The National Archives
Search our website
  • Search our website
  • Search our records
   
 
Image of software box and CD PRONOM
Welcome (PRONOM  home page) About PRONOM Add an entry
Search Help - opens in a new window Information resources - opens in a new window
 
 
 

*Details: File format summary

   
 

 

Search by keyword Search by file format Search by PUID Search by software Search by vendor Search by lifecycles Search by Migration Pathway

Details for:

Save as... XML | CSV Printer friendly version
 
 

Summary

Name Broadcast WAVE
Version 2 WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE Encoding
Other names BWAVE (2), BWF (2)
Identifiers MIME:  audio/x-wav
PUID:  fmt/711
Family WAVE
Classification Audio
Disclosure  
Description Broadcast WAVE is a chunk-based audio format developed by the European Broadcasting Union, and based on the Microsoft WAVE format, which is in turn based on the generic Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) specification developed by Microsoft and IBM. Structurally, a BWAVE file is composed of a number of chunks, each comprising a four character code chunk identifier, the chunk size, and the chunk data. It comprises a RIFF header with a WAVE data type identifier, followed by a series of chunks. Every file must include a Broadcast Audio Extension chunk, containing metadata required for exchange of information between broadcasters, a Format chunk, which describes the format of the audio data, and a Data chunk, containing the audio data itself. BWAVE files which contain MPEG-encoded audio data must also include a Fact chunk, containing file-dependent information about the audio data, and an MPEG Audio Extension chunk, containing extra information required to describe the MPEG encoding.
Orientation  
Byte order  
Related file formats Has priority over Waveform Audio  
Has priority over Waveform Audio (WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE)  
Has priority over Broadcast WAVE (2 Generic)
Technical Environment  
Released  
Supported until  
Format Risk  
Developed by None.
Supported by None.
Source National Library of New Zealand / National Library of New Zealand
Source date 11 Feb 2015
Source description  
Last updated 11 Feb 2015
Note  
Top of page Top of page
 
         
The National Archives Newsletter Icon

Send me The National Archives’ newsletter

A monthly round-up of news, blogs, offers and events.