This is like one of the most misunderstood things ever...  

I'm going to explain it here, so instead of spending effort to explain this over and over every time, I can simply link them to this thread.


Firstly, what is a container?

Wikipedia Definition

A container or wrapper format is a meta-file format whose specification describes how data and metadata are stored (not coded).  A program able to identify and open a container file might not be able to decode the contained data. This may be caused by the opening program lacking the required decoding algorithm, or the meta-data not providing enough information.

In our case, a multimedia container is a wrapper that wraps the video, audio, subtitles, and whatever else together in one file.

So inside a container, wee can have multiple different types of video and audio streams.  Support for a container format DOES NOT neccessarily mean support for all the possible video/audio types the container can hold, and conversely, having support for a video/audio format DOES NOT mean support for all container formats that can hold such a video/audio format.

For example...

• AVI (with XviD + MP3)  --»  AVI (Audio Video Interleave) = container, XviD = video, MP3 = audio.  AVI is NOT the video format, you don't have AVI video, you have XviD video.
  
• MP4 (with AVC + AAC)  --»  MP4 = container, AVC (H.264) = video, AAC = audio.  Pretty much all devices that support MP4 can play that.
  
• MP4 (with Dirac + ALAC)  --»  MP4 = container, Dirac = video, ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) = audio.  And absolutely no device out there that support MP4 can play that.
  
• OGG Vorbis  --»  OGG = container, Vorbis = audio.
  

So why do wee need containers?

To hold our video/audio/subtitles/whatever files together.

Also to store some useful information not contained in the raw video/audio bitstreams, such as chapter information, tags, and synch information so the video and audio play together as they are intended to.


So why is it important to get it right?

Besides for making yourself not sound retarded... ("Hey guise, I downloaded XviD converter, how come I get AVI video not Xvid video?")

It's important because when you ask for help, the person helping you may need to know exactly what you're trying to play.  It also lets you diagnose a lot of your support problems so won't end up spamming forums with "OMG, Company xxxxx said this yyyyy can play MP4's, I have this MP4 here and it doesn't play, Please HALP ME, fucking liar bitches, I'll sue you!"


So how do I find out what is what?

Same as how you would find out any other information, use Google/Yahoo/Bing/Ask/whatever, ask someone, many other ways (searching Wikipedia is good).

To save you some effort, here is a list of some common names you hear and what they are...

Container formats - AVI, MP4 (M4A), MKV (MKA), MOV, ASF, OGV (OGM, OGG), WebM (lol rebranded MKV)
Video formats - DivX, XviD, H.264 (AVC), WMV, VP8, Theora
Audio formats - AAC, MP3, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC, AC3, DTS



Notes...
1.  File extension doesn't always imply container.  Eg. you see .WMV file, that doesn't mean WMV is a container format, WMV is a video format, the container for your .WMV file is ASF.
2.  Some video/audio formats have their own container format.  Eg. FLAC is both an audio codec, and also it's own container format.

(This post was last modified: 31/08/2010 05:42 PM by Assassinator.)

(This post was last modified: 11/06/2010 10:10 PM by eKusoshisut0.)

seriously,............ i did't know avi and MP4 are containers,. i thought mkv, ogm and rmvb,. i thought avi could be coded different eg xvid or divx,. hehe (different structure or something)
Whot's the file extension for vorbis?

(11/06/2010 11:53 PM)Vegetano1 Wrote:  Whot's the file extension for vorbis?

Almost always .OGG if just the audio alone.  Also used a lot in these MKVs you find on the internet (which are generally either vorbis or AAC).

(11/06/2010 11:53 PM)Vegetano1 Wrote:  

soo,. whot's this .OMG format do?

You mean OGM?

OGM is the multimedia version of OGG that stores not just audio but video, text and other stuff.  It's atually an old hack version, these days, you should use the official OGV instead.

%^^ No i looked it up its "O! My Gowd!" uhuuh!!


There is also the different disc formats>?>!? like when i demux>mux a mkv to AVCHD(with tsMuxxer) where files from the mkv container are moved to a AVCHD container/disc format>?

I do this with alot of mkv movies so i can play them as blu-ray disc in my PS3,. and also be able to add subs :)

PS3 probably using TS.

I'm guessing OMG = ATRAC3 format.

lol nice thread Assassinator.

You'll be able to point people in the right direction instead of repeat yourself now :P

(12/06/2010 01:40 AM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  I'm guessing OMG = ATRAC3 format.

OMG!!!!!! nevermind ok!!

Twit | DA | G+ | Last.fm