Audio and video file formats: An Introduction

FILE FORMATS

There are different audio formats in general use. There are fewer video formats, audio / video file extensions can be confusing. This is only a brief description of what the most common audio and video file formats and systems.

AAC: Advanced Audio Coding This is the audio file format from Apple's iTunes Music Store to be used, and it may appear with the M4A file extension. It is better than MP3 for sound quality. It was developedas part of the MPEG-4 group owned by Dolby (see below).

AU: This audio file format is the standard used by Java, Sun and Unix.

MPEG: Moving Pictures Expert Group There are a number of MPEG-type well, as described below.

MPEG-1: This is used in digital cameras and camcorders for small video clips. VHS-quality video can expect the playback of MPEG-1.

MPEG-2: for digital satellite TV, professional filmReading and recording of home DVD recordings. Has provision for multi-channel surround sound recordings.

MPEG -3: MPEG -3 was proposed as a company, but eventually merged into MPEG-2.

MPEG-4: This is the latest MPEG system and is used for streaming Internet content. It is also suitable for portable video recorders and Internet downloads. Required for DivX. It improves the digital broadcasting and interactive graphics andMultimedia.

MP3: Digital audio files are most frequently used to store and playback of music. It compresses the files to about 10% of a normal audio file and a normal music track is great about 5 -6 MB. MP3 stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, MPEG -3 do not think so many people. A typical MP3 audio file is near CD quality.

OGG: An audio file format supports a variety of codecs, the most popular of these is the audio codec Vorbis. However, MP3 files muchmore than broadly supports Vorbis.

RA: Real Audio This format is for audio streaming over the Internet. It is a self-contained format with all the audio information stored in the file itself.

WAV: The simplest of audio formats, developed by Microsoft and IBM, and built into Windows 95 It is an uncompressed audio file format with large files (10 x), MP3, and needs no further processing to play. The WAV file consists of three blocksInformation: The RIFF block of the file as a WAV file, the format, the block parameters as sample rate and block of data, which contains the actual data or music sample identified identified.

WMA: Windows Media Audio A digital system invented by Microsoft and are used in portable digital audio players. With the WMA, a file can be programmed so that they will not be copied and can be used to protect copyrights.

WMF: Windows Media Format files are audio-videofrom WMA and video codecs. They offer high quality and safety for media streaming and download-and-play applications on computers.

To streaming and downloadable WMV: Windows Media Video Used in the Windows Media Player, which is, and you play audio and video content is used.

When dealing with audio and video file formats, you will notice, sometimes the term "codec". A codec) is just short for encoder-decoder (or compressor - decompressor. An essential function of a codec for compressingAudio or video data streams, so that the transmission of digital audio samples and video frames can be speeded up and space reduction.

The goal of all codecs is to reduce the file size to a minimum while audio and video quality. A brief reference to the location of the codec is on the way of transmission and reception:

Video device (eg camcorder) - digital video capture card - Video - Codec (compressed digital info) - result (MPEG2, AVI, WMV, etc) - codec (uncompressed)- Video frames - display device.

Between the two codecs, the compressed result to the display device to be transferred, still saved, etc.) transferred. To summarize, at the river still further, we could basically describe it as:

Raw data - Codec - transfer - Codec - Play

It is simple, but it shows where to use the codecs. Therefore, in order to play a movie, video or piece of music from a certain format, you need a codec on your computer so you can unzip the file andplay it.

Here are some free software, which are reviewed by the codec used a video system, and play what codec your system should also:

Codec Tool.

The different video formats are required to meet the requirements of various video equipment needs. Similarly, audio formats to the needs of specific methods and delivery of storage and playback equipment from large companies like Microsoft, Sony and Apple has to fulfill. Thus, Sony invented the UMD (Universal MediaDisk) for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) and Apple's AAC (M4A) for iPod.

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