Video File Formats - MP4, MOV, MKV
Summary
TLDRThis video dives into the world of video file formats and codecs, explaining the differences between file extensions like MP4, MKV, and MOV, and the importance of codecs such as H.264 and H.265 for video compression. It highlights how these codecs help reduce file size while maintaining quality, touching on open-source alternatives like VP8 and VP9. The video also covers container files, their compatibility, and features. Lastly, it discusses Adobe Flash formats being phased out and offers tips on simplifying workflows across multiple computers using tools like Synergy.
Takeaways
- πΉ Video file extensions like MP4, MKV, and MOV are containers, not just formats.
- π§ A codec compresses or decompresses video files to save space; H.264 is one of the most popular codecs due to its efficiency.
- π¦ H.264 compresses video by predicting blocks of pixels and only saving differences, similar to JPEG compression for images.
- π¬ H.265 (HEVC) is more efficient than H.264, supporting larger blocks and better predictions, crucial for 8K streaming.
- πΌ Both H.264 and H.265 are patent-protected, requiring companies to pay royalties for their use.
- π Google's VP8 and VP9 codecs are open-source alternatives to HEVC, often used based on device compatibility (e.g., Netflix).
- π₯ MP4 is widely compatible and commonly used, but MKV is becoming more popular due to its flexibility and support for modern codecs.
- π Apple's MOV format is useful for editing due to faster export times in tools like Final Cut Pro.
- π» FLV and F4V are formats for Adobe Flash, which is being phased out.
- π±οΈ Synergy allows seamless movement of the mouse between multiple computers, solving the issue of multiple peripherals.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video?
-The video focuses on explaining common video file formats and codecs, their differences, and how they are used in media editing and streaming.
What is the difference between a file format and a codec?
-A file format, like MP4 or MKV, refers to the container that holds video and audio data, while a codec is the scheme used to compress or decompress that data, such as H.264 or HEVC.
Why is video compression necessary?
-Video compression is necessary because uncompressed video files take up a lot of storage space. Compression reduces the file size while retaining as much visual quality as possible.
What makes H.264 a popular codec?
-H.264 is popular because it maintains good image quality while significantly reducing file size by predicting and encoding blocks of pixels instead of saving every pixel individually. Itβs widely used by platforms like YouTube and Blu-ray discs.
How does H.265 improve upon H.264?
-H.265, or HEVC, is more efficient than H.264, using larger blocks of pixels (up to 4096) and more advanced prediction algorithms, which is crucial for streaming higher resolution content like 4K and 8K.
What is the motivation behind VP8 and VP9 codecs?
-VP8 and VP9 are open-source codecs promoted by Google to avoid patent royalties associated with H.264 and H.265. These codecs are technologically similar to HEVC and are used by platforms like Netflix, depending on the user's device.
What is the difference between MP4 and M4V file formats?
-M4V is essentially the same as MP4 but with Digital Rights Management (DRM) enabled. If an M4V file doesn't play, changing the extension to MP4 might help.
What are some advantages of the MKV container format?
-MKV is versatile, supporting many combinations of audio and video codecs, flexible menus, and chapters. It can even play corrupted files, making it a growing popular choice for media enthusiasts.
Why is the MOV format commonly used for video editing?
-MOV, developed by Apple for QuickTime, supports multiple codecs and allows for easier editing without rewriting the entire file, speeding up the export process in video editing software like Final Cut.
What are FLV and F4V formats typically used for?
-FLV and F4V are formats used for videos meant to be played through Adobe Flash, which is now being phased out.
Outlines
πΉ Introduction to Video Formats and Codecs
The video starts by encouraging viewers to subscribe and enable notifications to stay updated on future videos. It then dives into the variety of video file formats and containers like MP4, MKV, and MOV, explaining that these are not just file extensions but containers holding video, audio, and other data. The focus shifts to codecs, with H.264 being a popular example, which compresses video by predicting blocks of pixels and saving only the residual data. This method helps reduce file size while maintaining image quality.
