This is Draft 9 of the 3D-HEVC and MV-HEVC Test Model Description.
3D video is represented using the Multiview Video plus Depth (MVD) format, in which a small number of captured views as well as associated depth maps are coded and the resulting bitstream packets are multiplexed into a 3D video bitstream. After decoding the video and depth data, additional intermediate views suitable for displaying the 3D content on an auto-stereoscopic display can be synthesized using depth-image-based rendering (DIBR) techniques. For the purpose of view synthesis, camera parameters are additionally included in the bitstream. The bitstream packets include header information, which signal, in connection with transmitted parameter sets, a view identifier and an indication whether the packet contains video or depth data. Sub-bitstreams containing only some of the coded components can be extracted by discarding bitstream packets that contain non-required data. One of the views, which is also referred to as the base view or the independent view, is coded independently of the other views and the depth data using a conventional HEVC video coder. The sub-bitstream containing the independent view can be decoded by an unmodified HEVC video decoder and displayed on a conventional 2D display. Optionally, the encoder can be configured in a way that a sub-bitstream representing two views without depth data can be extracted and independently decoded for displaying the 3D video on a conventional stereo display. The codec can also be used for coding multiview video signals without depth data. In that case alternative methods such as Image Domain Warping (IDW) may be used to generate a multiview signal. And, when using depth data, it can be configured in a way that the video pictures can be decoded independently of the depth data.
