What is the video file format?
Differences with the main types of video file formats
What is a video file format?
Have you ever become aware of the “video file format” when opening or downloading video files using your computer or the Internet?
The videos that we reproduce through our computers and the Internet are made by moving a series of still images in seconds in the same way as flip charts.
In other words, a video file is the same that contains a large number of photos, and if you try to save it to your computer or smartphone as is, the capacity will be immediately reduced.
Hence, a mechanism is used to compress the video file into various file formats and then save it.
Compressing into some video file format in this way is called “encoding.” Since the video file format used for encoding is selected according to the purpose, it cannot be unconditionally said that “which file format is excellent and easy to use.”
Here, we have summarized the types and differences of video file formats.
Video file format “AVI”
Video file format “AVI”
Sort the AVI alphabet of the acronym Audio Video Interleave by hand in the computer system.
There are various types of video file formats such as “AVI”, “WMV” and “FLV” that are used on personal computers and smartphones.
Generally speaking, the difference between each video file format is “difference in standard when compressing”.
Since the amount of original data stored in the standard used for video compression is very large, various types of formats have been developed in terms of compression rate, image quality after compression, compatibility with OS and software, etc. . The competition is repeated.
For example, the characteristic of the AVI file format is that it was developed as a standard file format of the Windows operating system, assuming it handles video with audio on Windows.
Video files encoded in AVI format can be played with the “Windows Media Player” that comes standard with Windows, and can also be played with other software that supports AVI.
Video in AVI format is a versatile file format for Windows users.
Relationship between AVI and codec / Problem
AVI and codec
You should also know how to install “codecs” to play videos encoded in various video file formats.
A program called a codec is used for video compression.
To play a video file compressed in the file format, the same codec is required as when compressed.
The codec may already be installed on your player, but if it is not installed, you will need to install the codec separately.
The codec is often the cause of the problem that the video file encoded in AVI format cannot be played. Since the same type of codec used for compression is not installed on the computer to play the video, it is often impossible to play the video.
AVI “supports multi-codec compression”, but you can’t tell the codec type at the time of compression just by looking at the file extension (.avi). Therefore, for users watching videos, it is difficult to determine the type of codec required and it is difficult to prepare the environment.
About file formats like “WMV” and “FLV”
Let’s check out video file formats other than AVI.
1. WMV
WMV is an abbreviation for “Windows Media Video”, which is a video file format developed by Microsoft. Like the previous AVI, it is a file format compatible with the Windows standard, but it has the characteristic that it was developed with streaming playback as a previous step.
Since it uses a compression method with a copy protector called DRM (Digital Rights Management), it is often used when you want to distribute copyrighted videos such as movies and animations.
Differences with the main types of video file formats
What is a video file format?
Have you ever become aware of the “video file format” when opening or downloading video files using your computer or the Internet?
The videos that we reproduce through our computers and the Internet are made by moving a series of still images in seconds in the same way as flip charts.
In other words, a video file is the same that contains a large number of photos, and if you try to save it to your computer or smartphone as is, the capacity will be immediately reduced.
Hence, a mechanism is used to compress the video file into various file formats and then save it.
Compressing into some video file format in this way is called “encoding.” Since the video file format used for encoding is selected according to the purpose, it cannot be unconditionally said that “which file format is excellent and easy to use.”
Here, we have summarized the types and differences of video file formats.
Video file format “AVI”
Video file format “AVI”
Sort the AVI alphabet of the acronym Audio Video Interleave by hand in the computer system.
There are various types of video file formats such as “AVI”, “WMV” and “FLV” that are used on personal computers and smartphones.
Generally speaking, the difference between each video file format is “difference in standard when compressing”.
Since the amount of original data stored in the standard used for video compression is very large, various types of formats have been developed in terms of compression rate, image quality after compression, compatibility with OS and software, etc. . The competition is repeated.
For example, the characteristic of the AVI file format is that it was developed as a standard file format of the Windows operating system, assuming it handles video with audio on Windows.
Video files encoded in AVI format can be played with the “Windows Media Player” that comes standard with Windows, and can also be played with other software that supports AVI.
Video in AVI format is a versatile file format for Windows users.
Relationship between AVI and codec / Problem
AVI and codec
You should also know how to install “codecs” to play videos encoded in various video file formats.
A program called a codec is used for video compression.
To play a video file compressed in the file format, the same codec is required as when compressed.
The codec may already be installed on your player, but if it is not installed, you will need to install the codec separately.
The codec is often the cause of the problem that the video file encoded in AVI format cannot be played. Since the same type of codec used for compression is not installed on the computer to play the video, it is often impossible to play the video.
AVI “supports multi-codec compression”, but you can’t tell the codec type at the time of compression just by looking at the file extension (.avi). Therefore, for users watching videos, it is difficult to determine the type of codec required and it is difficult to prepare the environment.
About file formats like “WMV” and “FLV”
Let’s check out video file formats other than AVI.
1. WMV
WMV is an abbreviation for “Windows Media Video”, which is a video file format developed by Microsoft. Like the previous AVI, it is a file format compatible with the Windows standard, but it has the characteristic that it was developed with streaming playback as a previous step.
Since it uses a compression method with a copy protector called DRM (Digital Rights Management), it is often used when you want to distribute copyrighted videos such as movies and animations.
