MPEG transport stream is a standard format for transmission and storage of audio

Digital audio

Digital audio is sound reproduction using pulse-code modulation and digital signals. Digital audio systems include analog-to-digital conversion , digital-to-analog conversion , digital storage, processing and transmission components...

, video

Digital video

Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.The terms camera, video camera, and camcorder are used interchangeably in this article.- History :...

, and Program and System Information Protocol

Program and System Information Protocol

The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...

 (PSIP) data, and is used in broadcast systems such as DVB and ATSC.

Transport Stream is specified in MPEG-2

MPEG-2

MPEG-2 is a standard for "the generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information". It describes a combination of lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression methods which permit storage and transmission of movies using currently available storage media and transmission...

 Part 1, Systems (formally known as ISO

International Organization for Standardization

The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...

/IEC

International Electrotechnical Commission

The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...

 standard 13818-1 or ITU-T Rec. H.222.0).

Transport stream specifies a container format encapsulating packetized elementary stream

Packetized Elementary Stream

Packetized Elementary Stream is a specification in the MPEG-2 Part 1 and ITU-T H.222.0 that defines carrying of elementary streams in packets within MPEG program stream and MPEG transport stream...

s, with error correction

Error detection and correction

In information theory and coding theory with applications in computer science and telecommunication, error detection and correction or error control are techniques that enable reliable delivery of digital data over unreliable communication channels...

 and stream synchronization features for maintaining transmission integrity when the signal is degraded.

Transport streams differ from the similarly named Program Stream

Program stream

Program stream is a container format for multiplexing digital audio, video and more. The PS format is specified in MPEG-1 Part 1 and MPEG-2 Part 1, Systems...

s in several important ways: Program Streams, also called PS, are designed for reasonably reliable media, such as discs (like DVDs), while TS is designed for less reliable transmission, namely terrestrial or satellite broadcast.