π§ Understanding H.264 and H.265 Compression
The script explains how H.264 splits video frames into 256-pixel blocks, predicting subsequent blocks and saving only the differences to reduce file size. It compares this method to JPEG compression for images. H.265 (HEVC), a newer codec, offers even better efficiency by using larger blocks and more advanced prediction algorithms, making it essential for 8K video streaming. However, both codecs are patent-protected, which has spurred the development of open-source alternatives like Google's VP8 and VP9. These are similar to HEVC, but there's no clear consensus on which is better for video quality.
π¬ Container Formats: MP4, MKV, and More
Moving to container formats, MP4 is highlighted as a widely compatible format, capable of holding H.264 video and MP3 or AAC audio streams. The MKV container, a rapidly growing alternative, supports newer codecs like H.265 and offers more flexibility with features like chapters and menu support. It even allows playback of corrupted files, making it a reliable choice for content creators. The paragraph also mentions Apple's MOV format, which supports multiple codecs and offers faster exporting in Final Cut Pro, a valuable feature for video editors.
π Closing Thoughts on Legacy Formats
The script wraps up by briefly mentioning legacy formats like FLV and F4V, which were used in Adobe Flash but are now being phased out. It suggests checking out a previous video on this topic. Additionally, it promotes a tool called Synergy for managing multiple computers with a single set of peripherals, solving the clutter problem with KVM switches. The video closes with reminders to like, comment, and subscribe, emphasizing viewer interaction and engagement.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Codec
π‘Container
π‘H.264
π‘H.265 (HEVC)
π‘MP4
π‘MKV
π‘VP8/VP9
π‘Compression
π‘MOV
π‘FLV/F4V
Highlights
Introduction to video file formats and the importance of knowing the differences between them.
Explanation of file extensions like MP4, MKV, and MOV as containers for video files.
Clarification of codecs and how they compress video to save storage space.
H.264 codec is widely used due to its balance of quality and compression, especially for YouTube and Blu-ray discs.
Detailed explanation of how H.264 works by breaking video into 256-pixel blocks and using prediction algorithms.
H.265 codec (HEVC) improves on H.264 by using larger blocks (up to 4096 pixels) and better prediction algorithms.
H.265 (HEVC) is essential for managing file sizes as video streaming moves toward 8K resolution.
Patents restrict H.264 and H.265 codecs, motivating the development of open-source alternatives like VP8 and VP9 by Google.
Comparison between VP9 and HEVC codecs, used by services like Netflix based on device compatibility.
MP4 is still one of the most popular containers, supporting both MPEG and H.264 video along with AAC or MP3 audio streams.
MKV (Matroska) container is rapidly growing in popularity due to its flexibility and support for new codecs like H.265.
MKV files can play back even if they are partially corrupted, a significant advantage over other formats.
MOV format, developed by Apple, is optimized for quick editing without rewriting the entire file.
FLV and F4V formats are tied to Adobe Flash, which is being phased out, making them less relevant.
Mention of tools like Synergy for streamlining the use of multiple computers with a single set of peripherals.
