ISO/IEC 13818-2:2013规定了视频数据的编码表示和重建图片所需的解码过程。它提供了一种通用的视频编码方案，适用于广泛的应用、比特率、图片分辨率和质量。它的基本编码算法是运动补偿预测和离散余弦变换（DCT）的混合。要编码的图片可以是交错的，也可以是渐进的。必要的算法元素被集成到单一语法中，有限数量的子集根据配置文件（功能）和级别（参数）进行定义，以便于实际使用该通用视频编码国际标准。

ISO/IEC 13818-2:2013 specifies a coded representation of video data and the decoding process required to reconstruct pictures. It provides a generic video coding scheme which serves a wide range of applications, bit rates, picture resolutions and qualities. Its basic coding algorithm is a hybrid of motion compensated prediction and discrete cosine transform (DCT). Pictures to be coded can be either interlaced or progressive. Necessary algorithmic elements are integrated into a single syntax, and a limited number of subsets are defined in terms of Profile (functionalities) and Level (parameters) to facilitate practical use of this generic video coding International Standard.