About This Initiative
FADGI is a collaborative effort started in 2007 by federal agencies to articulate common sustainable practices and guidelines for digitized and born digital historical, archival and cultural content. Two working groups study issues specific to two major areas, Still Image and Audio-Visual.
Summary chart of FADGI's impact within the Library of Congress and the wider community. Updated April 1, 2021.
Learn more about the initiative
Still ImageWorking Group
This group is involved in a cooperative effort to develop common digitization guidelines for still image materials.
Audio-VisualWorking Group
This group works collaboratively on common and sustainable technical guidelines, methods, and practices for digitized and born digital sound recordings and moving images.
- Updated Guidelines for Embedded Metadata in BWF Files
Approved by Working Group | April 26, 2021
The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group is pleased to release version 3 of Guidelines for Embedding Metadata in Broadcast WAVE Files with support for use of Associated Data List Chunk to accompany use of Cue Chunk and Cue Points, expanded options for CodingHistory values and more. These updates are reflected in the open source BWF MetaEdit application.
- DRAFT Significant Properties for Digital Video
Working Group DRAFT | August 7, 2019
The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group is pleased to release a first draft of its Significant Properties for Digital Video project for public comment. Once complete, the project will include a summary page, a more detailed explanation of key terms and concepts, references and other resources.
- SMPTE RDD 48 MXF Archive and Preservation Format and Sample Files
Approved by Working Group | July 15, 2019
SMPTE has published RDD 48, a Registered Disclosure Document representing the FADGI-sponsored MXF Archive and Preservation Format. RDD 48 specifies a vendor-neutral subset of the MXF file format for the long-term archiving and preservation of moving image and other audiovisual content. New sample files are also available in both NTSC and PAL standard uncompressed and JPEG2000 versions.
- embARC for DPX Files Open Source Software Beta Release
Draft for Public Comment | April 2019
The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group announces the beta release of embARC (Metadata Embedded for Archival Content), a new open source tool for metadata embedding and validation. embARC includes flexibility functionality for DPX files which enables users to audit and correct internal metadata of both individual files or an entire DPX sequence while not impacting the image data to support FADGI’s Guidelines for Embedded Metadata within DPX File Headers for Digitized Motion Picture Film.
- Audio Digitization System Performance: Low Cost Guidelines and ADCTest Software Released
Updated by Working Group | March 2019
The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group has approved a set of guidelines for low cost testing of audio analog-to-digital converters as part of its ongoing program to test performance of ADC devices. To facilitate this work, AVP on behalf of FADGI developed the ADCTest open source software application to automate testing protocols to comply with the low cost guidelines. A revised version of ADCTest was released in March 2019.
- Guidelines for Embedding Metadata in DPX File Headers
Approved by Working Group | August 14, 2017
The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group has developed guidelines for embedding metadata in the DPX header, a file format often used for digitized motion picture film. The guidelines outline FADGI implementations of the SMPTE Core fields as well as other elements Strongly Recommended, Recommended or Optional for FADGI use. The approved version includes significant revisions from the 12/16/16 draft version such as a justification about the rationale for embedded metadata and explanations of issues with date/time formatting and data overruns.
- OpenDICE and AutoSFR Open Source Software
Approved by Working Group | January 2017
OpenDICE software measures DICE device level imaging target files for conformance with the FADGI imaging guidelines. AutoSFR software measures physical structures in an image file to determine the effective resolution of the image, useful to help determine the appropriate scanning resolution for best results.
- Technical Guidelines for the Still Image Digitization of Cultural Heritage Materials
Approved by Working Group | September 2016
The 2016 FADGI Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials has been approved by the Still Image working group. This represents shared best practices for still image materials (e.g., textual content, maps, and photographic prints and negatives) followed by FADGI agencies, and is used by cultural heritage institutions worldwide.
All FADGI Guidelines
News & Events
- Updated Guidelines for Embedded Metadata in BWF Files
- FADGI updates at Library of Congress I\V/A\V Informal Audio Visual Summit in September 2020
Frequently Requested Guidelines and Tools
- embARC (Metadata Embedded for Archival Content)
- OpenDICE and AutoSFR
- ADCTest
- MXF Application Specification and Sample Files
- Audio Analog-to-Digital Converter Performance
- Digitizing Motion Picture Film
- Creating and Archiving Born Digital Video
- File Format Comparison Projects
- Embedding Metadata in Broadcast WAVE Files
Blog Posts
- New Audio Digitization Performance Testing Guidelines and Software from FADGI, February 8, 2018
- New FADGI MXF AS-07 Specification and Sample Files Published, October 18, 2017
- FADGI’s 10th Anniversary: Adapting to Meet the Community’s Needs, February 6, 2017
- New FADGI Guidelines for Embedded Metadata in DPX Files, December 16, 2016
Last Updated: 05/06/2021