Identify the Formats Used When Encoding Video

What are Video Encoding Formats?

Video encoding formats ( also called video file formats ) are methods of optimizing digital video files for different platforms, programs, and devices. There are many different kinds of video encoding, but each i composed of two main parts: a codec and a container. The codec and container specify the way in which uncompressed video input is stored, transmitted, and viewed.

How does Video Encoding Work?

Video encoding is the process of turning uncompressed video input into a form that can be stored and played by a variety of devices. Video encoding involves two main processes: compression and transcoding. 

Compression, or the discarding of superflous data, significantly decreased the size of a video file so that it is more manageable. Without proper compression, most files would be far too large to upload easily, load quickly, or play smoothly on users' devices. 

What is a Codec?

A codec ( coder/decoder ) is a computer program or device that compresses and decompresses data so that it can be easily transported and received by different applications. Separate codecs are used to compress audio and video files, but they generally work in the same way. 

Codecs encode files using either lossy compression or lossless compression. Lossy compression simplifies the data in a video file and only keeps the essential parts. This is why a video using lossy compression may look pixelated or fuzzy.

What is a Container?

A container combines ah encoded audio stream (audio codec), encoded video stream (video codec), and metadata in a single video file. The metadata tells the video player how to coordinate different audio and video codecs and may also provide additional elements, such as subtitles or alternate audio streams. Each container supports a different range of video codecs. Some containers only work with a single type of codec and video player, which drastically limits playback options. Other containers are compatible with many types of video codecs and players.

What are the common types of Video Encoding Formats?

MP4: MPEG-4 Part 14 (MP4) is a video file format created by the Motion Picture Expert Group. It compresses audio and video separately, which allows MP4 files to retain relatively high video quality after compression.

MOV: QuickTime Movie (MOV) is a video file format created by Apple. Although it can run on both Mac OS and Windows OS, it is only compatible with QuickTime video players. It preserves video quality, but does not offer as much file compression as other common video formats, such as MP4.

AVI: Audio Video Interleave (AVI) is a video file format created by Microsoft. It is one of the oldest video file container specifications. AVI works with a number of different codecs, which can affect how well it is supported by different operating systems and browsers. It prioritizes video quality over compression, meaning that video files are larger and better quality overall.

FLV: Flash Video Format (FLV) is a video file format created by Adobe Flash. A clear advantage of FLV is its ability to compress video files without severe loss of video quality. However, it is far less compatible across devices and OSes than other file formats: Though it is supported by most browsers and Android devices, it cannot be used to play any video files on iOS devices like iPhones or iPads. Some browsers are dropping support for Adobe Flash because it is considered to be insecure.

WebM: WebM is a video file format developed by Google. It is a subset of the open-standard Matroska Video Container (MKV) format, which is highly adaptive to most video and audio codecs and compatible with a wide range of platforms and devices. WebM is a web-friendly, open-source alternative to MP4 that maintains high video quality after compression. Both MP4 and WebM are supported by HTML5.