For the same reason, you also might be able to play the audio portion of an AVI file, but not the video portion.Ĭonsequently, sometimes the player supports the video format but still cannot play the video, why? It’s because the video is with an incompatible video codec. Consequently, you might be able to play some AVI files and not others, depending on which codecs were used to compress the file and which codecs you have installed on your computer.
![video codec comparison video codec comparison](https://compression.ru/video/codec_comparison/mpeg-4_avc_h264_2005/part2_files/image066.gif)
AVI files can also contain data that is not compressed by any codec. However, a file format such as Audio Video Interleaved (AVI) can contain data that is compressed by any of a number of different codecs, including the MPEG-2, DivX, or XviD codecs. And sometimes they have the same name.įor example, a file format such as Windows Media Audio contains data that is compressed by using the Windows Media Audio codec.
![video codec comparison video codec comparison](http://compression.ru/video/codec_comparison/h264_2010/figures/vp8_bh_ice.png)
And for a container that can obtain a different encoding format video and audio. Inside the container is data that has been compressed by using a particular codec. What is the Difference between Video Codec and File Formats?Ī file format is like a type of container. When you play that WMA file (or any WMA file that might be streamed from a website), the Player uses the Windows Media Audio codec to decompress the file so the music can be played through your speakers. Some codecs include both of these components and some codecs only include one of them.įor example, when you rip a song from an audio CD to your computer, the Player uses the Windows Media Audio codec by default to compress the song into a compact WMA file. The encoder performs the compression (encoding) function and the decoder performs the decompression (decoding) function.
![video codec comparison video codec comparison](http://sschaber.de/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/CitrixPolicy_visualquality_high-300x210.jpg)
The "codec" can be dividing into 2 parts: encode and decode.
#Video codec comparison software
A codec is a device or software that is used to compress or decompress a digital media file, such as a video or song.