Video Formats

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Video Formats

A video format is like a special type of container that holds a video file. It’s kind of like a lunch box that holds your food. There are many different types of video formats, just like there are many different types of lunch boxes.

Types of Video Formats

One of the most popular video formats is called MP4. This is like a lunch box that can hold lots of different types of food. Another popular format is AVI, which is like a lunch box that can only hold certain types of food.
There are many other video formats as well, like MOV, WMV, and FLV. Each one is like a different type of lunch box that can hold different types of food.

What is Compression?

Now, let’s talk about something called compression. This is like when you take a big sandwich and squish it down so it can fit in your lunch box. Video files can be really big, and that can make them hard to share or store. So, compression is a way to make the file smaller without losing too much quality.

Codecs

Compression is done using something called a codec. A codec is like a special tool that knows how to squish your video file down. Just like you might use a knife to cut your sandwich, a codec can cut your video file down to size.
There are many different codecs, and some are better than others. For example, H.264 is a very popular codec because it can make your video file much smaller without losing too much quality.

Why do Formats Matter?

So, why does all of this matter? Well, different devices and websites can only play certain types of video formats. It’s like how some lunch boxes can only fit certain types of food.
If you have a video file in the wrong format, you might not be able to play it on your device or share it with your friends. That’s why it’s important to know what format your video is in, and to convert it to a different format if you need to.

Conclusion

So, that’s video formats in a nutshell! Remember, a video format is like a lunch box that holds your video file. Compression is like squishing your sandwich down so it fits in the lunch box, and codecs are like special tools that do the squishing.
It’s important to know what format your video file is in, and to convert it to a different format if you need to. And if you want to make your videos louder, you can try using a tool like mp4gain to boost the volume.

The History of Video Formats

Video formats have a long and fascinating history, dating back to the early days of video recording. Over the years, video formats have evolved and improved, becoming smaller, more efficient, and more versatile. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the history of video formats, from the early days of analog recording to the latest digital formats.

Early Analog Formats

The first video recording devices used large, bulky tapes that could only hold a few minutes of footage. These analog tapes were cumbersome and difficult to work with, but they were the only option available at the time.
In the 1970s, the VHS format was introduced, which became the standard for home video recordings. Betamax tapes were also popular in Japan, but VHS ultimately won out due to its longer recording time and lower cost.

Digital Video Emerges

In the 1990s, digital video formats started to emerge, offering a more efficient and versatile way to record and store video. The first digital video format was called DV, which used small cassettes that could hold up to 60 minutes of footage.
Other digital formats soon followed, including MiniDV, Digital8, and HDV. These formats offered higher quality and greater flexibility than analog tapes, but they still had limitations when it came to sharing and distributing video content.

The Rise of Online Video

As the internet became more popular, new video formats were developed to make it easier to share videos online. In the early 2000s, the Flash Video format was introduced by Adobe, which made it possible to play videos on websites.
Other formats soon followed, including Windows Media Video (WMV), QuickTime, and RealVideo. However, these formats were often proprietary and could only be played on certain devices or platforms.

The Modern Era of Video Formats

Today, there are many different video formats available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. MP4 has become one of the most popular formats, thanks to its versatility and ability to be played on many different devices.
Other popular formats include AVI, MOV, and WMV. There are also specialized formats for different types of video content, such as H.264 for high-definition video and HEVC for 4K and 8K content.

The Future of Video Formats

As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more advanced video formats in the future, making it easier than ever to capture, share, and enjoy high-quality video content. Some of the emerging technologies in video formats include:
360-degree video formats, which allow viewers to experience video content in a fully immersive way
High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats, which offer a wider range of colors and contrast for more realistic and vibrant video
Virtual Reality (VR) formats, which allow viewers to experience video content in a completely immersive and interactive way
In conclusion, video formats have come a long way over the years, from the early days of analog recording to the latest digital and online formats. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in video formats, making it easier and more enjoyable than ever to capture and share high-quality video content.

