Videomenthe team wishes you Happy Holidays! 🎄💖
A guide to video formats and codecs for audiovisual and web applications
25 November 2024
Choosing the right subtitle format: why?
Whether you work in the audiovisual industry or use video for your communications, understanding the different video formats and codecs is important for making the right choice!
They play a crucial role in the quality, compatibility and distribution of your content. In this article, we explain the main advantages, disadvantages and uses of each codec and format.ou've decided to subtitle your video and you're wondering which subtitle format to use? 👇
Contents
VIDEO CODECS
1. Main Codecs with Advantages and Disadvantages
a. H.264 (AVC)
b. H.265 (HEVC)
c. AV1
d. VP9
e. MPEG-2
2. How to choose the right codec?
VIDEO CONTAINERS
a. MP4
b. MKV
c. MOV
d. AVI
1. VIDEO CODECS
First things first: what is a codec? The answer is in the name: a codec simply encodes (COmpression) and decodes (DECompression) streams! Compression reduces file size while minimizing loss of quality. Here are some of the most common codecs 👇
a. H.264 (AVC)
âś…Advantages:
- Compatibility: H.264 is supported by most devices and platforms.
- Pretty efficient compression: this codec offers decent quality with small file sizes.
- Resolution: this codec is suitable for various resolutions, from SD to UHD.
- Widespread use: H.264 is an ideal codec for TV broadcasting, streaming and online video.
🤔Drawbacks:
- Complex encoding: requires greater computing resources.
- Fixed compression: limited in terms of dynamic quality settings.
Overall, if you have no particular expertise in the field, this codec is a good choice as it's the most universal and offers the most compatibility.
b. H.265 (HEVC)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
A little background on this codec, which is the successor to H.264!
HEVC, or H.265, responds to the evolution of video formats, necessary to adapt to ever-larger screens and ever-increasing resolutions. The emergence of 4K, then 8K, required a more powerful codec than H.264/AVC, already widely used for HD and Full HD, but insufficient to handle Ultra HD efficiently. H.265/HEVC was designed to meet this need.
12 Mars 2019
LLOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET, CONSECTETUR
ADIPISICING ELIT SED DO EIUSMOD
âś…Advantages:
- Better compression: the successor to H.264, H.265 offers similar quality to H.264 with more efficient compression. It delivers equivalent image quality for files half the size.
- Support for video streams up to 8K: this codec is ideal for broadcasting ultra-high-resolution video.
- Efficiency: reduces bandwidth without compromising quality.
🤔Drawbacks:
- Decoding complexity: may require more advanced decoding capabilities.
- Licensing costs: use of HEVC may be subject to royalties due to the patents that protect it.
c. AV1
AV1 was created in 2018 by a number of market players (including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Mozilla, Cisco), grouped together in the Alliance for Open Media, as a free, royalty-free alternative to H.265.
âś…Advantages :
- High compression efficiency: a serious competitor to H.265, with better compression.
- Open source and royalty-free: encourages widespread adoption.
- Suitable for streaming: this codec is used by Netflix and YouTube, for example.
🤔Drawbacks:
- Slower encoding: requires additional resources for encoding.
- Limited hardware support: may not be supported on some older devices.
d. VP9
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
The VP9 codec was created by Google in 2011.
Lorem ipsum dolor
âś…Advantages:
- Open Source: royalty-free, encourages adoption by a broad community.
- Compression: offers quality similar to H.265 with better compression than H.264.
- Resolution: suitable for various resolutions, from HD to UHD.
- Ideal for streaming: used by platforms like YouTube.
🤔Drawbacks:
-Lesser hardware support: poorly supported on some hardware devices.
-Encoding time: requires more encoding time compared to H.264.
e. MPEG-2
âś…Advantages:
- Compatibility: widely supported by a diverse range of devices and software.
- Decent video quality: offers reasonable video quality, making it a good choice for TV, live streaming and DVD authoring.
- Industry standards: MPEG-2 is the main codec used in the DVD video format and in standard and high-definition broadcasting.
- Intra-frame compression structure: suitable for complex scenes with lots of movement
🤔Drawbacks:
- Relatively large file size: compared with more recent codecs (H.264 or H.265), MPEG-2 generates larger files, to be taken into account in terms of storage and bandwidth.
- Compression: MPEG-2 is less efficient in terms of compression than more recent codecs, which may limit its use in applications where bandwidth is a major concern (streaming, for example).
