Everything changes rapidly when the video storing and streaming system has changed into many different file formats. With every available video format and streaming format, do you know which one has to be used for what? All of this sounds very intimidating, and why shouldn’t it? Not every regular Joe can have detailed knowledge of a techie. And for most of us, we can’t tell the difference between MOV and MP4. Let alone know which one is better than the other. But it always helps to have some basic information in the knowledge of beginner’s level. Especially when it comes down to the difference between the two most used and popular video file formats; after all, knowledge has never hurt anyone, especially for something so commonly used by most of the population.
We would not want to mess up our files just because we got the wrong format now, would we? So, let’s take a quick look into MOV and MP4 file formats. Take a look at each of their features, pros, and cons, and then decide which one is the best, shall we?
Curious? Continue reading…….,
MOV File Format: If it was not mentioned enough earlier, it is one of the most popular file formats. This is because streaming videos online is a need and norm, and the MOV file format makes it more accessible. You can also save videos, 3D, animation, and VR content in a container format to store different video types. Apple developed the MOV file format for their QuickTime movie player. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows. It is a perfect and safe choice for an Apple Mac user, but if you run it out of QuickTime, you will likely run into trouble like an audio-video sync issue, or MOV file has no video issue, etc. This generally uses MPEG-4 codec for compression. MOV is known for providing better quality files, better picture quality, and better ability to enhance sound while giving better picture resolution.
MP4 File Format: This is one of the most popular and commonly used file formats. But this format is based on MOV in QuickTime movie format. Industry Standard later developed it. It also stores different audio and video data, subtitles, and graphics, allowing for advanced content such as 3D graphics, user interactivity, and menus. It runs smoothly on most operating systems as it is mainly used for sharing videos on the net. While it uses separate compression for audio and video tracks, it generally uses MPEG-4 compression.
Conclusion: If you are using a Mac, then MOV would be a good option, whereas if you are using a non-Apple device, then MP4 would be your choice. However, if you accidentally or intentionally end up with a corrupted MOV or damaged file, remember there is a tool to repair an mp4 file that can be very useful.