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Understanding Video Containers: MP4, AVI, MKV, and More

Introduction to Video Containers

Video containers are an integral part of digital video technology, and they play a crucial role in delivering video content to users. A video container is essentially a file format that combines different types of data, including video, audio, and subtitles, into a single file. Video containers enable users to store and play back video files, and they support a wide range of codecs and other video-related technologies.

In this article, we will explore some of the most popular video containers in use today, including MP4, AVI, and MKV. We will provide an in-depth technical analysis of each container, including their history, features, benefits, and common codecs. We will also cover the purpose and definition of video containers, as well as the importance of choosing the right container for your needs.

The Purpose of Video Containers

The primary purpose of a video container is to store and organize video and audio content in a single file. Video containers are designed to accommodate multiple video and audio codecs, which are used to compress the video and audio data in the file. The container format also includes information about the video and audio streams, such as the frame rate, resolution, and bit rate.

The video container provides a common structure for storing video and audio data, and it enables users to easily share and distribute video files. Video containers are also used to deliver video content over the internet, as they support streaming technologies that enable users to watch video content without having to download the entire file.

History of Video Containers

The history of video containers dates back to the early days of digital video technology, when various video formats were being developed to store and play back digital video content. One of the earliest video container formats was AVI (Audio Video Interleave), which was introduced by Microsoft in 1992. AVI was designed to support multiple video and audio codecs, and it quickly became a popular format for storing and playing back video content.

In the years that followed, a number of other video container formats were developed, each with its own unique features and benefits. One of the most popular video container formats today is MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14), which was introduced in 2001 as a successor to the older MPEG-2 video format. MP4 is designed to be a highly versatile and efficient container format that can support a wide range of video and audio codecs.

Another popular video container format is MKV (Matroska Video), which was introduced in 2002 as an open-source alternative to other container formats. MKV is designed to support a wide range of video and audio codecs, and it also includes support for advanced features such as subtitles and multiple audio tracks.

Features and Benefits of Video Containers

One of the key features of video containers is their support for multiple video and audio codecs. Video codecs are used to compress video data in order to reduce file size and improve playback performance. Audio codecs are used to compress audio data in a similar manner.

Video containers also include information about the video and audio streams in the file, such as the frame rate, resolution, and bit rate. This information is used by media players to correctly play back the video and audio content, and it ensures that the video is displayed at the correct size and aspect ratio.

Another important feature of video containers is their support for streaming technologies, which enable users to watch video content without having to download the entire file. Streaming technologies work by delivering the video content in small chunks, which are downloaded and played back in real-time.

Common Codecs Used in Video Containers

One of the most important components of video containers is the codec used to compress and decompress the video data. Codecs are responsible for reducing the file size of the video while maintaining its quality. There are many different codecs available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

H.264/AVC

H.264/AVC is a widely used codec that provides a high compression ratio with good video quality. It is supported by most modern devices and is often used for streaming video online. However, it can be computationally intensive, requiring a powerful processor to decode.

HEVC/H.265

HEVC/H.265 is a newer codec that provides even better compression than H.264/AVC, resulting in smaller file sizes with higher quality video. It is also more efficient than H.264/AVC, meaning it requires less bandwidth to stream. However, it is not yet widely supported by devices and software, and it can be more computationally intensive to decode than H.264/AVC.

VP9

VP9 is a codec developed by Google that provides high-quality video at lower bitrates. It is commonly used for streaming video on YouTube and other Google services. However, it is not as widely supported as H.264/AVC or HEVC/H.265, and it can be more computationally intensive to decode.

AV1

AV1 is a relatively new codec that provides high-quality video at even lower bitrates than VP9. It is an open-source codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media, which includes major tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. However, it is not yet widely supported by devices and software, and it can be computationally intensive to decode.

Choosing the Right Video Container

When it comes to choosing the right video container, there are several factors to consider, including compatibility with devices and software, quality and file size considerations, and future-proofing.

