Meeting minutes
Joe: Any issues with recording?
… none heard
… HEIF file format and case for browser support
… feedback and support from community
… foundation format for web
… early web had limited capability
… early image formats - JPEG, GIF and PNG
… still using same formats now
… added support for animation, but still limited
… HEIF offers more features
… each format has its own strengths
… users must choose based on requirements
… images are widely used on the web
… still using original formats
… new formats include webp and avif
… adopt single format instead
… can use different codecs
… container can include many codecs
… HEIF based on ISOBMFF
… commonly used for video
… new capabilities built on ISOBMFF
… HEIF designed as JPEG replacement
… other derivatives like CMAF and OMAF
… built on same ISOBMFF
… common software support
… flexibility and futureproof built in
… HEIF agnostic of codecs
… ranges from uncompressed to highly compressed
… applies to still and motion imagery
… HEIF is royalty-free
… differs from HEVC
… list of key features
… focus on still imagery
… different formattingoptions
… supports image collections
… animations and slide shows
… support for tiled images
… and for image transforms
… and descriptive metadata
… image pyramids which are optimised for cloud access
… region items to label content
… SlimHEIF for tiny images
… and media encryption
… codec options include uncompressed for high quality
… supports multi-spectral imagery
… also supports AV1 which is royalty-free
… and includes compression
… also supports JPEG2000
… support for metadata
… with plugin model - internal or sidecar file
… attach metadata in different ways
… synchronous and asynchronous support
… high precision timing and semantic data
… key use cases
… including basic web apps
… view part of an image without downloading the whole file
… can combine still and motion imagery
… geospatial and scientific use cases
… have large datasets which can be accessed efficiently with HEIF
… GeoTIFF includes some of these features, but is limited
… high dynamic range to improve quality
… search and rescue use case benefits from higher quality images
… also medical images to spot vital details
… making the case for HEIF as a browser format
… generally applicable and futureproof
<jshouchin> We have know of the need for more than 8-bit imagery and HDR applications since 1998 even for consumer photography (I was with Kodak at the time, and every effort to jam that extra data into JPEG failed). Yet we're still stuck with JPEG almost 30 years later. It's time to get a format with real options supported in the browser.
Joe: HEIF covers many different capabilities in a single format
<jshouchin> The big question will be which codecs and options to "require" for broad browser adoption
Joe: path forward can be smooth migration, not a cliif edge
<Dimitri> To clarify. There no such thing as codec options of HEIF. One can define carriage format for any codec for carriage in HEIF. The entire idea is to avoid defining codec-agnostic features, over and over again.
Said: Apple already supports HEIF
… biggest issue is how to give web developer control of what is displayed
… how to choose light/dark style?
… how to handle large images?
… decoding whole image is too big
… how to restrict level of detail?
… slow adoption in last 5 years
Joe: where to start in image?
… depends on use case
… expose small metadata to begin
Scott: photography use case from Kodak
… requirements have existed for a long time
… need support in all browsers
… how to inform browser beforehand?
Joe: how to present initial image information?
Scott: comparison with MPEG-DASH?
Joe: media presentation description in DASH
… can scale back
<Dimitri> DASH or HLS, both manifests. both use CMAF chunks on the file format level
Jim: flythough use case
… cockpit view has too much information
… lo-res for distant features, hi-res for close features
Chris: PNG interest
… difficult to add new format to browsers because can't be removed later
Joe: Dirk has done development work in libheif
Rob: next steps?
… establish a Community Group?
Scott: show people what HEIF can do
Rob: agreement for CG?
… no objection heard