Do you have a file with the .ASF file extension? Can’t you open it? Do you know its characteristics? We are going to see everything here, do not lose detail because the solutions are throughout the post.
.asf was created by Microsoft as a audio and video file container. These types of files can contain metadata where the name of the artist, album, publication date and much other information about the content that is included is reported.
As it is not a format, sorry, an extension (which is not the same), too well known, in this post we are going to indicate a lot of information about it and how it can be reproduced in different media, which is surely something that will interest you. will be interested to know sooner or later because one of its uses turns out to be a trend today: streaming.
What is and what are .ASF format files used for?
known as .asfwe talk about the extension Advanced Streaming Formatrenamed, after, Advanced Systems Format.
As we have said before, it is a type of file created specifically by the Microsoft company. This has been designed to be able to carry out the audiovisual content transfer through both audio and video files in digital format. That is, it is used to broadcast and play streaming content.
Usually this contains WMA and WMV type files, also from Microsoft, of high quality and audio and video respectively. Even so, you can find other formats contained within an .asf, still being very simple and even basic in your design.
Despite not being the best known container, it has very interesting features. One of them is the metadata inclusionthrough which various data is known that can provide more information about the file.
Among the most important metadata are:
- Artist name
- album name
- Track name (in the case of an audio file)
- File type
- Creation and publication date
- Size
- Length
East does not include specifications regarding its encoding, existing only a given flow structure for the video and/or audio files. This coding is done with dozens of codecs as it happens with other containers like OGG or QuickTime.
Technical details about .ASF files
In order to carry out the file transfer, it is necessary to download the necessary data, so that content playback can be started while the download continues, that is, that this is done during the time the content is played. This is the same system that is used to play videos on platforms such as YouTube or Twitch and which is, after all, the basic operation of streaming content.
The maximum resolution that can be achieved is 352 x 288 pixels. This format is used to give support for playback from HTTP servers or digital media and storage devices.
combine:
- An RC4 stream encoder.
- SHA-1 hash functions.
- Elliptic curve cryptographic key exchange.
- A DES block encoder.
How to open and play .ASF format files on smartphones or computers?
As we have previously indicated, these types of .ASF files are specially prepared to be reproduced in the Microsoft operating system, the creator company. That is why we see that one of its root programs (Microsoft Windows Media Player) is the main player for this type of format.
However, Apple and developers working on their OS have created a large number of programs that can be used to reproduce it even if its creator is a competitor.
On Windows PC
It can be opened with Microsoft Windows Media Player, Winamp, NCH WavePad, CyberLink PowerProducer and Applian Replay Converter software, among others.
If you have more than one of them, the ideal is to select for yourself and in a predefined way which one you want the software to take care of it.
This is very easily achieved:
- Beam right click in the ASF file.
- Click on “To open with”.
- Windows advises you some of the software.
- If the one you are interested in appears among them, simply, click on it.
- If the one you want to use to open .asf files no this among them:
- Click on “Choose another app”.
- Swipe between the available options or tap on “More options”.
- Choose the program of your interest.
- Ethics “Always use this app to open .asf files”in the end.
- Click on “To accept”.
- Now, you have nothing more to do double click on the file with this extension and the program that you have predetermined for it will be executed by opening it directly. This will always be the case unless you choose another software.
If, for whatever reason, you ever want to run the file with another program, repeat steps ignoring number 4.
Another way to open the file is from within the player itself:
- Run the player with which you want to open it.
- Click on “Open” (or “File” and “Open” or similar) in its options bar.
- Searchin the location folder, the file in question.
- Double click or single click and click on “Open” or “OK”.
On Mac computers
.ASF files can be opened with the following programs: Shedworx Smart Converter, Winamp, Aiseesoft Video Converter Ultimate, NCH WavePad, and PentaLoop PlayerXtreme Media Player.
As in the previous case, you can both open any .asf assigning a program to it by default What from within these softwaresas we have explained in the point of Windows.
On Android mobile phones
These types of files with the .ASF extension can be opened with the Winamp application, from Nullsoft. You don’t have more than:
- download it from the app store and let it install.
- Start the application.
- You will have at your fingertips all the files that can be played with this program, classifying them by artists, genres and others. We will click on “Folders” to navigate through the folders to the location where the file is located,
- When we have it, we have nothing but click on it.
On iPhone devices with iOS
In the phones of this brand you can use the same applications that we have indicated for Mac computers as long as they have their mobile version and the method is identical to the one described for Android smartphones: download the app, let it install, run it and access the file from it.
List of the best applications and alternative programs to play a video with .Asf format without cuts or jumps
There are several alternative programs to which Microsoft recommends us and that can be used to open this type of files, reproducing them without problem. Next, we are going to show some of those software so that you know them and have a choice.
irfanview
This application is about what was originally an image viewer very innovative that has been on the market for more than twenty years and that, although it has not yet reached a peak in terms of popularity, in the end, everyone ends up using it at some point, at least versatile that has been made thanks to the inclusion of more and more compatibility.
It is suitable for users of all kinds, both beginners and great connoisseurs of the system.
The highlight is that it was one of the first programs to allow a display of the animated GIF format.
CyberLink Power Producer 6
It’s software paid definite to play multimedia files of all kinds. It is compatible with a large number of movie, audio, video and music formats, including, of course, those that offer streaming content through the local network itself, as is the case. In addition, it allows the user to perform 2D and 3D visualizations.
VLC Media Player
This has been the program capable of playing any format that has been used since the beginning of time, especially when playing movies. In fact, is the one that comes with the most codecs pre-installed and even includes services that allow you to download other additional codecs so the success in playing ASF files is assured.
It comes with a very wide range of options, although it is not the most visually attractive or the one that can be most integrated with different applications. The most interesting of all is that everything it offers can be obtained for freesomething hard to believe and that has made it, as we said, the player par excellence.
Media Player Classic
This player is very small in size, uses few system resources and includes a large number of utilities. Although it would be necessary add codecs manuallydownloading those that are necessary to reproduce the formats that you want, you can enjoy any .asf.
Hotkeys, sound filters and playlists can be configured. For this reason, it is one of the players that are recommended for files with unknown format.
winamp
It is one of the older players that exist. In its most recent versions it maintains the charm of the old versions, but adds new themes to the interface. It is very easy to import and navigate through playlists. It is very easy to sync with Android OS devices. Also, it’s a program. very light and the sound quality is very good.
How to convert videos from .ASF format to .MP4 or .AVI quickly and for free?
There are a lot of websites that are used to convert videos that are in .ASF format to .MP4 or .AVI, among many others. They all work the same way and require, of course, an Internet connection:
- First of all, it must choose the video that you want to convert from your PC, Mac or mobile phone by clicking on the corresponding option, which will be “Load”, “Load”, “Open” or similar. This can also be done, sometimes, by dragging said file over the space designated for it.
- Then you must select output video format among the fifty that are offered in both sites.
- In addition, in some places you can add more files so that they are all converted at the same time.
- Afterwards, it must specify codec that you want to use to determine the configuration you want to have. In this way, we will be choosing the quality, aspect ratio and other specifications that, finally, our new converted file will have.
- Finally, by clicking on the option “Convert”, “Convert”, “Go” and the like, you can start the process.
- By the time the file has been converted, it must be select the place where the converted file is to be located. This step may not be offered and may be downloaded to our “Downloads” folder by default or may be chosen before proceeding with the conversion.
You can also choose download local software to convert the files on your own network, without the need to use online resources, since Internet is not always available. This is increasingly in disuse, because not being a…
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