Did you know that not all video formats are created equal? Aside from the importance of knowing which format is compatible with your chosen player, video file formats have big differences in determining quality.
Video quality is not something you can afford to neglect. Viewers’ standards have gotten higher over the years, and you’re not going to impress anyone with a video that looks like it was shot on a flip phone in 2006.
Before you learn which format is the best for high quality, you need to understand some of the different video formats that exist. There are many, but we will just take a look at some of the more popular ones.
To really draw in and impress viewers, you need to produce the highest quality videos possible. Read on to learn which is the best format for video quality.
AVI
Created by Microsoft in 1992, AVI is one of the oldest video formats. It boasts of very high quality with little to no compression. While the quality is definitely a plus, the lack of compression can be problematic if you have limited storage space on your computer.
AVI is compatible with YouTube, and it is excellent for TV viewing.
FLV
Developed by Adobe Flash Player, FLV has the benefit of being compatible with all video platforms and browsers. FLV is also easy to download due to a small file size.
FLV’s only drawback is its incompatibility with mobile devices such as smartphones.
WMV
WMV is another format created by Microsoft. It is popular for online video streaming due to its small file sizes and its superior compression. The format is not compatible with Apple devices even though the Windows Media Player can be downloaded on Apple devices.
MP4
MP4, or MPEG, is immensely popular due to its ability to produce high-quality videos while still maintaining a small file size. It ensures lossless compression, and it is compatible with most platforms and devices.
What’s the Best Format for Video Quality?
While most of these formats can create high-quality videos, AVI and MP4 are known for their superior quality. MP4 does have higher popularity due to the benefit of smaller sizes, while AVI takes up a lot of storage space.
However, determining which format you will use for quality videos depends on your unique needs. The player is an important factor to consider, as not all formats are compatible with YouTube, Vimeo, etc. The purpose of the video is also important, as you are going to want a higher quality video for a commercial than you are for a funny home movie.
This is a lot to think about, and to avoid confusion, consider hiring a video production service. Explaining your needs and goals for your video to a professional video production studio is a sure way to get the right format for the right purpose. Moreover, they’ll deliver the video with the highest quality possible.
More Video Production Tips
Now you know a little bit more about finding the best format for video quality. Again, determining the format depends on your unique goals for your videos. Bring in the help of professionals to ensure ideal formatting for those goals.
Visit our Technology section for more video production tips.
