Methods and apparatus for transmission of volumetric images in the MPI format. According to an example embodiment, texture and alpha layers of multiplane images are packed, as tiles, into a sequence of video frames. The sequence of video frames is then compressed to generate a video bitstream, which is transmitted together with a metadata bitstream specifying at least the parameters of the packing arrangement for the tiles in the sequence of video frames. Example packing arrangements include various selectable spatial and temporal arrangements for texture layers, alpha layers, and camera views. In some examples, the metadata bitstream is implemented using a SEI message and includes parameters selected from the group consisting of a size of the reference view, the number of layers in the multiplane image, the number of simultaneous views, one or more characteristics of the packing arrangement, layer merging information, dynamic range adjustment information, and reference view information.