Compatibility

The first factor to consider is compatibility. Different devices and software support different video containers and codecs, so it is important to choose a container and codec that is widely supported. MP4 is a good choice for maximum compatibility, as it is supported by most devices and software.

Quality and File Size

Another factor to consider is the quality and file size of the video. Different containers and codecs can result in different levels of quality and file size. Generally, newer codecs like HEVC/H.265 and AV1 provide higher quality video at lower file sizes, but they may not be supported by all devices and software.

Future-Proofing

Finally, it is important to consider future-proofing when choosing a video container. Video technology is constantly evolving, so it is important to choose a container and codec that will be supported in the future. MP4 is a good choice for future-proofing, as it is widely supported and likely to remain so in the future.

Conclusion

Video containers play a crucial role in the storage and playback of video content. Understanding the differences between video containers like MP4, AVI, and MKV, as well as the codecs used to compress and decompress the video data, is essential for choosing the right container for your needs. By considering factors like compatibility, quality and file size, and future-proofing, you can ensure that your video content is stored and played back seamlessly on a wide range of devices and software.

Currently popular video containers

Currently popular video containers

video containers
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AVI (Audio Video Interleaved) is an old (1992!) Container type and still very popular. We appreciate your appearance at Microsoft and the Video for Windows package. It is currently starting to lose ground to more modern containers due to lack of normal support for various modern audio tracks, subtitles and codecs (such as h.264), however it will remain popular for a long time due to increased support. from appliance manufacturers. It is generally used in combination with MPEG4 / DivX / Xvid codecs and compressed mp3 audio.

video container
MKV (Matroska, “Matryoshka”) is a modern container, developed as an open source project and lacks all the downsides of AVI: modern audio and video codecs, multiple audio tracks, and multi-track intro with Subtitle. Usually, but not necessarily, it is used in combination with modern h.264 / x.264 / AVC-1 codecs. Subjectively, it is the most popular for Internet distribution and local storage of high-quality video.
But nobody bothers, for example, to put MKV video inside, compressed by the “good old” Xvid. Also, in some situations, such actions are justified.
QuickTime (file extensions – *. Mov or *. Qt) is a fairly progressive container created by Apple, it supports almost all popular codecs and subtitle embeddings, moreover, unlike MKV, it is much more suitable for editing video material. engraved on said container. …
However, its normal support is only possible with the Apple QuickTime package installed on the computer; third-party open source reverse engineering developments do not provide full functionality.
ASF / WMV / WMA (Advanced Stream Format / Windows Media Video): Microsoft’s AVI replacement, file extensions, respectively: ASF, WMV, WMA (for audio files). Despite all the progressive innovations (support for multiple tracks, chapters, new codecs), support for h.264 is still difficult for them, which puts the future of this container in doubt.
FLV – Adobe Flash Video. It became tremendously popular thanks to YouTube. In the process of evolution, I learned to use modern audio and video codecs, but its focus on short, highly compressed Internet videos limits the scope of its distribution. For some reason embedded subtitles are not supported.
BDMV is in fact an uncompressed Blu-ray disc image, it has all the imaginable “advantages” (support for all modern audio and video formats, up to 3D), but it has serious demands on disk space and loading decoder. Therefore, the support of hardware players is still very limited.
3GP is a container focused on filming videos with mobile phones. Hence the limited support for audio formats, video formats are supported very progressively. There are no alternate audio tracks, timecode instead of subtitles. The weapon of a mobile reporter, in a nutshell.
MP4 is quite a progressive container, it supports video compression not only in MPEG4, as you might think from the name, but also using more modern methods. But I lost to the “matryoshka” in terms of support for subtitles and audio formats.
Divx is a container from the creators of the codec of the same name. Despite some progressiveness, it did not receive the same distribution. The reason is that you can only use the codec of the same name for video, and who needs it after that, if the “nesting doll” is more universal.
VOB is actually the official name of this MPEG 2 program stream container, that is, it is actually the content of the DVD. It supports only two video codecs, MPEG1 and MPEG2, otherwise the standard of the “before HDTV” era, because there is support for subtitles, chapters (if you take the whole disc as a single container) and various audio formats, including very progressive ones.
.ts MPEG 2 Transport stream, also found in files with the m2ts and mts extensions, popular due to digital satellite transmission, capable of using, despite the name, modern codecs and FullHD resolutions. Popular with fans of satellite TV, but inferior to “Matryoshka” in terms of flexibility of use.
OGG is a container formally designed to store audio in the OGG Vorbis format, but it can also store video. Despite the stated capabilities, it is exotic (this applies to video), for sound this container has already taken hold.
WAV is a container for storing sound, not necessarily uncompressed.
ISO is just an optical disc image. Anything can be inside. How the player will assimilate it is up to its developers.
MPG: Legacy VideoCD, MPEG 1 single format video container.

