Video Formats & Codecs

Forum|Forum|12 years ago
August 7, 2013
4 replies
20364 views

What's the difference between a video format & codec, for example in PP you could export something using .mov format with h.264 codec, you could also export something using a H.264 format? Just trying to get some clarification so I could understand these things better.

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Correct answer joe_bloe_premiere

Here is John T Smith's recommended reading on this subject:

Read Bill Hunt on a file type as WRAPPER

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/440037

What is a CODEC... a Primer

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/546811

D

Dale Mullen

Participating Frequently

Thank for the reply and information.

However, I found the problem to be my video conversion program. Using another application, now everything seems to be working OK.

Steven L. Gotz

Inspiring

Well, technically the H.264 export selection could just have well been called the MP4 export, but that would have confused some of the highly technical people, or really annoyed them.

artofzootography.com

Neossir

Inspiring

They should redefine export presets and make it more clear about the codec and the container. There "format" term is not very intuitive, because it merges container and codec in its own way. It's a bit confusing that you can make .mp4 files via several "formats" (for example H.264 and MPEG4), and .mov files only via one "format" (Quicktime).

Additionally when I choose H.264 it confuses me because I select the codec, and I expect to chose the video format when I discover I'm limited to .MP4 and .3GPP containers.

Steven L. Gotz

Inspiring

They should redefine export presets and make it more clear about the codec and the container.

I certainly can't argue with that. I am not exactly sure what it should look like, but my guess is that we should be able to click a button to get a list by extensions, or one to get a list by codec. Maybe even a drop down to list for the reason we are exporting... for web page, for YouTube, for email, for DVD, etc. It is almost that easy now, but not quite easy enough.

Or, the fact of the matter is, once you know what you just learned, the issue pretty much becomes moot.

artofzootography.com

E

excited_Genie16B8

Legend

Simply put, the format specifies details about the file, whereas the codec specifies details about the video and audio in that file.

J

joe_bloe_premiereCorrect answer

Inspiring

Here is John T Smith's recommended reading on this subject:

Read Bill Hunt on a file type as WRAPPER

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/440037