Video File Formats
Video converts about any video file format to about any other. On this page we have described the characteristics of the more common video file formats. Other formats exist, but we concentrate on the more well known ones.
MPEG Video File (.MPG; .MP4)
Common video formats standardized by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). MPG typically indicates MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 compression, while MP4 indicates MPEG-4. Often used for creating downloadable movies. Unlike AVI and QT, not developed for a particular operating system.
- MPEG-1. Is often used in digital cameras and camcorders to capture small video clips. It's also the compression format used to create Video CD's, and commonly used for posting clips on the Internet. The MP3 audio format is part of the MPEG-1 codec.
- MPEG-2. Employed in commercial DVD movies, home DVD's, and most digital satellite TV broadcasts. The MPEG-2 codec allows for selectable amounts of compression to be applied, which is why DVD recorders can offer a range of recording speeds. MPEG-2 is considered a container format.
- MPEG-4. Is a flexible MPEG container format, used for both streaming and downloadable web content. Device manufacturers prefer MPEG-4 because the open architecture and codec do not lock them into specific formats or players.
Common Players: QuickTime Player, Windows Media Player, and about any other video player.
Adobe Flash File (.FLA; .SWF; .FLV)
FLA files are animations created by Adobe Flash, they can include text as well as both vector and raster graphics. Nowadays FLA also supports embedded video. When a FLA file is published for the Web, it takes on the SWF extension.
FLV is a Flash video file in which the video and audio are compressed.
Common Players: Flash Player, Web browser with Flash Player plugin.
Real Networks File (.RA; .RM; .RAM)
edia file formats used by RealPlayer. Contains audio or video data or both. May be a downloaded file or may be a streaming media file. One of the most popular formats for streaming content on the Internet, RealMedia includes the RealAudio codec for sound clips and RealVideo codec for movies. RealAudio and RealVideo files are often given the common RealMedia (RM) file extension. RealMedia is a container format that's often heavily compressed for streaming.
Common Players: RealPlayer.
3GPP Multimedia File (.3GP)
Audio and video container format designed as a multimedia format for transmitting audio and video files between 3G cell phones and over the Internet. Commonly used by mobile phones that support video capture.
Common Players: QuickTime Player, RealPlayer, VLC Media Player, MPlayer, MIKSOFT Mobile 3 GP Converter.
QuickTime Movie File (.QT; .MOV)
QT has some great compression schemes which often make QT files smaller without loss of quality. Though developed and supported primarily by Apple, this flexible format is also commonly used on Windows systems and other platforms. In Windows, QuickTime files usually appear with the MOV filename extension.
Common Players: QuickTime Player.
Advanced Systems Format File (.ASF)
Windows Media Player file format for audio and video on the Internet or other network. It is a flexible and compressed format that contains streaming audio, video, slide shows and synchronized events. Can be compressed using a variety of video codec.
Common Players: Windows Media Player.
Advanced Stream Redirector File (.ASX)
These files are text files used for redirection to Windows Media Player. Contain media and server information, but no actual video or audio. ASX files can be distributed as attachments or links. When you open an ASX file, the file opens the referenced video in a media player.
Common Players: Windows Media Player.
Windows Media Video File (.WMV)
Video or audio file based on the Microsoft Advanced Systems Format (ASF) container format and compressed with Windows Media compression; WMV is basically an ASF file that uses a Windows Media Video codec. WMV files can be downloaded or streamed.
Common Players: Windows Media Player, Web browser plugin.
Audio Video Interleave File (.AVI)
Is a container format, meaning that it specifies how the data will be organized, but is not itself a form of audio or video compression. It can use several compression schemes. Many DV cameras shoot in AVI format. Typically less compressed than MPG and MOV.
Common Players: QuickTime Player, Windows Media Player, VLC Media Player, Winamp.
