JVET-AL0001 JVET AHG report: Project Management (AHG1) [J.-R. Ohm (chair), G. J. Sullivan (vice chair)]

The work of the JVET overall had proceeded well in the interim period with similar number of input documents (as compared to the previous meeting) submitted to the current 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 ftp site (http://wftp3.itu.int/av-arch/jvet-site/2025_01_AK_Geneva/). 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/ were shut down, but JCT-VC and JCT-3V documents can be accessed directly via the JVET site. All documents of JCT-VC, JCT-3V and JVET are also available from the ITU-based ftp site, where sub-folders ‘./documents/’ were created in the folders of the respective meetings (it is noted that for practicality reasons, this is only done after all meeting documents including output documents are completely available in all versions). All those files come with the original time stamps by which the original versions of documents were uploaded.

The list of output documents produced since the last meeting included the following:

• JVET-AK1004 Errata report items for VVC, VSEI, HEVC, AVC, and Video CICP [Posted 2025-02-18, last update 2025-03-06]
• JVET-AK1006 HEVC additional profiles and SEI messages, also issued as WG 5 CDAM N 336 [Posted 2025-01-29]
• JVET-AK1017 Support for additional VSEI messages in AVC (draft 1) [Posted 2025-02-18]
• JVET-AK2005 Additions and corrections for VVC version 4 (Draft 11), also issued as WG 5 preliminary DAM update N 337 [Posted 2025-02-18, last update 2025-02-27]
• JVET-AK2006 Additional SEI messages for VSEI version 4 (Draft 5), also issued as WG 5 preliminary DAM update N 335 [Posted 2025-02-07, last update 2025-03-13]
• JVET-AK2010 VTM and HM common test conditions and software reference configurations for SDR 4:2:0 10 bit video [Posted 2025-03-22]
• JVET-AK2019 Description of algorithms version 10 and software version 12 in neural network-based video coding (NNVC) [Posted 2025-03-25]
• JVET-AK2020 Film grain synthesis technology for video applications ed. 2 (Draft 2) [not available yet by beginning of meeting]
• JVET-AK2023 Exploration experiment on neural network-based video coding (EE1) [Posted 2025-01-22, last update 2025-02-07]
• JVET-AK2024 Exploration experiment on enhanced compression beyond VVC capability (EE2) [Posted 2025-01-22, last update 2025-02-21]
• JVET-AK2025 Algorithm description of Enhanced Compression Model 16 (ECM 16) [Posted 2025-03-17]
• JVET-AK2026 Testing of video coding technology beyond conditions of exploration experiments [Posted 2025-03-03]
• JVET-AK2030 Optimization of encoders and receiving systems for machine analysis of coded video content (draft 8, for future updates) [Posted 2025-03-13]
• JVET-AK2032 Technologies under consideration for future extensions of VSEI (version 7) [Posted 2025-02-28]
• JVET-AK2038 Draft white paper on VSEI [Posted 2025-03-26]
• JVET-AK2039 Announcement of JVET AHG17 Meeting, Aachen (Germany), 10-12 March 2025 [Posted 2025-02-03]

The eighteen ad hoc groups had made progress, and reports from those activities had been submitted. Various teleconferences had been held by AHGs, and a hybrid meeting of AHG17 was conducted during 10-12 March 2025 in Aachen, DE, attended by almost 30 on-site participants. Furthermore, two exploration experiments (EE) on neural network-based video coding and on enhanced compression beyond VVC capability were conducted.

The arrangements for the 38^th meeting had been announced in the JVET reflector, in the JVET logistics document (https://www.itu.int/wftp3/av-arch/jvet-site/2025_03_AL_Virtual/JVET-AL_Logistics.docx), and in the WG 5 calling notice (N 341) and agenda (N 342) for the 19^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 220 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, maintenance, and non-normative guidance information,
• Specification of Coding-independent Code Points (Video) (CICP), and associated technical report(s),
• Maintenance and 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 and JCT-3V 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 38^h meeting had been made publicly available on the ITU-hosted ftp site as http://wftp3.itu.int/av-arch/jvet-site/2025_03_AL_Virtual/JVET-AL_notes_d0.docx.

Recommendations

• The AHG recommends its continuation.
• The AHG recommends continued communication between JVET’s parent bodies about appointment of an extended management support team.