- Resolution limitations: although revolutionary in its day, MPEG-2 has limitations in terms of video resolution compared with today's standards (UHD, 4K).
Although MPEG-2 was an industry mainstay for many years, its use has declined in favor of more modern codecs offering better compression and higher video quality.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CODEC?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Lossless codecs
- Lossless codecs preserve the quality of the original file during compression and decompression.
- Every bit of data in the original file is preserved.
- Used for archiving or professional production.
Lossy codecs
- Lossy codecs achieve higher compression by removing data that is less important to human perception.
- This results in a slight loss of quality.
- Often used for streaming
Factors to consider
âś…Adaptation: choose the format according to the final destination.
âś… Compression: find the right balance between quality and file size.
âś…Compatibility: make sure the format is supported by target devices.
2. VIDEO CONTAINERS
Video containers act as digital “envelopes” for different types of data, including the video stream, audio and subtitles. Choosing the right container is essential to ensure optimum compatibility and ease of use.
a. MP4
âś… Advantages:
- Compatibility: universally supported on many devices.
- Versatility: suitable for streaming, the web and mobile devices.
- Compression: enables compression without significant loss of quality.
🤔Disadvantages:
- Metadata limitations: may not be as robust as other containers.
b. MKV
âś…Advantages:
- Flexibility: supports a wide variety of audio and video codecs.
- Subtitle management: excellent support for multiple subtitles and tracks.
- No size limit: suitable for large file sizes.
🤔Drawbacks:
- Limited compatibility: some devices may not support MKV natively.
c. MOV
âś… Advantages:
- Compatibility: MOV is widely compatible with operating systems, media players and editing software.
- High video quality: container capable of holding high-quality codecs such as ProRes
- Support for multiple audio and video streams: MOV allows the inclusion of multiple audio and video tracks, making it easy to store and manage different multimedia elements within a single file.
- Flexibility in metadata management: MOV supports advanced metadata management, enabling information such as camera details, copyright, etc. to be stored.
🤔Drawbacks:
- Limited compatibility: some older or specific devices may have playback problems.
- File size: depending on the codecs and encoding settings used, MOV files can be relatively large.
- Licenses for certain codecs: some popular codecs used in the MOV format, such as ProRes, may be subject to licensing, resulting in potential costs or restrictions on use in certain situations.
d. AVI
âś… Advantages:
- Universal compatibility
- Compression: AVI allows the use of less destructive compression codecs, thus preserving relatively high video quality while maintaining manageable file sizes.
- Easy editing: AVI's simple structure makes it easy to edit, making it ideal for post-production and video editing.
- Support for a variety of codecs: AVI supports a variety of audio and video codecs, giving users the flexibility to choose the one that best suits their needs.
🤔Drawbacks:
- Potentially large file size: due to its less compressed nature compared to some newer formats, AVI can generate large files.
- No support for multiple tracks: may limit its relevance in some professional applications.
- Metadata limitations
Although the AVI format offers extensive compatibility and decent video quality, its limitations in terms of file size and advanced functionality may make it less suitable for certain modern requirements. More recent formats such as MP4 offer a better combination of compression and advanced features.
Other subtitle formats
In conclusion, the choice of codec and container depends on the specific requirements of each project.
For TV broadcasting, the MPEG2 XDCAM MXF format is a standard widely adopted by TV channels. MPEG-2 XDCAM MXF files are compatible with many broadcast servers, editing software and media management systems (MAM). The MXF (Material Exchange Format) container is robust, ideal for professional workflows and incorporates important metadata for content management.
On the web, MP4 remains the standard thanks to its extensive compatibility. However, AV1, imposed by YouTube, is gaining ground for its superior streaming quality while reducing bandwidth consumption.
Need more help?
Discover our encoding / transcoding solutions!
Do you need to change the format of your content? Do you need to deliver your customers and partners in the right formats? Our solutions transcode your masters to the formats you require: PAD broadcast HD / 4K, archive formats, SVOD, web, etc. :
- Cambria FTC transcoding software: imports and exports most of the digital video formats used by professionals, including H.264, HEVC, HDR and Sony XDCAM.
- Saas transcoding via Eolementhe: you don't have the tools in-house and don't want to invest, or you have workload peaks that need to be outsourced to the cloud? Eolementhe integrates several transcoding tools to process your files.
EoleTransco packs have also been created, with a price per file, to make your life easier!