packet identifier (MPEG) (PID)
- In DigitalVideo Broadcast( DVB), the Packet Identifier (PID) is used for error protection. It is a unique integer value that accompanies the Packetized Elementary Stream( ES) within a single or multiple program streams. Each individual stream is identified with Packet IDs. Arbitrary digits are assigned to the PIDs, but they remain the same for the same media content - audio, video, ancillary data - across the entire program stream. The packet identifier enables the receiver to filter out and process the corresponding data packets.
- Packet identifiers (PID) are also used in the USB protocol, where all transaction types start with an 8-bit PID field.