Digital Video has become very popular some time ago. This is due to many factors - for example the availability of devices that can record an image and the ease of sharing it. After all, we all know YouTube or Vimeo and we have a mobile phone with the possibility of shooting a video.
Currently, film editing is not difficult and does not require professional equipment or knowledge, because the power of our computers is sufficient to enable video editing, even in high resolution, which is provided by the AVCHD format (extension *. MTS). Additionally, many amateur programs supporting the creation of own films were created.
At the outset, you need to separate the Video codec from Video format .
Video formats:
- 3GP
- ASF
- AVI
- DV
- DVD
- FLV
- M2TS2
- MKV
- MOV
- MP4
- MPG
- Ogg
- SMV
- SVCD
- TS
- WMV
- VCD
A few words in selected formats:
3GP (3GPP file format)
This format is primarily intended for mobile devices, although nowadays due to the rapid development of the technology it is becoming rare and MPEG-4 is being used instead.
Enlargement: * .3gp, * .3g2
ASF (Active Streaming Format)
The creator of this format is Microsoft. It is not popular because it has been patented by her, and in addition, the patent is very strict, e.g. users of systems other than Windows cannot legally use it. It also cannot decode this format to another without the consent of Microsoft. The format is similar to QuickTime and AVI in that it specifies the audio / video stream, not its codec. This format can contain information about, for example, artist, genre, etc. The format specification can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.
Enlargement: * .asf
AVI (Audio Video Interleave)
AVI format is one of the most popular video formats. It was introduced by Microsoft in 1992 and is most often associated with it. The AVI format is a variation of the RIFF format. The image is read by decoding. The image in this format may or may not be compressed. The most commonly used image compressions for AVI are XviD, DivX, Intel Real Time Video, Indeo, Cinepak, Mjpeg, VdoWave, Real Video, Mpeg-4.
Enlargement: * avi
WMV (Windows Media Video)
WMV is a video compression format developed by Microsoft (designed as a counterpart to the RealVideo format). This format is a must for everyone who wants to watch the movie on the Xbox 360, Windows Mobile platform or Microsoft Zune.
Enlargement: * .wmv
VCD (Video Compact CD)
VCD is a format for recording video and sound on CDs. The resolution of this format is only 352x288 in the PAL system and 352x240 in the NTSC system. The carrier for this format was mainly CDs with a capacity of 700MB, a maximum of a movie lasting up to 80 minutes could be saved. Record compression is MPEG-1. Size approximately 10 MB / min.
> SVCD (Super Video Compact Disc)
SVCD is a format similar to VCD but with higher resolution support. 480x480 for NTCS and 480x576 for PAL, it uses MPEG2 compression. Size from 10-20MB / min on a CD we can fit 35 to 60 minutes of a movie. You can record up to four movie subtitle tracks and up to two audio tracks.
> CVD (China Video Disc)
Format for recording image and sound on CDs. Similar to the SVCD system, but with a lower horizontal resolution, which is 352x480 for NTCS and 352x576 for PAL / SECAM.
DV (Digital Video)
The DV system is nothing more than a format for recording video onto cassettes using DVC (Digital Video Camcorder). The format was created thanks to the efforts of many corporations that wanted to launch this technology and popularize it. The image has 480 lines at 60 Hz and 576 lines at Hz. The format supports audio up to 4 channels.
> DVCPRO
A version of the DV format introduced by Panasonic in 1995. Long Play mode is not available, this format offers more possibilities than the standard one in terms of controlling the recording length and accuracy.
> DVCAM
A version of the DV format introduced by Sony in 1996 mainly with professionals in mind. The format increases the sound quality, compared to the standard DV in DVCAM we have the possibility of more precise editing of the tape, but it is not compatible with devices that only support the DV format.
> DVCPRO50
Introduced in 1997 by Panasonic, the DVCPRO50 format increased the bandwidth to 50 Mbit / s, significantly reducing the recording time. The format was used for the filming of series such as Space Race (2005) and Rise and Fall of an Empire (2006) due to its bandwidth.
> DVCPRO Progressive
The format introduced by Panasonic, supporting 480 or 576 lines with two recording formats (ratios) of 16: 9 and 4: 3 up to 50 Mbit / s. Replaced by DVCPRO HD.
> DVCPRO HD (other name is DVCPRO100)
The DVCPRO HD format is an interesting Panasonic format that should be treated as 4 DV codecs that work in parallel. The format can handle both 40 Mbit / s (for 24 frames / s) and 100Mbit / s (for 50 or 60 frames / s). Hardware Backward Compatibility for DV / DVCPRO.
