Overview
ISO/IEC 23090-23:2023 defines conformance tests and reference software for MPEG Immersive Video (MIV). As part of the ISO/IEC 23090 series, this first-edition standard specifies the procedures, test data and reference encoder/decoder software used to determine whether implementations (encoders or decoders) meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 23090-12:2023. It provides normative conformance tests for bitstreams and decoders, reference bitstream suites, and detailed logging and hashing processes for decoder output verification.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Conformance testing framework
- Normative procedures to verify bitstream conformance and decoder conformance against ISO/IEC 23090-12.
- Use of electronic test data (bitstream test suites) and the reference software decoder for verification.
- Reference bitstreams
- A catalog of reference bitstreams (CB01–CB20) covering codec groups (HEVC, VVC), MIV toolsets and feature cases such as packed video data, occupancy/geometry/attribute video, multiple tiles, inpaint patches, projection layouts (360°/180°/perspective), geometry scaling and more.
- Reference bitstreams are made available from the ISO standards web site for use in test labs and interoperability testing.
- Reference software
- Provided reference software encoder and decoder packages for study, interoperability checks and as a baseline for implementation development.
- Clauses address software location, license, installation and architecture.
- Decoder output logging and hashing
- Detailed, repeatable logging procedures and a multi-step hashing process (pre-computation, state initialization, updates for unsigned/signed/floating values) to validate decoder outputs deterministically.
- Specialized hashing routines for video data types (occupancy, geometry, attribute, packed), block-to-patch maps, patch params, view params and MIV-specific parameter sets.
- Test artifacts
- Bitstream zip-files containing the bitstream and metadata required for decoder conformance testing.
- Requirements on decoder output formatting and timing to ensure consistent test results.
- Scope limits
- The standard focuses on conformance to ISO/IEC 23090-12; post-decoding reconstruction/display processes are outside its scope. Tests should not be applied to bitstreams known to contain transmission errors.
Practical applications and users
- Codec developers and implementers: validate encoder/decoder behavior against the MIV specification.
- Test labs and conformance centres: run standardized test suites and produce repeatable reports.
- Device manufacturers and platform providers: ensure interoperability of immersive media playback and streaming.
- Content distributors and OTT services: verify packaged bitstreams for compliance before delivery.
- Standards and research teams: reference implementation and deterministic logging for debugging and comparison.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 23090-12:2023 - MPEG Immersive Video (normative reference for syntax, decoding and HRD/VUI considerations).
- Other parts of the ISO/IEC 23090 series covering coded representation of immersive media.
Keywords: ISO/IEC 23090-23, MPEG immersive video, conformance testing, reference software, MIV, bitstream conformance, decoder conformance, reference bitstreams, decoder output hashing.