Transcripts
thanks for watching techwiki click the
subscribe button then enable
notifications with the bell icon so you
won't miss any future videos when it
comes to video files there are a lot of
file formats out there if you're a video
editor or a media enthusiast you've
probably encountered a veritable
alphabet soup of different ones so just
like in our episodes on audio and image
formats which you can check out up here
we're going to demystify some of the
common formats that you can choose for
your newfangled moving picture movies
first up to avoid confusion it's
important to keep in mind that the
extension you see at the end of a file
name such as mp4 or mkv or mov
actually specifies what kind of
container the file is in but there's
more to formats than just the container
so all those video clips and trailers
that you got could be using any number
of different codecs as well
but what's a codec
glad you asked most digital video is
compressed in some way since otherwise
it'd take up tons of space on your hard
drive a codec is simply a particular
scheme that's used to compress or
decompress a file
there are lots of codecs out there but
one of the most prevalent ones today is
h.264 which is popular because it
retains decent image quality while
shrinking the file sizes significantly
the way it works is by instead of saving
each frame of the video pixel by pixel
h.264 splits frames into blocks of 256
pixels each and tries to predict
what each subsequent block will look
like based on either the rest of the
frame or from previous frames the
algorithm then compares the predicted
block to the actual block creating a
difference called a residual next the
kodak compares the residual to 16
checkerboard-like standard patterns and
how much of each pattern contributes to
the residual is stored as a number with
higher frequency patterns you see to the
lower right often discarded as these
take up the most space this is really
similar to how jpeg works for still
images and like jpeg you can choose how
much compression you want with higher
compression discarding more patterns and
yielding smaller file sizes but also
lower quality
however h.264 is actually pretty good at
making predictions and even includes a
filter to reduce some of the compression
blockiness you sometimes see on low
quality video making it a standard go-to
codec for sites like youtube as well as
for blu-ray discs at similar visual
quality h.264 only takes up about half
as much space as mpeg-2 which is still
in use today for dvd video and broadcast
tv but a new codec the imaginatively
named h.265 better known as hevc is even
more efficient than h.264 it can use
blocks of up to
4096 pixels and has more advanced
prediction algorithms which is critical
for keeping file sizes manageable as
internet streaming continues
on its inevitable march towards 8k
of course one downside to both h.264 and
265 is that they're protected by patents
so companies that want to use these
codecs have to pay royalties that seems
to be the motivation behind the
development of vp8 and vp9 a pair of
open source standards being pushed by
google that are technologically quite
similar to hevc there are image quality
differences but there's no real
consensus as to which one is better so
some service providers like netflix just
use whichever codec will work best on
the device the user's watching from
there are other codecs floating around
there like the venerable avi but at this
point we've covered the major modern
ones so let's get back to container
files starting with the familiar mp4 mp4
enjoys wide compatibility and can hold
either an mpeg or an h.264 encoded video
along with an aac or mp3 audio stream
pro tip if you ever see
m4v
at the end of a video it's basically
just a version of mp4 with drm enabled
so if one of these files refuses to play
try simply changing the extension to mp4
and give it another go but although mp4
is still really popular especially among
youtubers the matraska or mkv container
is one of the fastest growing it can
support just about any combination of
audio and video codecs including newer
ones like h.265 and has more flexible
support for menus and chapters as well
as the ability to play back a corrupted
file so you won't necessarily lose all
of that super important drone footage of
your boring neighborhood and for
creative types there are many other
formats that you might encounter each
with their own advantages and drawbacks
for example the mov format which was
developed by apple for quicktime
supports multiple codecs and is easier
to edit on the fly without having to
rewrite the entire file when you're done
a cool feature that makes exporting a
finished video from final cut much
faster than competing video editors that
have to encode the entire project from
scratch finally we can't wrap this video
up without talking about flv and f4 v
these indicate of course that the clip
is meant to be played in adobe flash
which is being phased out
now you know i'd love to tell you all
about that but we're out of time so go
and watch the video that we already made
about it and be sure to yell at us down
in the comments if we neglected the file
video format of your choice
juggling multiple computers is difficult
you end up with various sets of mice and
keyboards on your desk which not only
looks messy but gets super confusing kvm
switches can partially solve this
problem but we found that they aren't
very seamless and are sometimes
cumbersome but with synergy you can move
the mouse seamlessly between your
computers which makes them feel like one
computer check out the full details at
the link below so thanks for watching
guys be sure to like the video dislike
it if you have to leave a comment for
what we should do in future videos like
subscribe all that good stuff i said
subscribe already so thanks for watching
guys make sure to like the video if you
liked it dislike it if you didn't like
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