H.264 Encoded Video File

The H.264 format is a relatively new video format that offers high quality videos in low bitrate files which also have equally low storage requirements. This file format is also referred to as AVC, which stands for Advanced Video Coding. Incidentally, it is also equivalent to the MPEG-4 Part 10 format.

• H.264 Format

The H.264 format is the same as AVC and MPEG-4 Part 10. The H.264 file format can be presented in different file extensions such as AVI, MP4, M4V, and MKV. While there are files that come with the H.264 extension, it is not widely used. For users that have downloaded this kind of file over the internet and don’t know how to play it, a mere change in the extension name could make the difference.

• H.264 Codec

The H.264 codec is very popular in recording, distribution, and compression of HD videos. Currently, it is the codec standard for Blu-ray discs. Having said that, all Blu-ray DVD players can directly play all the files created using this standard. The many websites that offer video streams prefer this codec as well, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and iTunes. As a standard in audio video compression, it is the primary file format of choice for DVDs and streaming media.

• How to Play H.264 Encoded Video File

Since the H.264 codecs can be regarded as an industry standard, it only has a few notable instances of compatibility problems. H.264 files can be played very easily by both the Windows Media Player and QuickTime, and are readily recognized by Windows and Macintosh computers. Even the editing software released by these two software giants can handle H.264 files quite easily. For the few systems that don’t recognize the H.264 file formats, a simple file conversion is necessary. In some rare cases, the installation of a different media player may also be recommended.