JVET-AD0001 JVET AHG report: Project Management (AHG1) [J.-R. Ohm (chair), G. J. Sullivan (vice-chair)]

Goals and activity

The work of the JVET overall had proceeded well in the interim period with approximately a 20% larger number of input documents submitted to the current meeting as compared to the previous meeting. Intense discussion had been carried out on the group email reflector, and most output documents from the preceding meeting had been produced as planned.

Output documents from the preceding meeting had been made initially available at the JVET web site (https://jvet-experts.org/) or the ITU-based JVET site (http://wftp3.itu.int/av-arch/jvet-site/2023_01_AC_Virtual/). It is noted that the previous document sites http://phenix.int-evry.fr/jvet/, http://phenix.int-evry.fr/jct/, and http://phenix.int-evry.fr/jct3v/ are still accessible, but had been converted to read-only.

The list of documents produced or planned included the following, particularly:

• The meeting report (JVET-AC1000) [Posted 2023-02-17, also submitted as WG 5 N 173]
• Guidelines for HM-based software development (JVET-AC1001) [Posted 2023-01-24]
• Errata report items for VVC, HEVC, AVC, and Video CICP (JVET-AC1004) [Posted 2023-03-21]
• Additional colour type identifiers for AVC, HEVC and Video CICP (Draft 3) (JVET-AC1008) [Posted 2023-02-24, last update 2023-03-08, also submitted as WG 5 preliminary WD N 186]
• Common test conditions for SHVC (JVET-AC1009) [Posted 2023-04-04]
• Common test conditions of 3DV experiments (JVET-AC1013) [not posted, as the situation about unavailable sequences needed to be clarified]
• Common test conditions for SCM screen content coding (JVET-AC1015) [Posted 2023-04-04]
• Algorithm description for Versatile Video Coding and Test Model 19 (VTM 19) (JVET-AC2002) [Posted 2023-04-07, also submitted as WG 5 WD N 161]
• Guidelines for VTM-based software development (JVET-AC2003) [Posted 2023-01-25]
• New level and systems-related supplemental enhancement information for VVC (Draft 4) (JVET-AC2005) [Posted 2023-01-31]
• VTM and HM common test conditions and evaluation procedures for HDR/WCG video (JVET-AC2011) [Posted 2023-02-25]
• Common Test Conditions and evaluation procedures for neural network-based video coding technology (JVET-AC2016) [Posted 2023-02-15]
• Description of algorithms and software in neural network-based video coding (NNVC) version 2 (JVET-AC2019) [Posted 2023-03-09, also submitted as WG 5 N 165]
• Film grain synthesis technology for video applications (Draft 4) (JVET-AC2020) [Posted 2023-03-27, last update 2023-03-31, also submitted as WG 5 CDTR N 188]
• Draft verification test plan for VVC multilayer coding (JVET-AC2021) [Posted 2023-03-07]
• Draft plan for subjective quality testing of FGC SEI message (JVET-AC2022) [Posted 2023-03-07]
• Exploration experiment on Neural Network-based Video Coding (EE1) (JVET-AC2023) [Posted 2023-01-20, last update 2023-02-06, also submitted as WG 5 N 187]
• Exploration experiment on Enhanced Compression beyond VVC capability (EE2) (JVET-AC2024) [Posted 2023-01-20, last update 2023-02-20, also submitted as WG 5 N 189]
• Algorithm description of Enhanced Compression Model 8 (ECM 8) (JVET-AC2025) [Posted 2023-04-06, also submitted as WG 5 N 190]
• Conformance testing for VVC operation range extensions (Draft 4) (JVET-AC2026) [submission remained under preparation at the time of the current meeting]
• SEI processing order SEI message in VVC (Draft 1) (JVET-AC2027) [Posted 2023-03-23, also submitted as WG 5 preliminary WD N 182]
• Additional conformance bitstreams for VVC multilayer configurations (JVET-AC2028) [submission remained under preparation at the time of the current meeting]
• Optimization of encoders and receiving systems for machine analysis of coded video content (draft 1) (JVET-AC2030) [Posted 2023-03-20, also submitted as WG 5 preliminary WD N 177]
• Common test conditions for optimization of encoders and receiving systems for machine analysis of coded video content (JVET-AC2031) [Posted 2023-02-02, last update 2023-03-30]
• Improvements under consideration for neural network post filter SEI messages (JVET-AC2032) [Posted 2023-01-27, last update 2023-02-01, also submitted as WG 5 N 175]

