Main video formats.
AVI (.avi)
AVI (.avi) This is a standard Windows file format. It is very versatile and this format is the main one for importing and editing videos and converting to other video files on Windows. When encoding or playing an AVI file, you need to be careful about the “codec”. As a result of the development of various compression techniques, many codecs now exist. Even if the AVI file looks the same, it will be different if the codec is different. The AVI itself is a container that stores video and audio compressed with a video codec and an audio codec. If the AVI file cannot be played, it often happens that the codec used for compression is not installed. In that case, you can play it by checking the file’s codec with freeware and installing the codec.
Fast time
QuickTime (.mov) A standard Mac file format that plays in QuickTime Player. It can be played on Windows with QuickTime Player. This format is the main one for editing and playing videos on Mac. Like AVI, QuickTime has several codecs, so you must have the codecs installed to play them.
Mpeg-1
Video Mpeg-1 (.mpg): This is the standard used for CD (VCD) and the image quality is equivalent to VHS. The feature is that you can store a video for about an hour on a CD. Playback is possible on both Windows and Mac (some may not be visible). You can play it in an environment without a DVD drive or burn a video to CD, which is cheaper than DVD.
Mpeg-2
Mpeg-2 (.mpg) A standard used in DVD-Video and digital broadcast, and the image quality is equivalent to DVD. To make a DVD-Video (DVD for playback on a household appliance such as a DVD player) from Mpeg-2, there is a job called “authoring”. Since it cannot be played with Windows Media Player or standard QuickTime Player, if you want to play it on your computer, add a function to the player or install the player that comes with the DVD drive and play it. There are Mpeg-1, Mpeg-2 and Mpeg-4 in Mpeg, but the extension is the same “.mpg”.
WMV (.wmv)
WMV (.wmv) Abbreviation for “Windows Media Video”, a standard used by video distribution sites such as “Gyao” and “Yahoo! Video”. This format is mainstream for video sites distributing copyrighted works because it was developed on the premise of real-time distribution and has a copy protection feature called DRM (Digital Rights Management). Video files can be played with standard Windows Media Player. Playback is possible on Mac by adding a feature to QuickTime Player (some may not be possible). In the case of streaming, it may not be possible to play on Mac or other browsers other than Internet Explorer.
FLV (.flv)
FLV (.flv) A file format developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated, which is used by video publishing sites such as “YouTube” and “Nico Nico Douga”. In streaming distribution, it can be played regardless of environment, such as operating system and browser, and anyone can easily distribute videos, so it has spread explosively. When playing in a browser, play with Adobe Flash Player, which is a plug-in (additional feature) of the browser. Since FLV files alone cannot be played with standard Windows Media Player or QuickTime Player, add features to the player or install and play a player that can play FLV files.
MPEG-4
MPEG-4 (.mp4) Mpeg-1 and Mpeg-2 are combined and the format is suitable for use on the Internet, and the data capacity can be reduced with a high compression rate. It is supported as standard on both recent Windows PCs and Macs, and can be played without installing any software. However, technically, it is not a good format for high-quality videos that are too large.
H.264
H.264 H.264 is also used for digital terrestrial broadcasting and single segment broadcasting, and is a codec format that has become more widespread with the advent of the high definition era. H.264 is much more compressed than traditional codecs. Unlike previous formats, H.264 is a codec, not a file format. In other words, it is a usage called “H.264 codec QuickTime”. What is called MPEG-4 / AVC is synonymous with H.264.
AVCHD AVCHD
AVCHD AVCHD is a format for recording high definition video to DVD or hard drive. It has a different meaning than “file format”, but most modern camcorders record in AVCHD format, so I’ve covered it here. AVCHD is more of a media standard than a WMV or MPEG-4 file format. For example, it can be said that it is close to the “standard” like VHS and DVD-Video.
