MP4 Video Format

MPEG-4, commonly known as MP4 is an acronym for a standard which facilitates compression of audio visual ( AV ) data. The standard, introduced in 1998 by the Motion Picture Experts Group, is extensively applied in broadcast television, streaming media and by DVD technology developers.

You’ll find MP4 is a vast improvement over previous standards such as MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, in terms of smaller file sizes and faster transmission of data across networks. This enables service providers such as television broadcasters to offer more channels to subscribers within the same bandwidth. MPEG-4 also promotes data transparency, enabling smooth transitions of data from one platform to another. This gives consumers the choice of viewing the same content on multiple devices and platforms, without needing to convert data from one format to another, requiring additional plug-ins or worse yet, restricting users to a particular device from one specific company. Simply put, an MP4 file can be played on any device which supports MPEG-4, whether it is a handheld device, a desktop PC or a standalone video player.

MPEG-4 is broken into a number of parts, each relevant to specific categories. MPEG-4 part 2 finds applications in codecs such as DivX and Quicktime 6 while MPEG-4 part 10 is used by emerging DVD formats like HD-DVD and Blueray Discs.

This format is a patented standard, and requires a license to integrate it into applications. All licenses are maintained and listed on the MPEG group’s website. Please take note that MPEG-4 is still a standard under development, and it is expected that there will be changes to the standard, in order to keep up with rapidly emerging digital transmission technology, and the ever increasing demand for high speed video transmission, fueled by the global explosion of Internet users.