Type of format	Lossless video format
First published	2013
Developer	Panasonic
Filename extension	.bin
Open Format?	No
Free Format?	No
Magic Number	None

 Master Grade Video Coding (or MGVC) is a proprietary video codec developed by Panasonic. It enhances the video and offers 36-bit color depth (68,719,476,736 colors) using 12-bits per color. It is somewhat similar to Dolby Vision and HDR10+, but for standard BD.

The codec is not part of the BD specs and is completely optional for developers. MGVC is based on the MVC codec that adds an additional sub-stream with additional color data (4-bit color) along with the base-stream, AVC, that stores the standard 8-bit color.

In order to display this color depth, an MGVC compatible BD player must be used, and also televisions that support deep color or a color depth of up to 36 bits. BDs that are encoded with MGVC is backwards compatible with standard BD players and will ignore the sub-stream.

So far, the only MGVC compatible players are from Panasonic, such as the UB9000 and DMR-BZT9300 models, and they're exclusively from Japan. Panasonic has no intentions of licensing the technology to other player manufacturers. BDs that use MGVC are also sold in Japan.

Inside the BDMV directory, the MGVC content is located in the KDM folder and the files are under the .bin extension. The files are: EKF.bin,EKB.bin,EDL.bin and 0.bin - 3.bin. 3.bin contains the MGVC  video and uses the same compression technique as MVC. It is unknown what the other files do, assumingly metadata. EKF.bin,EKB.bin,EDL.bin could be used for security keys to prevent unauthorized usage, but that's speculation. None of these files contain any magic numbers.

According to the AV Forums, if you burn a MGVC-compatible disc into a BD-R, and play it on a MGVC-compatible player, it will play the normal AVC video but ignore the MGVC one. This was tested on a hacked U.S. version of a Panasonic BD player to make it MGVC compatible, but it is unknown if a burnt BD-R will work on a real Japanese version of a MGVC-compatible Panasonic BD player. If this is true, then that means that MGVC has very tight DRM and that's what the other BIN files are for.

MGVC encoded BDs will often have a logo, but not always. (Image: AV Watch)

With the codec patented by Panasonic and used exclusively on their players, UltraHD BD offers HDR with higher colors, and standard BDs can support xvYCC (defined by the IEC), adoption of MGVC has been slow and is highly doubtful it will be released outside of Japan. 

List of BDs that supports MGVC:

• Princess Mononoke (2013)   
• Porco Rosso  紅の豚 (2013)    
• The Tale of Princess Kaguya かぐや姫の物語 (2013)
• Spirited Away 千と千尋の神隠し (2014)    
• When Marnie Was There 思い出のマーニー (2015)
• Ocean Waves 海がきこえる (2015)
• Pom Poko 平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ(2015)
• The Boy and the Heron 君たちはどう生きるか (2024)
  
• Mary and the Witch's Flower メアリと魔女の花 (2018)   
• The Imaginary  屋根裏のラジャー (2024) 
• The Red Turtle (2017)
• Millennium Actress 千年女優 (2014)
  
• Shaun the Sheep Movie ひつじのショーン ~バック・トゥ・ザ・ホーム (2015)
• Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas ひつじのショーン スペシャル~いたずらラマがやってきた! (2017)
  
• Shaun the Sheep: Season 4, Part 1 ひつじのショーン シリーズ4 (2016)
• Shaun the Sheep: Season 4, Part 2 ひつじのショーン シリーズ4 (2016)
• Sherlock Hound The Movie  劇場版 名探偵ホームズ (2015)
• Gauche the Cellist セロ弾きのゴーシュ (2015)
• Jarinko Chie: The Movie じゃりン子チエ 劇場版 (2015)
• Panda! Go Panda! (パンダコパンダ) (2015)
• On Your Mark (2014)
• Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro ルパン三世 カリオストロの城 (2014)
  
• Le Samouraï サムライ(2016)
  
• Wrinkles (Arrugas しわ) (2013)
  
• Memories: High Spec Edition (2014)   
• Unforgiven 許されざる者 / Yurusarezaru mono (2014)
• Panasonic MGVC Sampler Disc (2014) 
• La La Land  ラ・ラ・ランド (2017)
  
• John Wick: Chapter 2 ジョン・ウィック:チャプター2 (2018)
• John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum ジョン・ウィック : パラベラム (2020)
  
• Lone Survivor ローン・サバイバー (2014) 
• Transcendence トランセンデンス (2014)
  
• Lauf Junge lauf ふたつの名前を持つ少年 (2016)
  
• SHORT PEACE 通常版 (2014)
• Shield of Straw 藁の楯 わらのたて (2013)
• Hero "2015" (2016)
• Hero "2007" (2016)
• Thermae Romae II テルマエ・ロマエⅡ (2014)
• Saint Seiya Legend Of Sanctuary aka 聖闘士星矢 LEGEND of SANCTUARY (2014)
  
• April Fools  エイプリルフールズ (2015)
  
• COPPELION Vol. 1 (2013)
  
• COPPELION Vol. 2 (2013)
• COPPELION Vol. 3 (2013)
• COPPELION Vol. 4 (2013)
• COPPELION Vol. 5 (2013)
• COPPELION Vol. 6 (2013)
• Fafner in the Azure: Exodus 蒼穹のファフナー EXODUS Disc1-12 (2018)
• 009 RE:CYBORG 豪華版 Blu-ray BOX (2013)
  
  
  

Sources and references

• Original research - Looked inside the Japanese BD of The Boy and the Heron 君たちはどう生きるか (2024)
• https://web.archive.org/web/20230830115237/https://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/201304/10/32810.html
• https://web.archive.org/web/20230618155045/https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/623515.html 
  
• https://web.archive.org/web/20150303070946/http://panasonic.jp/diga/blu-ray/bzt860_760/rec.html
• https://web.archive.org/web/20170623210512/http://www.stereosound.co.jp/media/panasonic/201306/diga/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20130831202951/http://www.stereosound.co.jp/column/from_inside/article/2013/07/27/23271.html
• https://web.archive.org/web/20130517044919/http://www.stereosound.co.jp/review/article/2013/04/10/20164.html
• https://web.archive.org/web/20161115092403/http://panasonic.co.jp/avc/pavcds/mgvc/
• https://japan.cnet.com/article/35030659/

Author(s) : Æ Firestone