Introduction

The iXML specification is designed to provide an unambiguous communication of file and project based metadata between various stages of workflow in production, telecine, picture editorial and audio post production. iXML is primarily designed to be used as a RIFF (embedded tagged data) chunk inside a Broadcast Wave file (although it can be optionally included in other file types), to supercede the metadata currently written in the standard Broadcast Wave 'bext' chunk description field in a non-standardised way by several manufacturers. iXML is intended to offer a standardised specification to communicate all information currently in use, and to provide an extensible framework for manufacturers to add new private, or public data, and for the specification to expand in a completely forward and backwards compatible manner.

2019 - update: iXML is now being enhanced to suit applications in IP video and audio streams to provide unambigious and standardised metadata to associate and describe streams.

iXML uses the XML (eXtensible Markup Language) standard for communication of tagged metadata. All fields are optional when creating iXML, and readers of iXML data must not assume or require any fields to be present.

Primary uses of iXML include:
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Disk-Based Field Recorders
Telecine Data Management Systems
Non Linear Video Editing Systems
Digital Audio Workstations
Asset Management Systems
Audio Playback Systems

The overall purpose of iXML is to allow metadata-creators to embed rich metadata into media files which will be carried through a workflow and which can be easily and clearly read by metadata-aware software and hardware. As XML based information, the iXML metadata is also human readable which offers additional benefits where iXML compliant software and hardware is not available, as well as simplifying the process of iXML implementation by vendors.

[ A very readable overview of iXML was published by LineUp magazine and may be viewed here ]

The iXML specification is totally without any requirement to license or qualification of use. This specification document was drawn up by Gallery UK. Any comments or requested supplements / changes to this document should be sent to metadata@gallery.co.uk

The iXML logo may be used by officially iXML Compatible devices which have a published iXML Implementation chart. The logo may be used without specific license, but the logo design itself is © Air Inc. Ltd.

The iXML specification is released to the public domain but the specific documentary text describing iXML on this site is © Gallery UK and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.