Video Formats and Codec Confusion
James wonders why there’s such a fuss over digital video formats:
I had been watching you on Ustream since last summer. I was browsing around Youtube and Ustream looking at the videos you made over the past few weeks. After watching your video titled: Digital Camcorder Incompatibilities Insanity, it leaves me with some questions.
In your video, you said camcorder manufactures make there cameras to work on certain formats that may be incompatible with video editing software such as Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere and force you to use whatever software that shipped with the camera. Now I would understand what you said and possibly agree with you when you are talking about digital point and shoot cameras that has video recording capabilities where there is many of them and record in many different formats, but where I don’t understand is camcorders.
Is there not already a general format for a digital video recording in camcorders? Isn’t the standard camcorder format MiniDV recording at AVI-DV? As far as I know, AVI-DV works with all the major video editing software out there. In fact, based on my knowledge it’s the best raw video format to work with.
Now I know MiniDV is standard definition and camcorder manufactures are trying to move consumers into using high def camcorders using miniDV tapes or hard drives. I am not quite sure on this area because I am not in the market for an HD camera as of yet. But based what I know, they record on Mpeg 2 or Mpeg 4 and those formats are terrible to edit.
So what is your say on this? Is AVI-DV the standard camcorder format for standard definition cameras or if not, what would it be? Also, If there is no true standard for HD format recording good for editing and used for rendering, which format would be good as a standard why?
Thank you for taking the time to read my email though I understand you have many to read. I look forward to your response and having a better understanding on what you where trying to say in that video.
Let me put it to you this way: I purchased a digital camcorder that records in AVC-HD, and I’ve yet to be able to use that format because the software (on either Windows or OS X) has yet to become reliable enough. People, inevitably, will want to change one format to another – so I’d rather deal with a more accepted format, and if I know I’m going to compress down to MP4 anyway…
I just record as MPEG-2 if I can – if I even use the digital camcorder at in the first place. Generally, I rely on my digital camera’s video recording feature (good enough for most Web videos these days).
I hate messing with video codecs – I just wanna record or watch video, that’s all.
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18 Comments
NJ Tech Geek
March 22nd, 2008
at 12:31am
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Brent
March 20th, 2008
at 10:33pm
Chris, I recently picked up a Canon HG10 and I’ve used it with both iMovie ‘08 and Final Cut Express with no problems at all. I love the import tools in iMovie and FCE and I honestly don’t think I could ever go back to recording onto miniDV.
buzz
March 21st, 2008
at 9:59am
Just to clarify this issue. Mini DV is not AVI at all. AVI is the format that your software chooses to record the video information on to your hard drive. As a professional, I use both Final Cut Pro and Avid. FCP uses .mov files and Avid records to .omf (it’s a quicktime based file system). Personally, I think the .mov compression looks better–it’s just a preference, though. That is a totally different topic.
What’s interesting to me is that manufactures of hard drive recorders have made choices for the consumer regarding compression of video. That’s a pain for those of us who want control over how our videos look. Compression makes a huge visual difference in footage!
I follow the golden rule of “garbage in equals garbage out.” I make sure to have the best footage in the beginning and then compress that to a format like MP4, Mpeg2 or whatever. The footage will always look better and we keep the option of being able to convert it to other formats from that higher res format. -b
AshTR
March 21st, 2008
at 11:28am
“Generally, I rely on my digital camera’s video recording feature (good enough for most Web videos these days).”
I’d definitely agree. My Mom bought an average $200 camera that does video recording at 640×480 that I used for some video recording. It works great and I’d definitely recommend digital camera video recording unless you want to record in something high-quality like 720p.
Just pick a good camera with a decent format, upload the video to your computer, and convert with something like VirtualDub if you’re on Windows (I know there’s some sort of Linux or Mac alternative out there.) and you’re good for converting to almost any widespread format.
