MPEG-4 Part 14
What is a .mp4 file?
MP4 is the most widely used video container format, capable of storing video, audio, subtitles, and images in a single file. It's the standard for online video.
Technical Details
- Developer
- Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)
- First Released
- 2001
- MIME Type
- video/mp4
- Extension
- .mp4
What is MP4?
MP4 is a digital multimedia container format that can store video, audio, and other data like subtitles and still images. It's based on the Apple QuickTime container format.
The format supports various codecs, with H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) being the most common for video, and AAC for audio. This flexibility makes MP4 compatible with virtually all devices.
Key Characteristics
- Supports multiple video codecs
- Includes audio tracks
- Can contain subtitles
- Streaming-friendly
- Universal device support
- Good compression ratio
How to Open .mp4 Files
MP4 files play on virtually any device:
- VLC Media Player (free, all platforms)
- Windows Media Player
- QuickTime Player (Mac)
- Any web browser
- All smartphones and tablets
Common Uses
- YouTube and social media videos
- Streaming services
- Video downloads
- Video editing projects
- Screen recordings
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Universal compatibility
- Excellent quality-to-size ratio
- Supports HD and 4K
- Streaming-optimized
Cons
- Quality loss in compression
- Not ideal for editing (use MOV)
- Patent licensing concerns
- Large files for high quality
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