It simply means that there is a combination of audio and video data in one file to enable simultaneous playback of audio with video. Some popular types of “containers” are AVI, FLV, WMV, MP4 and MOV. MP4, or MPEG-4 Part 14, is perhaps the most common video file format available.
It is one of the oldest video file formats still popularly used. AVI files support a wide range of codecs, which is why they are so popular and common. Since this format was developed in the 90s, it was not aimed at streaming video over the Internet. For this reason, AVI files are relatively larger compared to new video file formats. This format is not preferred for internet upload or transmission purposes.
WMV format is perfect for storing large amounts of video and audio data without taking up too much space. It has a high compression ratio with the ability to maintain relatively good video quality. WMV was developed by Microsoft and as such xvid is compatible with Windows Media Player and other Windows-based programs. Nevertheless, compatibility with other operating systems and programs is quite limited. Unlike many other formats, WMV can serve as both a container and a codec.
It works efficiently with different video players and you can use it on all operating systems. Moreover, this format allows you to load high-definition video files in a fairly small file size. It’s also great for editing videos because it simplifies the process. This video format is quite popular in the media and film industry because it divides movies into tracks.
MP4 (.mp4) This format is used to store audio and video streams online. MP4 file format was created by Moving Picture Experts Group as a multimedia container format that stores audiovisual data. Flash Video Format (.flv) This video format is very popular due to the availability of flash player for cross-platforms. These video files are compatible with almost all browsers, making them suitable for the web. This format is compact and supports progressive and streaming downloads.
The underlying technology for this video file format is available to the public. It has a very small file size and supports high-quality video. It takes less time to load, as video playback is done directly in the browser with HTML5 without a flash player.
Most filmmakers don’t care that much about this topic, which is understandable. Not all computers, video platforms, and browsers support all available video formats. It can be confusing if you don’t know your MP4s from your MKV’s. Most digital devices and platforms support MP4, making it the most universal video format.
Container: A container is like a package that stores video and audio signal data. Most people refer to a container when they talk about a video file format. This is because containers are often kept as the extension of a video format.
AVI files store data that can be encoded in different codecs, although usually with M-JPEG or DivX codecs. This means that all AVI files, although they may look the same on the outside, differ significantly from each other on the inside. A normal video file in digital format consists of two parts, a “codec” and a “container”. A “codec” is used to compress and decompress a video file, as there are times when the video files are too large and can cause problems when downloading or playing the file. A “container” is a collection of files in which information about the digital file is stored.
This file format can be used to store photos and documents, but is usually used to store digital video and audio files. MP4 players were very popular in the early 2000s and allowed users to listen to music and watch videos on the go. Although portable MP4 players have declined in popularity, MP4 files are still widely used today. Many video file formats can also be transferred to other formats.