This practice specifies the structure and parameters of the data for interfacing MPEG-2 4:2:2 profile and digital audio in the professional environment. - The purpose of this practice is to facilitate video and audio bitstream interchange between MPEG-2 compliant equipment. - An overview of associated documents in given in annex C. - The combination of this document and those referenced in annex C will assist design and application of MPEG-2-based professional television equipment that facilitates bitstream interchange among different applications and over a wide set of user requirements. - This practice is limited to the video and audio parameters of such a system. - This practice defines the MPEG-2 operating ranges. These ranges constrain characteristics of the MPEG-2 4:2:2 profile to ensure bitstream interchange in the professional environment. These operating ranges are subsets of ISO/MPEG profiles and levels. This practice defines two operating ranges for standard-definition television and three operating ranges for high-definition television. It also defines a hierarchial relationship among the ranges. - All the MPEG-2 data structures defined in this practice are ISO/IEC 13818-2 4:2:2 profile compliant and as such are decodable by MPEG-2 4:2:2 profile compliant stand-alone decoders at the appropriate level. Inasmuch as the 4:2:2 profile also requires standalone decoders to decode main profile structures (4:2:0), existing main profile sources can be accommodated.