SMPTE Standards FAQ

SMPTE Standards and other Engineering Documents are created by volunteer committees representing various sectors of the industry.  Committee members participate as individuals, but many represent a manufacturer or user organization.

Most committee members are Professional Members of SMPTE, either as individuals or as members designated by a Corporate member organization (see Membership).  There is no requirement for SMPTE membership -- non-members who have a professional interest in, or are affected by, SMPTE Standards may also join standards committees.

All committee members, except for some SMPTE members who are exempted, pay an annual fee that offsets a small part of the cost of the program.  Rules for exemption are published at Participation Fees and Exemptions.

All participants, prior to joining any SMPTE standards committee must agree to abide by the Society Bylaws, the Operations Manuals, and specifically the Standards Operations Manual (see Policies and Governance).  Particular attention should be paid to the IP Policy and the Participation Agreement incorporated therein.

SMPTE committees are open to professionals interested in, or affected by, SMPTE Standards.

All committee members, except for some SMPTE members who are exempted, pay an annual fee that offsets a small part of the cost of the program.  Rules for exemption are published at Participation Fees and Exemptions. (Note that links from this page will open in a new browser tab or window, depending on your browser settings; this page will remain accessible.)

Are you already a SMPTE member?  If so, please jump to (2) below

1) For Non-Members

Please go to https://members.smpte.org/user .  If you have previously registered on the SMPTEwebsite, login (if you have forgotten your password, use the "Request a new password" tab).  If you have not previously registered, please use the "Create a user account" tab and enter the requested information; there is no charge for this registration.

When your registration is accepted thou will be routed to a page titled "Join SMPTE and Start Connecting".  If you wish to join SMPTE, please use the link provided on this page, and select "Professional" or "Professional Executive" membership level.  Complete the join process, then go to (2) below.

If you wish to participate in standards committees (for a slightly higher fee) without joining SMPTE , please email Membership or the Director of Engineering for details.

2) You are a SMPTE Member ...

If you are a Student or Associate member, please upgrade  to Professional or Professional Executive membership.

As a Professional or Professional Executive Member, do you think you might qualify for exemption from the participation fee?  If so, please consult the exemption rules at Participation Fees and Exemptions, and follow the instructions on this page.

Otherwise, please log in to your "My Account" page at https://members.smpte.org/user (if you have forgotten your password, use the "Request a new password" tab on the login page).  Then select "Purchase or Renew your Standards Community Participation" under "Member Links" on the right-hand side of the page.  Payment will be requested at the prevailing rate (currently $250/year) pro-rated from today's date to the expiration of your membership.

Once you have completed payment you will have access rights to the Standards Workspace.

For an introduction to the Workspace see below.

The SMPTE Standards Workspace is provided by Kavi Corporation (and you will hear the Workspace referred to as "Kavi").  Once you have been registered for Standards Participation you will be able to log in to the Workspace.  (SMPTE has a Single-Sign-On system, so if you are already logged in on the main smpte.org site you will not be required to log in to the Workspace (unless your login has expired).

The Workspace provides a hierarchical structure of Groups, each providing a document repository, email list, calendar, balloting, etc.

At the top of the SMPTE engineering committees structure is the "Standards Community".  If you have just registered for standards participation, your first task is to join the Standards Community.  Select "Join Group" and carefully read the Participation Agreement.  If you agree to these terms, complete the click-through process.  You are now a member of the Standards Community, and may join additional committees (groups) without further formality.

However, you need to understand that the structure is hierarchical.  To join a sub-group, you must be a member of its parent.  So, please start by reviewing the list of the top-level Technology Committees, and join the one(s) that interest you.  You can review the list, and see a synopsis of each committee's work area at Technology Committees.