Video codec: What are these elements of audiovisual files and what are they for?

Taking into account all the multimedia information that we visualize every day, we undoubtedly need a small piece of software that nobody gives the value it deserves. This is the so-called video codec. In this post we are going to talk about what these elements of audiovisual archives are, and what they are for, so present, without our knowing it, in our day to day life.

If we didn’t use codecs, it would be impossible to enjoy watching a movie or simply listening to a song. Its function is, in short, to encode and decode signals.

There are a good number of codecs different for each file type and each of them has been created for a task specific. But the technology in which they are designed is quite new and it can surely catch your attention. Continue reading to learn more about what what are these tiny video software and the characteristics of each of them.

What is a video codec and what is this type of program used for?

As we indicated at the beginning of this post, a codec is the software that takes care of encode analog data to digital (by compressing the digital stream so that its length is much smaller so that it can fit within the available storage medium) and to decode thesewhen necessary, for work and reproduce them in a format that the user can see or hear.

The latter occurs simply when we click on the file to play it, taking place in a few tenths of a second.

The task of the codecs is quite complicated, because all of them cause some loss of quality by reducing the size of the file. Data is compressed at the time it is saved and decompressed while playback is in progress.

From the above we can say that the video codectherefore, is any small software that complies with the description in the previous paragraph and works with audiovisual filesie video.

This is part of a set of many elements that come together to form the file: other codecs, image data, text data, audio data, interaction data. Which is all introduced in a container.

What are the main types of video codecs that exist?

We can make a classification based on different aspects, such as the usefulness or loss of information. Depending on the utility, each video codec has been implemented by a different company and has its own algorithm.

Their specifications are different and apply to different fields. Therefore, you have to knowing how to choose perfectly the one we need depending on what we want to use it for.

To play

They are those that are designed to work very quickly and make playback of the accompanying file have the best features (clarity, fluency, etc).

Often, are required to be able to run audiovisual files in somewhat strange formats that, by default, our team does not read, interpret or reproduce properly. Codecs work on these unreadable files so you can enjoy them.

To edit

Contrary to what we have just seen, editing codecs are designed to keep even the smallest detail of the file so that everything, 100%, is available to be modified. The procedure for dealing with files is slower because there is much more information to show, seeking that, in addition, the quality is maintained.

Another way to classify these softwares, and this time we are not talking only about video but about all of them at a general level is depending on the loss they cause to occur.

lossy codec

It is the one that, when it starts up and begins to compress the files, makes they lose part of their content. In this case, they get lighter files.

lossless codec

The encoding occurs but the result is a file which, because of not having diminished its quality due to not losing parts, it is much heavier.

How to install an audiovisual codec in your video editor or player quickly and easily?

Installing a video codec on our computers is a simple task. In fact, this is not usually done individually but in ready-made packages that include several of them.

If the idea is to search for a single specific codec, we must emphasize that this will become a fairly complicated task unless, as we say, we find it within a pcl and get hold of it.

we can get the package K-Lite Codec Packwhich comes with all the necessary software to play video and also audio to practically play any type of file. It is the best rated and certainly one one of the most complete to get for free.

We also recommend the pack CCCP, which is also well stocked in terms of quantity and variety. When we install it, will do an analysis of the equipment to see the codecs already present within the system. This the user is notified and gives you the option to keep it or to replace it with the correct and most current codec.

In any case, knowing that there are many others and that there are no better or worse, but only ones that are better suited to our needs; it’s just a matter of searching.

If we connect to microsoft store directly we can get codecs that we need in a simple way. In addition, only in this way will we be able to install them on our computer.or as if it were another applicationwith the approval of the corporation, that is, without the “handicap” of installing something unofficial, of dubious origin or potentially harmful.

But, come on, this is something that the company lets us know when we install practically anything, so if any of the packs that we have proposed or another are of interest to you, go ahead with the installation.

any package it is downloaded compressed and/or in an executable and installed as we do with any other file. Double click, follow the installer instructions, and you’re done! The software remains on your computer and you will now be able to play the multimedia files that perhaps you were not capable of before.

Sometimes we can access the help menu of our editing or playback program and from there look for the option where it invites us to search for and install the codecs required to view each image. This is another way of, in the end, taking us to the same place.

List of the best codecs to edit or play audiovisual content of all kinds

The videos are compressed by a series of codecs, and we have already seen that in the compression process it is possible that they lose some information; this will depend on the software used.

Next, We are going to show which are the most used video codecs for editing and playing audiovisual content:

MPG

It is one of the best known by users. Provides a lots of possibilities at the time of file compression.

The three best known types are:

• MPEG-1: Used to make the VCDs. is combined with MPS codec for audio encoding. It provides a lot of support on all types of computers, so it is available for the vast majority. Its quality is not too good, because only allows progressive scanning to be performed from image.
• MPEG-2: Image quality is a bit better to the previous one. It is very frequently used in DVD’s, since it allows to make a interlaced and progressive scan of the files.
• MPEG-4: It has been developed based on the previous model, but improving compression methods, making it the best codec in the whole family. It focuses on the distribution of content on networks so, in addition to being good with video, it includes audio and interactivity specifications.

H.264 or MPEG-4 AVC

This was created in 2003. It is one of the most used because it has a high compression capacity and minimal loss of information and quality in doing so. It is mainly used to compress 3D or HD videos although we currently see it a lot in streaming in real time.

Nowadays H.265 codec already existswhich is capable of compressing 4D videos, although it is not really used, in part, because of the little content available.

DIVX

It is the first video codec that had been used in DVD movies. Its initial goal was to reduce the size of the video and burn the content to a CD without compressing the audio.

An alternative was created for this codec, called XVID, although the former was better in terms of quality. In addition, there were a large number of players that supported it, so that it remained in the lead without making the competitor that came out of it make a notable hole in the market.

theory

It is a VP3-based codec created for low power hardware It consumes very little CPU. Work with a block-based compression for movement so that there is no final loss of quality although if it is transcoded to VP3 that loss cannot be avoided.

VPS

It is a codec created with free code. It was made to be able compete with H.264since their characteristics are very similar.

We wanted to let you know the best known. However, there are many more that you can use. Just take a look at any available package and you will see that you will find dozens of themalthough in the end they always end up using the same ones because of their versatility, usefulness and good features.