Furthermore, the following documents had been planned or submitted to the ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29 parent body on behalf of its WG 5:

• Recommendations of the 10^th WG 5 meeting (WG 5 N 173)
• Disposition of comments received on ISO/IEC DIS 23008-2:202x (5th edition) (WG 5 N 178)
• Text of ISO/IEC FDIS 23008-2:202x High efficiency video coding (5th edition) (WG 5 N 179) – submission remained under preparation at the time of the current meeting
• Draft disposition of comments received on ISO/IEC 23090-3:2022 DAM 1 (WG 5 N 180)
• Preliminary text of ISO/IEC FDIS 23090-3:202x Versatile video coding (3rd edition) (WG 5 N 181)
• Disposition of comments received on ISO/IEC 23090-15 DAM 1 (WG 5 N 184)
• Text of ISO/IEC FDIS 23090-15:202x Conformance testing for versatile video coding (2nd edition) (WG 5 N 185) – submission remained under preparation at the time of the current meeting
• Liaison statement to SC 29/WG 1 (JPEG) on JPEG AI and neural network-based video coding (WG 5 N 191)
• List of AHGs established at the 10^th WG 5 meeting (WG 5 N 192)

The fourteen ad hoc groups had made progress, and reports from those activities had been submitted. Furthermore, two exploration experiments (EE) on neural network-based video coding and on enhanced compression beyond VVC capability were conducted.

The arrangements for the 30^th meeting had been announced in the JVET reflector, in the JVET logistics document (https://www.itu.int/wftp3/av-arch/jvet-site/2023_04_AD_Antalya/JVET-AD_Logistics.docx), and in the WG 5 calling notice (N 193) and agenda (N 194) for the 11^th WG 5 meeting.

Software integration was finalized approximately according to the plan.

Various problem reports relating to asserted bugs in the software, draft specification text, and reference encoder description had been submitted to an informal "bug tracking" system. That system is not intended as a replacement of our ordinary contribution submission process. However, the bug tracking system was considered to have been helpful to the software coordinators and text editors. The bug tracker reports had been automatically forwarded to the group email reflector, where the issues were discussed – and this is reported to have been helpful.

Roughly 200 input contributions (not counting the AHG reports, summary reports and crosschecks) had been registered for consideration at the current meeting.

It is further noted that, starting from the twentieth JVET meeting, work items which had originally been conducted by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) were continued to be conducted in JVET as a single joint team, as negotiated by the parent bodies. This particularly consists of work on:

• High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and its extensions, the development of associated conformance test sets, reference software, verification testing, and non-normative guidance information,
• Specification of Coding-independent Code Points (Video) (CICP), and associated technical report(s),
• Maintenance and minor enhancement work on the Advanced Video Coding (AVC) standard, associated conformance test sets and reference software.

To retain a consistent numbering scheme, the number range of output documents starting from 1001 was reserved for the previous JCT-VC topic items listed above, whereas the number range starting from 2001 was retained for VVC, VSEI and exploration activities.

A preliminary basis for the document subject allocation and meeting notes for the 30th meeting had been made publicly available on the ITU-hosted ftp site as http://wftp3.itu.int/av-arch/jvet-site/2023_04_AD_Antalya/JVET-AD_notes_d0.docx.

Recommendations

The AHG recommended its continuation.