Video file format

A video file format is a standard of encoding video, audio and some auxiliary informations into a file. In contrast to audio and image formats, most video file formats allow a lot of codecs, both audio and video, to be used.

Auxiliary information often includes:

• data required for correct synchronization between audio and video
• subtitles

Popular video file formats and codecs that can be used with them are (some of them can be also used with only audio):

• AVI
  • XviD
  • DivX
  • FFMPEG
  • Indeo
  • Cinepak
  • Windows Media
• Matroska
  • XviD
  • DivX
  • FFMPEG
• Ogg
• OGM
  • XviD
  • DivX
  • FFMPEG
• ASF
  • Windows Media
• WMV
  • Windows Media
• MPEG-1 and MPEG-2
• MP4 (MPEG4)
  • XviD
  • DivX
  • FFMPEG
• QuickTime (MOV)
  • Sorenson
  • Cinepak
• RealMedia (RM)
  • RealVideo

Professional video file formats:

• MXF

Note: DivX and XviD are basically using standard MPEG4 compression.

See also:

• Video codecs
• Audio codecs
• Video Tape Formats