Ryan Kenneth Hamel
March 21st, 2008
at 4:13pm
chris, would you know of a way to break itunes encryption on movies and songs?
iowafan4life
March 21st, 2008
at 4:26pm
i have a jvc everio gz mg 130u and i have a mac osx 10.4.11 and all i had to do is get a opensource program and the mpeg 2 playbac for quicktime. it works and i am glad. One thing though. i want to film underwater and the cheapest housing IS MORE THAN THE CAMERA. prices these days.
iowafan4life
March 21st, 2008
at 4:30pm
I have the JVC Everio it works great but i had to buy some software for it. i have a vid on youtube on how to make it into a compatible file. it takes time but works. i’m looking for accesories for my camera and i want an underwater housing but the housing is more than the camera. the housing costs over 500 dollars. amazing.
Nick
March 21st, 2008
at 6:58pm
Speaking of video codecs, I have found that the best combination for video playback, on the PC at least consists of the Combined Community Codec Pack and the GOM Player. I have yet to come across codecs that I cannot play with that combination.
Bryce
March 21st, 2008
at 7:08pm
I am so confused about the differences between mpeg4 and 3
fury
March 21st, 2008
at 7:09pm
As far as playing, I just use VLC Media Player and forget about it. So far it has played literally everything I’ve thrown at it, even a few things I didn’t think it would do like Quicktime streams from Apple’s website.
Recording, I’ve never had to deal with very much – I just have a simple MS Livecam that records to a wmv file, and when I post a video on YouTube, it’s usually gone through a Windows Movie Maker run, which outputs .wmv anyway.
D0M1N8R
March 21st, 2008
at 8:01pm
I spent all day yesturday playing with Codecs trying to get Divx and xVid working in Nero Vision
Bullit131
March 21st, 2008
at 8:09pm
i’ve been looking for this topic, thanks chris!!!
rebirth13579
March 21st, 2008
at 8:41pm
There are many video formats out there and it does require one to have many different video codecs but there are also audio codecs! Usually someone only needs the moct common codecs to play certain files on a computer.
I recommend getting the Combined Community Codec Pack because it comes with everything you need. Just saves you a lot of time from having to go online and search for the codec on your own. There are also players that come with the codecs installed.
It is quite funny when peoplebelieve there files are corrupted because they wont play right when all you really need are some codecs.
rebirth13579
March 21st, 2008
at 8:43pm
There are many video formats out there and it does require one to have many different video codecs but there are also audio codecs! Usually someone only needs the moct common codecs to play certain files on a computer.
I recommend getting the Combined Community Codec Pack because it comes with everything you need. Just saves you a lot of time from having to go online and search for the codec on your own. There are also players that come with the codecs installed.
It is quite funny when peoplebelieve there files are corrupted because they wont play right when all you really need are some codecs.
—-sry if this got posted twice——
cnlevo
March 21st, 2008
at 9:02pm
I am in video editing as a profession and yes i agree completely. it is very annoying to not have a solid standard such as .mp3 for audio. it would make things so much easier. I do believe that in time there will be. Live video, video editing, and watching videos on the computer for the normal user is something that is just now starting to become something very popular. As with everything else, the more popular it is, the more there will be a demand for things like a standard (which is what happened with .mp3, there are many forms of audio formats but .mp3 is just about the standard because of the popularity of listening and playing/editing music on the computer) video format.
av
March 21st, 2008
at 9:05pm
Nice Question, I think AVERY single company should choose one format. I bought a kodak digital camera. The video feature is recorded in .mov format. I have pinnicale studio studio which of course doesn’t support it. I guess what other people are saying, I need to find scripts.
Artanis227
March 21st, 2008
at 9:08pm
I use the CCC pack and VLC, With those two, I never have any problems playing anything.
Mark Rand
May 18th, 2008
at 3:00pm
Neat site,
But, I can’t for the life of me find a way to make videos on a camcorder, load them on my Macbook Pro, go to iMovies and then burn to a DVD that I can put in the TV at home and watch. I really need to know what camera, software, etc. that I will need to convert to NTSC (that is what I understand to be the codecs for television). Please help!
Mark Rand
Houston, Texas