Video containers

Video containers

Video Container

For most users, video files with AVI extension are a separate video file format. In fact, this is not the case. In this case, the extension of an AVI video file is a container of a certain structure, which is used to store various information, such as video and audio data streams, and possibly also subtitles. The AVI video file container can hold video of almost any format, and maybe just audio. Next, we will consider the most widely used containers that can store audio and video information.

video container

AVI is the most popular and widespread type of video file. It was developed by Microsoft during the early days of the Windows operating system and is designed to store synchronized audio and video streams. AVI has a number of limitations that prevent the latest advances in data encoding from being applied, but despite this, it remains popular. Several of these restrictions were successfully circumvented in various clever ways, for example using variable bit rate audio streaming. In the Windows operating system, absolutely all video encoding programs can work with this container.

The OGM container is a completely open system that is part of the OGG project. It can accommodate a video stream of any format and sound in Ogg format, but it also has support for tracks in MP3 format. The main advantage over AVI is its instant rewind capability and built-in error correction.

MKV, called “Matryoshka” on the Internet in Russian, is a relatively recent new development of the video container. It is completely free and open source for any developer. MKV allows you to combine the latest advancements in video and audio encoding. When generating a file, any codecs can be used, both video and audio. Additionally, it supports variable bit rate, a DVD-like navigation menu, and the ability to link to movie chapters. To play files, you must install the Matroska Splitter filter, which will split the container content into sequences. To process video in this container, it will not be easy to find a suitable video encoding program that can trim MKV without re-encoding.

MP4 was developed by the MPEG group to store audio and video computing, and it also supports some types of animation. To play animations in 2D and 3D formats, the installation of special players is required, but these capabilities are still in the testing stage. Most of the portable devices save their files in the MP4 container.

The Quick Time container is used primarily on the Apple platform. Files with this container have the MOV extension and contain high-quality compressed video and sound. It can also be used on standard PC platforms, which requires the installation of the appropriate codec.

CODECS AND CONTAINERS

CODECS AND CONTAINERS

I.CODEC

Codecs are components (circuits, modules) or computer programs that create a stream of data to encode and / or can decode. The term “Codec” is a made-up word that consists of parts of the English terms CO der and DEC o. (En) Encoders are used to encode data streams for transmission (eg Reed-Solomon contributes to DVB error protection), Encrypt (eg AACS as content protection for Blu-ray Disc) or to reduce the amount of data (compression method, for example, MP3 for audio). The decoder (decoder) retrieves the encoder’s original input information from the encoded data stream.

codecs and containers

2. CODECS FOR COMPRESSING DATA STREAMS

No medium of storage or transmission is infinitely large. Therefore, the available resources must be budgeted. Therefore, it is very important to reduce the amount of data that must be transmitted or stored. There are different compression methods adapted to the information to be compressed.

