Knowing the video formats you can produce will help you be more successful with your business strategy.
Video production is very successful today, so much so that which is one of the largest platforms for sharing this type of content, already has about 2.5 billion users.
But do you know what types of video formats you can use in your strategy?
Both to publish on YouTube and on other platforms, knowing how to differentiate an FLV file from a MKV, for example, is essential to carry out .
This is because some formats can compromise the quality of your production output.
Read on to understand more about the matter.
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Meet 12 of the main video formats
Every video format needsand specific execution.
When the platform you want to use can’t play your material, CODECs come into play: they are programs that encode and decode the file.
That is, everything is a matter of compatibility. for example, supports various video formats.
But, depending on the type of file you have, you need converters to transform the format into one that can be interpreted by the application or operating system you use.
For this reason, now we are going to know the main formats and understand their reproduction peculiarities, and later we present you 3 online converters that you can start using.
1.AVI (.avi)
AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a format developed by Microsoft and one of the first video compressors ever created. To play it, you need applications like Windows Media Player.
In terms of quality, it is a simple format that stores audio tracks and image data in the same file. Therefore, it is common that there is some loss of data in the compression and as a result the video is not 100% of recording quality at the time of playback.
2. WMV/WMA (.wmv or .asf)
WMV/WMA (Windows Media Video/Audio) is a format developed by Microsoft as a replacement for AVI. These files are compatible with YouTube and can preserve quality even at smaller compression sizes.
An important detail is that this format is based on the continuous flow of data. This means that you can start playing it without fully downloading it, which is ideal for streaming on the internet.
3.MOV (.mov)
MOV is a direct competitor to AVI, created by Apple. Its default player is QuickTime Player, but applications like Microsoft Windows Media Player can also play it.
The great advantage over its “rival” is that the data loss is much lower in compression. So even in very small files, MOV can offer good quality audio and video tracks.
4. FLV (.flv)
Adobe also has its own video format: FLV. This is the most suitable file type for playback on YouTube, as the platform is based on Flash Player technology. TV Lg is another streaming website that uses the Adobe system.
Flash videos are compatible with most operating systems and have extensions that allow you to add high-definition image tracks. For these reasons, the format is very well accepted when recording videos for the web.
5.RM (.rm)
The RM format (RealMedia) It has been developed by Real Networks, one of Microsoft’s competitor companies. To play it, your computer must have RealPlayer or Real Alternative, a Windows compatible CODEC package.
The compression technique of this format is performed with a fixed bitrate rate, that is, a predetermined measure of the data transmitted in a certain period of time.
A bit complex, right? But the fact is that this technique causes the files to be compressed too much and therefore significantly lose audio and image quality.
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6.RMVB (.rmvb)
RMVB, in turn, is one of the video formats that has worked. Also from Real Networks, RMVB has long been a major competitor to Microsoft’s formats.
Unlike RM/RA, here the data loss is much less. Therefore, the format allows for small files—ideal for quick downloads—but with track quality preserved.
For this reason, it was widely used a few years ago, when streaming platforms were still in their infancy, and the most common thing was to download video content.
7.MP4 (.mp4)
This is one of the most popular video formats. It is the most common on mobile devices and, therefore, is present in the daily lives of many people.
Also compatible with YouTube and other streaming platforms, the great advantage of MP4 is that it stores audio tracks, video, still images and subtitles in a single file.
It is a variant of MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group), designed to be revolutionary in preserving quality even after compression. Despite being efficient in this sense, MPEG generally requires the installation of CODECs.
Therefore, MP4 is the most practical output.
8. MKV (.mkv or .mks)
MKV is seen as one of the most promising video formats on the market due to a distinctive feature: the democratization of resources.
Created by the Matroska Association, it can encode elements of virtually any type, such as audio tracks, video, subtitles, JPEGs, filters, and much more in a single container.
Furthermore, it is known to be an “open” format: users can always suggest changes, so it barely loses its innovative character.
However, the downside of MKV is that it is not yet compatible with the operating systems we use (Windows, macOS, and Linux). Therefore, it is necessary to install CODECs for the reproduction of content, which considerably consumes the processing of the video cards.
9. 3GP (.3gpp)
Finally, the 3GP format is suitable for mobile devices. Developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, its great advantage is that it allows viewing and downloading with less bandwidth consumption than MP4.
Another benefit is that the compressed file is very small. This makes it ideal for anyone who needs to constantly play a video, as it can be stored on the device without consuming too much memory.
However, its downside is that data loss is significant. Therefore, the result displayed after download may be of lower quality than the original in terms of image and sound.
10.H.264
This format had its first version in 2003, by the ITU-T Video Coding Expert Group (VCEG) together with the ISO / IEC JTC1 Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG).
Also known as H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding), it is widely used to record, compress and distribute videos due to the high image quality it provides and its versatility in operating on various networks.
Although it generates files that can be large to upload to the Internet, it has the advantage of being compatible with various video compressors.
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11.MPG
Unlike the previous one, MPG files can be stored more easily thanks to the fact that it is possible to compress them and generate small files, without losing image and audio quality.
It is a universal format, versatile and compatible with different systems and programs. It is used in television transmission, both satellite and cable.
MPG (Moving Pictures Experts Group – MPEG) files are classified into two types: MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, which work synchronously to guarantee their quality.
12. WebM
This format is a Google project and is designed for free and online use, as it is compatible with most browsers.
Files with the *.webm extension can contain audio and video with a quality similar to that of MP4, but with a smaller size. Therefore, this is a very viable alternative to stream without losing its properties.
How to change the format of a video?
So far we have talked about the main video formats and some of their most important features and aspects.
As you may have noticed, depending on your objective, it will be necessary to convert your image and sound files to be able to share them in the best way. And for that, it will be necessary to use specific tools that ensure its quality.
If you don’t know how to do it, here are three options for online converters.
Converters for online video formats
1.Format Factory
This free tool allows you to convert not only videos, but also images and sound to various file formats.
You can download it in more than 60 languages, including Spanish, and it works on the Windows operating system.
2. Online Video Converter
is a free video converter available in 15 languages. To use it, you just have to enter the website and upload the file from your PC or add a link to the file in the cloud.
One of its advantages is that, in addition to the desktop version, you can use the mobile version from your smartphone, while remaining a responsive tool.
3. Zamzar
In addition to sound, images, and videos, this tool allows you to convert documents, and everything in more than 1,200 file formats, which, without a doubt, positions it as one of the most versatile and extensive.
Another highlight is the conversion speed – which does not exceed 10 minutes – and is available directly in your browser. On the other hand, to use it you must create an account, and there is only the English version.
If you want to meet her, .
Learn to differentiate the formats in your recordings
From knowing the main video formats, when you have to choose one of them, consider your playback objective, the quality loss during compression and the final file size.
With all this technical knowledge, how about starting to record your content? Download our ebook and learn .
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