DVD (Digital Video Disc)
Data recording format with higher recording capacity compared to the CD-ROM standard, enabling recording on DVD-R, DVDR DL, DVD-RW, DVD + R, DVD + R DL, DVD + RW, DVD-RAM. A characteristic feature of the format is that the DVD must contain a file system (this is an extension of the ISO 9660 standard). The format first appeared in Japan in 1996, while it reached Europe in 1998. The DVD uses a 650 nm laser (CD with 780 nm), the spacing is 0.74 micrometers (for CD 1.6). The first DVDs recorded data at 1,353 Kbps.
Accessories:
PAL system it is a modified NTSC system (created in Germany). Typically the image is composed of 625 lines per frame at 50Hz refresh rate and 25 frames per second. The PAL system is used in almost all of Europe.
NTSC system it is an American analog television system. Typically composed of 525 lines per frame at 59.94 Hz and 29.97 frames per second. The disadvantage of the NTSC system is its tendency to lose color, which is especially noticeable at long transmission distances. The NTSC system is primarily used by North America and Central America.
SECAM system it is an analogue color broadcasting system developed in France. For SECAM D / K we have 625 lines at 50 Hz and 25 frames. The system has disadvantages, one of which is the frequent pulsation of bright colors at the edges of the object. The system is used in South America and in the eastern part of Africa.
MPEG * (Moving Picture Experts Group)
Mention of the MPEG format first appeared in 1988, when a group was formed to find a solution to the problem of the size of the image recorded from the cassettes to the computer disk - a 1.5-hour movie took about 160 gigabytes of space. It was far too much for hard drives at the time.
MPEG-1 in the first version it was released in 1991 and it allowed to obtain a resolution of 352x240 with a bandwidth of about 1.5 Mb / s.
MPEG-2 was presented in 1994, where the maximum image size was 1920x1152 with a bandwidth of about 4 to 13 Mb / s.
MPEG-3 designed for HDTV was quickly abandoned due to its predecessor's high definition support.
MPEG-4 is the * format that started the development of codecs such as XviD, which in turn started the multimedia era on the web. It took over many features of MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats, increasing support for VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language, a standard describing three-dimensional graphics), compound files (containing both audio and video objects and VRML). The format is used in WMA, WMV, QuickTime, Nero Digital. Most newer computers save the image in this format. The format was introduced in 1998 and a second version in 1999.
* MPEG it is a container, i.e. a group of encoding standards !!! He is on this list because knowing him will make it easier to understand video formats.
MPEG-4 Extension: * .mp4
Currently, film editing is not difficult and does not require professional equipment or knowledge, because the power of our computers is sufficient to enable video editing, even in high resolution, which is provided by the AVCHD format (extension *. MTS). Additionally, many amateur programs supporting the creation of own films were created.
At the outset, you need to separate the Video codec from Video format .
Video formats:
- 3GP
- ASF
- AVI
- DV
- DVD
- FLV
- M2TS2
- MKV
- MOV
- MP4
- MPG
- Ogg
- SMV
- SVCD
- TS
- WMV
- VCD
A few words in selected formats:
3GP (3GPP file format)
This format is primarily intended for mobile devices, although nowadays due to the rapid development of the technology it is becoming rare and MPEG-4 is being used instead.
Enlargement: * .3gp, * .3g2
ASF (Active Streaming Format)
The creator of this format is Microsoft. It is not popular because it has been patented by her, and in addition, the patent is very strict, e.g. users of systems other than Windows cannot legally use it. It also cannot decode this format to another without the consent of Microsoft. The format is similar to QuickTime and AVI in that it specifies the audio / video stream, not its codec. This format can contain information about, for example, artist, genre, etc. The format specification can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.
Enlargement: * .asf
AVI (Audio Video Interleave)
AVI format is one of the most popular video formats. It was introduced by Microsoft in 1992 and is most often associated with it. The AVI format is a variation of the RIFF format. The image is read by decoding. The image in this format may or may not be compressed. The most commonly used image compressions for AVI are XviD, DivX, Intel Real Time Video, Indeo, Cinepak, Mjpeg, VdoWave, Real Video, Mpeg-4.
Enlargement: * avi
WMV (Windows Media Video)
WMV is a video compression format developed by Microsoft (designed as a counterpart to the RealVideo format). This format is a must for everyone who wants to watch the movie on the Xbox 360, Windows Mobile platform or Microsoft Zune.
Enlargement: * .wmv
VCD (Video Compact CD)
VCD is a format for recording video and sound on CDs. The resolution of this format is only 352x288 in the PAL system and 352x240 in the NTSC system. The carrier for this format was mainly CDs with a capacity of 700MB, a maximum of a movie lasting up to 80 minutes could be saved. Record compression is MPEG-1. Size approximately 10 MB / min.