Codecs and containers
Each compression method has its advantages and disadvantages. There is a trade-off between compression factor (= ratio of source file size to target file size), compression quality (= lossless / lossy -> type and number of artifacts), speed, usability , decoder distribution and finally also costs. Compression processes and their implementation in the market play an extremely important economic role, since compression algorithms can be patented and their use must be compensated by the payment of licenses by device manufacturers or software users. Some kind of content encryption can also be achieved through proprietary and undisclosed compression algorithms, allowing distribution control.

Operating principle

Compressing a digital signal means that parts of the information must be suppressed without changing the content of the information. These ‘superfluous’ data, the so-called redundancies and irrelevancies are components of information, for example an image, that are present several times (redundant) or cannot be perceived by humans (irrelevant). Furthermore, redundancies can also occur in the digital data describing the image, for example. All compression methods are based on the principle of eliminating redundant information. In most compression processes, several different algorithms are used one after the other to eliminate redundancies in content and data. Algorithms that discover and avoid redundancies on a purely mathematical basis usually work lossless without loss), that is, no information is lost. After compression and subsequent decompression the information then corresponds 1: 1 to the original. Compression algorithms that evaluate information components based on physiological models (for example, MP3) for their importance and then discard unimportant information (irrelevance reduction), function lossy with loss), since information it is lost during compression.

3. FILES WITH COMPRESSED CONTENT

If the data is compressed through a certain process, it must be put into a format in which it can be distributed. These can be streams that are streamed like DVB, for example, or files that are stored on a storage medium. The compressed “raw data” thus creates a structure that allows the data as in a container (transport container). The way this container or container format is made depends on the transmission medium, the operating system and the specific application.

II. CONTAINER FORMATS

Container files are file structures that simplify external (multimedia) data and allow exchange, even across platform boundaries. Container formats describe how this user data is stored (not how it is encoded!). In principle, cabinet files can contain all kinds of data, but they are generally restricted to specific data. Specialized in data types. For example, PDF files are ideal for reproducing documents that are true to the original, consisting of font information and raster or vector graphics, whereas an AVI file generally contains movie and sound information.

Container formats for multimedia applications always use already encoded data streams, i.e. compressed

Formats, extensions and codecs: what do they mean?

When it comes to audio files, we can talk about formats, extensions and codecs. In summary, we can say that the format refers to the type of file, identified by its extension (* .mp3, * .wav, * .ogg, * .wma etc), which often tells us how it has been encoded or which one is your codec.

Normally those endings are mixed. But what is important to know is that, as in videos, files with the same type of extension do not always have the same codec and vice versa.

This information is valid so that you do not feel lost in case you do not understand the reason why a software, which normally plays your * .m4a files, does not play another with the same extension, for example.

Such a situation could indicate that the codecs used are different. In that case, the solution would be to use other software to read the file or to convert it (new encoding). This can be done even in video editors.

The variations of formats and codecs depend on the options of the companies that develop the softwares that execute the files. In these cases, there are many things at stake, such as technical specifications and relations with patents.

On the other hand, files are usually divided into two types: uncompressed or compressed.

Uncompressed files

Audio recording equipment usually offers us options to record files without losing any information. These uncompressed files can be generated in various formats and extensions, such as WAV, AIFF, FLAC and ALAC. For those who are familiar with photography, they are equivalent to RAW or DNG.

As they are usually very heavy, using lossless formats in the final product is only recommended in some cases, such as:

when the final product can be processed by the consumer (files destined for sound banks, for example);
when there will be recording on physical media (CD, DVD and Blue-Ray);
or for the audiophile market (for a matter of perceived value and guarantee of high quality).
But, even if you don’t want to end the process with a WAV (one of the most common), lossless formats can be very useful at the editing stage. Because they contain a lot of information, they withstand more extreme alterations without harming the audio quality.

With plugins, conversions and processing, they can be manipulated more freely, guaranteeing excellent quality, even if a compressed file is subsequently generated.

Compressed files

Most of the equipment available on the market (cameras, cell phones and even audio recorders) usually deliver already compressed files. This type of file is more practical, easier to process, requires less storage space and is very small (in bytes).

