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.mp4
MPEG-4 Part 14
MP4 is a digital multimedia container format most commonly used to store video and audio, but it can also store other data such as subtitles and still images.
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History & Origin
Based on the QuickTime File Format, it was standardized by MPEG in 2001 (MPEG-4 Part 1) and refined in 2003 (Part 14). It has become the standard for video on the web.
Internal Structure
MP4 uses an object-oriented structure based on "atoms" or "boxes". Key boxes include 'ftyp' (file type), 'moov' (metadata), and 'mdat' (media data). It typically contains video encoded with H.264 / AVC and audio with AAC.
Advantages
- Streaming: Supports streaming over the internet.
- Compatibility: Plays on almost all computers, phones, and TVs.
- Efficiency: High compression with good quality using modern codecs.
Disadvantages
- Container confusion: Being a container, an MP4 file might not play if the player doesn't support the specific codec used inside.
- Editing: Lossy formats degrade with repeated editing/saving.
Common Use Cases
Web video streaming (YouTube, Vimeo)
Mobile video recording
Movies and TV shows
Video ads
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