> SVCD (Super Video Compact Disc)
SVCD is a format similar to VCD but with higher resolution support. 480x480 for NTCS and 480x576 for PAL, it uses MPEG2 compression. Size from 10-20MB / min on a CD we can fit 35 to 60 minutes of a movie. You can record up to four movie subtitle tracks and up to two audio tracks.
> CVD (China Video Disc)
Format for recording image and sound on CDs. Similar to the SVCD system, but with a lower horizontal resolution, which is 352x480 for NTCS and 352x576 for PAL / SECAM.
DV (Digital Video)
The DV system is nothing more than a format for recording video onto cassettes using DVC (Digital Video Camcorder). The format was created thanks to the efforts of many corporations that wanted to launch this technology and popularize it. The image has 480 lines at 60 Hz and 576 lines at Hz. The format supports audio up to 4 channels.
> DVCPRO
A version of the DV format introduced by Panasonic in 1995. Long Play mode is not available, this format offers more possibilities than the standard one in terms of controlling the recording length and accuracy.
> DVCAM
A version of the DV format introduced by Sony in 1996 mainly with professionals in mind. The format increases the sound quality, compared to the standard DV in DVCAM we have the possibility of more precise editing of the tape, but it is not compatible with devices that only support the DV format.
> DVCPRO50
Introduced in 1997 by Panasonic, the DVCPRO50 format increased the bandwidth to 50 Mbit / s, significantly reducing the recording time. The format was used for the filming of series such as Space Race (2005) and Rise and Fall of an Empire (2006) due to its bandwidth.
> DVCPRO Progressive
The format introduced by Panasonic, supporting 480 or 576 lines with two recording formats (ratios) of 16: 9 and 4: 3 up to 50 Mbit / s. Replaced by DVCPRO HD.
> DVCPRO HD (other name is DVCPRO100)
The DVCPRO HD format is an interesting Panasonic format that should be treated as 4 DV codecs that work in parallel. The format can handle both 40 Mbit / s (for 24 frames / s) and 100Mbit / s (for 50 or 60 frames / s). Hardware Backward Compatibility for DV / DVCPRO.
DVD (Digital Video Disc)
Data recording format with higher recording capacity compared to the CD-ROM standard, enabling recording on DVD-R, DVDR DL, DVD-RW, DVD + R, DVD + R DL, DVD + RW, DVD-RAM. A characteristic feature of the format is that the DVD must contain a file system (this is an extension of the ISO 9660 standard). The format first appeared in Japan in 1996, while it reached Europe in 1998. The DVD uses a 650 nm laser (CD with 780 nm), the spacing is 0.74 micrometers (for CD 1.6). The first DVDs recorded data at 1,353 Kbps.
Accessories:
PAL system it is a modified NTSC system (created in Germany). Typically the image is composed of 625 lines per frame at 50Hz refresh rate and 25 frames per second. The PAL system is used in almost all of Europe.
NTSC system it is an American analog television system. Typically composed of 525 lines per frame at 59.94 Hz and 29.97 frames per second. The disadvantage of the NTSC system is its tendency to lose color, which is especially noticeable at long transmission distances. The NTSC system is primarily used by North America and Central America.
SECAM system it is an analogue color broadcasting system developed in France. For SECAM D / K we have 625 lines at 50 Hz and 25 frames. The system has disadvantages, one of which is the frequent pulsation of bright colors at the edges of the object. The system is used in South America and in the eastern part of Africa.
MPEG * (Moving Picture Experts Group)
Mention of the MPEG format first appeared in 1988, when a group was formed to find a solution to the problem of the size of the image recorded from the cassettes to the computer disk - a 1.5-hour movie took about 160 gigabytes of space. It was far too much for hard drives at the time.
MPEG-1 in the first version it was released in 1991 and it allowed to obtain a resolution of 352x240 with a bandwidth of about 1.5 Mb / s.
MPEG-2 was presented in 1994, where the maximum image size was 1920x1152 with a bandwidth of about 4 to 13 Mb / s.
MPEG-3 designed for HDTV was quickly abandoned due to its predecessor's high definition support.
MPEG-4 is the * format that started the development of codecs such as XviD, which in turn started the multimedia era on the web. It took over many features of MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats, increasing support for VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language, a standard describing three-dimensional graphics), compound files (containing both audio and video objects and VRML). The format is used in WMA, WMV, QuickTime, Nero Digital. Most newer computers save the image in this format. The format was introduced in 1998 and a second version in 1999.
* MPEG it is a container, i.e. a group of encoding standards !!! He is on this list because knowing him will make it easier to understand video formats.
MPEG-4 Extension: * .mp4
