People who record videos may want to store them on a computer or other device. Video format files allow consumers to save videos in several formats that may be viewed on a variety of devices. If you record or edit videos for a living, you may find it useful to learn about the various video formats so that you may select the one that best suits the project’s materials and aims.
We explain what a video format is, give you a list of nine different types of video files, and help you choose the best format for your job.
What types of video are there?
Video formats are the files containing images and sound for a video. Two primary components comprise a video format: a codec and a container. Like audio, subtitles, and graphics, a video’s information lives in a container. The container also helps to explain the file’s data’s arrangement. A codec is a piece of hardware designed to encode and decode data on a file, say for audio and video. It also reduces the video file prior to container storage.
Depending on the codec and container, you can use different video files.
When you’re working on a video job, you might come across these sample video file types:
MP4
MP4 is one of the most popular types of video files. It is also known as MPEG-4 Part 14. MP4 files can play high-quality files while keeping the file size small. Most devices can read MP4 files. MP4 files can be used to store many types of files, including music, video, and picture files. If you save something as an MP4, you can store text as well as videos and music files.
MOV
High-quality videos can be stored in MOV formats, although they usually only operate with QuickTime players. In other words, they can’t be used with other social platforms. More than one version of QuickTime player can be used on a MAC or a PC. MOV files can be played on TV and on many popular viewing devices.
WMV
Videos in the WMV (Windows Media Viewer) format have pretty good quality, but the files are pretty big. This format was made by Microsoft for Windows Media Players. Apple users can also watch WMV videos. Yet, they need to get Windows Media Player to be able to watch it. Other than that, WMV files doesn’t work with Apple products. This file is supported by YouTube, which makes it easy to share and watch.
AVI
AVI files can be opened in a number of web sites on both Windows and Mac computers because they can use different codecs. You can pick the best quality and size for your video files if the format is flexible. This video format makes very high-quality videos, but the files are much bigger, so they take up more room. If you want to watch videos on TV, YouTube is a good option because you can watch AVI videos there.
AVCHD
Digital camcorders can record in AVCHD format, which is helpful for making sure you don’t lose quality when you’re travelling. This is helpful for people who like to record videos with their phones because they can use this video format to make videos that take up less room. The most recent version of this format can also play three-dimensional videos, which is another plus.
FLV
Adobe Flash Player can play FLV files, which are flash videos. This file format has been used for a long time because it works with many browsers and devices, so you can stream videos with it. The files in this format are small, which makes them easy to store and download. You might choose FLV files over other types of files because some computers can only read them.
MKV
The Matroska (MKV) format was made by developers in Russia. It is popular because it is free and has numerous features. MKV files can contain video, music, and subtitles in one file. This format is also suitable for archiving videos because the videos will remain valuable in the future. Several codecs can play MKV files, but not all platforms or apps can.
How to Pick a Video Format
Figure out if people will see it on the web
First, think about whether you want to watch the video on the web. If so, try to pick a video file type that works with a number of web browsers. For instance, most browsers can play videos in WEBM and MP4 forms. As long as you pick a file type that web browsers can read, you can watch the video without getting a media player.
Choose whether to save a video
When saving a video, you may want to use a high-quality file format. Saving old videos in high-quality format lets you view them once more down road. AVI or MP4 files would help you save out-of-date training videos from your workplace.
Find out which Windows version you run.
See the version of Windows you currently have; some video files only fit particular versions. If you are running a newer edition, you might have more choices. Should you or your business use earlier Windows versions, you could have to choose a file type compatible for more than one outdated model. On previous computers, for instance, you might use the WMV video format instead of Window.