLC media player.{{cite web | title= VLC Media Player features | publisher = VLC | url = https://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.html | access-date = 2020-07-25}} Programs such as Media Player Classic, K-Multimedia Player, Totem, RealPlayer, MPlayer, and GOM Player can also be used.

3GP and 3G2 files can be encoded and decoded with open source software FFmpeg.{{cite web | title = FFmpeg, General Documentation, Supported File Formats and Codecs | publisher = FFmpeg | url = http://ffmpeg.org/general.html#SEC5 | access-date = 2009-06-11}} Media tags can be read and written on Linux, macOS and Windows using the open source AtomicParsley command-line utility.{{cite web |title = AtomicParseley| publisher = Wez Furlong | url = https://github.com/wez/atomicparsley | access-date = 2024-06-24}}

{{Portal|computer programming}}

• Comparison of (audio/video) container formats
• SIF (Source Input Format)
• CIF (Common Intermediate Format)

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26-series.htm 3GPP codecs specifications; 3G and beyond / GSM, 26 series]
• [http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/26244.htm 3GPP file format (3GP); 3GPP TS 26.244; Transparent end-to-end packet switched streaming service (PSS) - specification]
• [http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/Specs/index.cfm 3GPP2 specifications]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091007071048/http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/specs/C.S0050-B_v1.0_070521.pdf 3GPP2 File Formats for Multimedia Services; 3GPP2 C.S0050-B Version 1.0 - specification]
• {{IETF RFC|3839}}, MIME Type Registrations for 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Multimedia files
• {{IETF RFC|4393}}, MIME Type Registrations for 3GPP2 Multimedia Files
• {{IETF RFC|4281}}, The Codecs Parameter for "Bucket" Media Types
• [https://techinformerz.com/3gp-and-3gpp2-file-formats/; 3GP & 3G2 File Formats]

{{Compression formats}}

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Category:Computer file formats

Category:Digital container formats