Some examples of these formats are: 3GP, AAC, M4A, OGG, WMA and MP3, which is, without a doubt, the best known. Files are like JPEG or GIF in the images field.

Through a complex algorithm, these files are generated seeking to keep only relevant information for our ears. Depending on the compression mode, we can generate an MP3 from a WAV and have a file 10 times smaller, without perceptible alterations in audio quality.

Speaking of MP3, despite its great popularity, it is currently considered an obsolete format, since others, such as ACC (extension .acc or .m4a), make it possible to obtain smaller files and with higher quality.

Even so, MP3 is still widely used, since a large part of the softwares and equipment were developed for this format. So, to talk about compression rates, we will use it as an example.

Compression rate: what is its relationship to audio quality?
Now that you understand that a file can be compressed and maintain sufficient quality for our ears, you should know that the level of compression can vary greatly.

And it is by the value of the compression rate (or bitrate) that we manage to control the file size and, therefore, the audio quality.

For example, a 320 kbps (kilobits per second) MP3 may sound as good as uncompressed audio from a CD or DVD. As the bitrate value decreases, the file size decreases, but the sound losses become noticeable, depending on the audio.

Differences between Codec and container

Confusion between codec and container is very common. And even more if we add file extensions, such as .flv, .mp3, .mp4, etc.

What is a codec?

The codec term comes from the concatenation of the initials of two words: encoder and decoder. Strictly speaking, a codec is a specification on how to code a type of information and then be able to decode it. For example, a codec determines how video and audio information is compressed and decompressed. Remember that compression is a specific case of coding in which space is reduced, eliminating redundant or low perceptual impact information.

Coding means something like compressing. That is, it seeks to reduce the amount of bits that an audio file occupies. The idea is to reduce the amount of bits while maintaining the highest possible audio quality.

Obviously, once the files have been compressed, they need the counterpart, which becomes the decoder that is the one that can interpret and reconvert in sound what was written in the file.

Then, a codec is one that serves to compress and decompress (encode and decode) an audio or video file.

What is a container?

Within the multimedia scope, a container is a specification on how different types of encoded multimedia content are sorted within a file. These different contents are usually, mainly, video, audio and text.

Consider the case of a movie in digital format. This movie is in a file. When we open that file, a player runs and we can enjoy the movie. Notice that a movie has video, has audio, subtitles, information about its author, information about its duration, etc. For the convenience of the user, all these elements are grouped into a single file. The order in which they are saved in that file is the container specification.

Connection

The video information that is inside a container is usually compressed, that is, it usually follows the specification of a specific codec. The same goes for audio information. The confusion appears when there are containers and codecs with very similar or even equal names.

The most popular

The most popular video codecs currently are Theora, VP8, MPEG-2, h.264, Xvid and Divx. Regarding audio codecs: AAC, FLAC, MP3, Vorbis (ogg) and WMA are the most abundant.

The most commonly used containers are AVI, Divx, Matroska, Flash video, MP4, MPEG, Ogg, Quicktime, MXF and WebM. Since the containers are intrinsically linked to the files, each of them also specifies one or several possible file extensions:

AVI -> .avi
Divx -> .divx
Matroska -> .mkv, .mk3d, .mka, .mks
Flash video -> .flv, .f4v
MP4 -> .mp4
MPEG -> .mpg, .mpeg
Ogg -> .ogg
Quicktime -> .mov, .qt
MXF -> .mxf
WebM -> .webm

And to open a container and see its contents?

The containers are interpreted through a media player application, such as Windows Media Player, Quicktime (application with the same name as a container), VLC, Plex, RealPlayer or Winamp, to name a few .

A good option is the VLC player, as it offers compatibility with all formats under almost any platform and even allows you to play incomplete files (useful feature if you want to start playing an audiovisual content that has not yet finished downloading, provided that this be progressive). In addition, it is freely distributed.