MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14)

The MP4 format was introduced in 2001 as part of the MPEG-4 standard. Developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), this container allows video, audio, subtitles, and metadata to be stored in a single file. MP4 quickly became the standard for many applications due to its versatility.

• Most commonly, MP4 uses the H.264 codec for video and AAC for audio.

MP4 is supported by almost all devices and platforms, making it a versatile format for storing and transferring media files. It is ideal for video streaming and playback on mobile devices.

AVI (Audio Video Interleave)

Created by Microsoft in 1992 as a container for combining video and audio data in a single file. It was an early format for Windows, based on the older RIFF format. AVI was developed as a way to make it easier to work with multimedia files in Windows.

• AVI supports a wide range of codecs, including DivX and XviD.

Although AVI can support high video quality, it does not compress files well, making them quite large. This format is often used in professional video editing, but is not suitable for streaming video.

WMV (Windows Media Video)

WMV was developed by Microsoft in 1999 as part of the Windows Media platform. This format was created specifically for streaming video and audio using its own WMV codec.

• WMV uses the codec of the same name to compress video, which allows it to be transmitted in high quality with a minimal file size.

WMV works well in Windows environment and is ideal for streaming video. However, other platforms may require additional programs to play the files.

MOV (QuickTime)

Developed by Apple in 1991 for its QuickTime media player, this container was designed to handle multimedia files, including video, audio, and text.

• MOV often uses the H.264 codec for video and AAC for audio, just like MP4.

Widely used on Apple devices and in professional video editing environments. The format supports high video quality, but Windows devices may require additional codecs.

FLV (Flash Video)

The FLV format was introduced by Adobe in the early 2000s for use in Adobe Flash Player. This container was designed for embedding video content in web pages and streaming it.

• FLV most often uses the Sorenson Spark or VP6 codecs.

Was extremely popular for web video in the Flash Player era. However, with the end of Flash support in 2020, the format has lost its relevance.

MKV (Matroska Multimedia Container)

Developed in 2002 as a free and open-source format, its developers sought to create a container that could store an unlimited number of video, audio, and subtitle tracks in a single file. The name "Matroska" comes from the Russian word for "matryoshka".

• MKV supports almost any codec, but is often used with H.264 or H.265 codecs for video and AAC or Opus for audio.

Ideal for storing high-quality media files with multiple audio and subtitle tracks. It is a popular format for movies and TV series, but not all devices support it without additional software.

MPG and MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)

The MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats were developed in the early 1990s for digital television, DVD, and other multimedia applications. MPEG-1 was introduced in 1993, and MPEG-2 in 1995, becoming the standard for DVD.

• MPEG uses MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 codecs to compress video and audio.

Popular for video discs, MPEG-2 became the basis for digital television and DVDs. They provide good quality at reasonable file sizes, but have been superseded by more modern formats over time.

WEBM

Developed by Google and introduced in 2010 as an open format for use in web applications and streaming video, WEBM is based on the Matroska container and uses the VP8 and VP9 codecs.

• WEBM uses VP8 or VP9 codecs for video and Vorbis or Opus for audio.

Ideal for websites as it provides high quality with minimal file size. The format is supported by all modern browsers and is used in HTML5 for embedded videos.

3GP and 3G2

Formats for use on 3G-enabled mobile devices. They were designed to efficiently transmit data over mobile networks.

• 3GP typically uses H.263 codecs for video and AMR for audio.

These formats were popular in the era of 3G networks, when mobile devices had limited resources. Now they are rarely used, as modern devices support higher quality formats.

OGG

It was developed in 1993 by the Xiph.Org Foundation as a free and open-source container for storing multimedia data. It was initially focused on audio, but later expanded to support video.

• OGG uses the Theora codecs for video and Vorbis or Opus for audio.

Often used for streaming audio and video due to its open standards and flexibility, especially in open source applications.

DIVX

It appeared in the late 1990s as a video compression format that provides high quality with minimal file size. It was developed by DivX, Inc.

• DIVX uses its own DivX codec, which is based on MPEG-4 Part 2.

It was popular for sharing video files over the Internet in the early 2000s. It provided excellent quality with a compact file size.

RM and RMVB (RealMedia)

Developed by RealNetworks in the late 1990s for streaming video and audio via RealPlayer, RM used variable bit rate compression, which was new at the time.

• RM uses the RealVideo codec for video and RealAudio for audio.

RM and RMVB were popular for streaming video in the 2000s, but their use has declined significantly with the development of more modern formats.

SWF (Shockwave Flash)

Created by Macromedia (which was later acquired by Adobe) in the mid-1990s, the format was intended for creating animations, interactive content, and videos that could be embedded on websites. SWF became an important part of the Internet, especially in the era of Flash games and animations.

• SWF most commonly used built-in codecs for animation and audio, and also supported the Sorenson Spark and VP6 codecs for video.

It was a key format for creating animations and video content on the web until 2020, when Adobe stopped supporting Flash Player. The SWF format has almost fallen out of use, as modern web technologies (such as HTML5) have completely replaced it.

ASF (Advanced Systems Format)

Created by Microsoft in the late 1990s as a universal container for multimedia data that supported both streaming and local playback of video and audio. It was the primary format for Windows Media, and was used to deliver content over the Internet.

• ASF supports a variety of codecs, but is most commonly used with the Windows Media Video (WMV) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) codecs.

It was designed to stream media efficiently, especially in the Windows ecosystem. It supports both constant and variable bit rates, making it suitable for online streaming. However, the format did not become widespread outside of Windows.

M4V

Introduced by Apple and based on the MP4 format, with the addition of support for the digital rights management (DRM) system, this format was intended for synchronizing video files with Apple devices and distributing media via iTunes.

• M4V uses the H.264 codec for video and AAC for audio, just like MP4. In some cases, M4V may include DRM protection.

Used to sell and rent content through iTunes and other Apple media services. It is supported by all Apple devices, but may require additional software and codecs to play on other platforms.

Conclusion

Knowing how video formats work helps you better understand their uses and limitations. Containers like MP4, AVI, and MKV act as packages that hold video, audio, and other data, while codecs like H.264, VP9, and AAC are responsible for compressing that data so that the files take up less space and can be transferred over the Internet more quickly.

Modern video formats have evolved from early solutions for television and storage media to open standards for streaming over the Internet, offering a wide range of options for storing and playing media files on any device.

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How the graphic data will be stored on the phone. Depending on this, the file size will be larger or smaller. We don't always need the same format, so let's look at the main ones.