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Standards

Video Operation Points

Overview​

TS 26.265 V19.2.0, Introduction: "The present document defines service-independent video operation points and capabilities." It adds: "These may be referenced in 3GPP service specifications or in third-party services."

TS 26.265 V19.2.0, clause 4.2: "The combination of video coding format and a specific representation format is referred to as Operation Point." The VOPS Conformance Validator testbed holds the conformance validator of annex B.2.3 and is part of the Video Operation Points project.

What the specification defines​

  • Capabilities. TS 26.265 V19.2.0, clause 4.3 defines a video decoding capability and a video encoding capability. It states: "While not explicitly stated in the capabilities, it is a requirement for decoders and receivers to process the data in real-time."
  • Codecs. Clause 5.2.1 lists AVC/H.264 Progressive High Profile, HEVC/H.265 Main and Main-10 Profile Main Tier, and HEVC/H.265 Multiview Main 10 and Multiview Extended 10 Main Tier.
  • Requirement level. Clause 5.1, NOTE: "These clause does not specify whether these capabilities are required, recommended or suggested to be supported." Service specifications or external specifications decide that.
  • Operation points. Clause 6.1: "For each Video Operation Point, requirements for the Bitstream and for the Receiver are defined." Table 6.1-1 lists seven: 3GPP-AVC-HD, 3GPP-HEVC-HD, 3GPP-HEVC-HD-HDR, 3GPP-HEVC-UHD-HDR, 3GPP-HEVC-Stereo, 3GPP-MV-HEVC-Main-Stereo and 3GPP-MV-HEVC-Ext-Stereo.
  • System integration. Clauses 7.2.2 (AVC) and 7.2.3 (HEVC) state: "The definitions for AVC are for further study." and "The definitions for HEVC are for further study."

Conformance annex​

TS 26.265 V19.2.0, annex B.1 lists five conformance functions: annotated video test signals, reference encoders with configurations, a conformance validator, conforming decoders, and conformance bitstreams. Annex B.3: "the conformance validator may be used to test bitstreams claiming to be conformant to an operation point indeed are conforming, or if not, which test assertions are not fulfilled."

Clause B.2.3: "The detailed semantics and the format of the report is for further study."

Versions​

5G-MAG's testbed is built against V19.2.0 (2026-03), which this page quotes. V19.3.0 also exists. Checked in V19.3.0, clause 5.3.3 is renamed "Dual-layer HEVC Decoding Capabilities" and now defines the two-layer cases through output layer sets, with a new table 5.3.3-1 of supported profile combinations. The 3GPP Change Request database lists one change request implemented in V19.3.0, CR 0006 revision 6 (SP-260783), "[VOPS] MV-HEVC profile and OLS handling". The change history of the specification lists the same CR under the title "[VOPS] VPS Profile-Tier-Level Assignment". The baseline remains V19.2.0 until the validator is rebuilt against V19.3.0.

Open points in the specification​

  • Annex A.2.3: "This work is for further study." (mapping of operation points to an encoder API).
  • Operation point names are not used consistently. Table 6.1-1 uses "3GPP-HEVC-HD-HDR" and "3GPP-HEVC-UHD-HDR"; table A.2.2-1 lists "3GPP-HEVC-3DTV" and "3GPP-MV-HEVC-3DTV", names that do not appear in table 6.1-1.

For the release-by-release work-item and change request history behind this specification, see Standards Evolution.

Specifications in scope​

SpecificationTitleLayer
TS 26.265Media Delivery: Video Capabilities and Operation Pointsdefines the video operation points the validator checks bitstreams against; the validator is built against V19.2.0 (March 2026); V19.3.0 (September 2026) is the latest versionSpecification

Sources for this page​

All quotations are from 3GPP TS 26.265 V19.2.0 (2026-03), Release 19, except the V19.3.0 comparison, which is from V19.3.0 (clause 5.3.3 heading and table 5.3.3-1).