All video formats aren’t created equal and some are far more commonplace than others. While the video format MP4 is so popular it gets taken for granted, have you ever wondered, what is an MP4 file? Short for the less catchy MPEG-4 Part 14, this high-quality video format inspired by the QuickTime File Format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization. Version 1 was released in 2001 under the ISO/IEC 14496-1:2001 standard, followed by Version 2 in 2003.
The popularity of the MP4 video file is attributed in good part to its successful use by Apple iTunes at the height of the company’s worldwide fame. It also helps a great deal that YouTube championed the MP4 video format, given the mega-site boasts more than 2 billion logged-in users every month and 74% of U.S. adults watch videos on this platform. Last, the MP4 is compatible with virtually any device, making it incredibly versatile.
Windows Compatibility
- File Viewer Plus
- Microsoft Windows Video
- Microsoft Windows Media Player
- Nullsoft Winamp
- Roxio Creator NXT Pro 5
- Corel VideoStudio Pro X8.5 Ultimate
- CyberLink PowerDVD 16
- VideoLAN VLC media player
- Wondershare Filmora 6
- MPlayer
Mac Compatibility
- Apple QuickTime Player
- Apple iTunes
- Roxio Toast 15
- Eltima Elmedia Player
- VideoLAN VLC media player
- Wondershare Filmora 6
- MPlayer
iOS Compatibility
- Apple Music
- olimsoft OPlayer
- PentaLoop PlayerXtreme Media Player
- Google Drive
Android Compatibility
- BooKPia MP4 Video Player for Android
- BIT LABS Simple MP4 Video Player
- Google Drive
- Video labs VLC for Android
The Pro and Cons of MP4 Format Files
In addition to being compatible with numerous video players, the MP4 file is far better at compressing video file data than most formats, therefore it enables better video and sound quality in smaller file size. The quality of MP4 files is superb for streaming video over the internet with close to DVD quality. As such, video sharing platforms often actively encourage users to upload their files in MP4 format. The only con is that when MP4 files are imported, on occasion they may cause video software to crash.
Why We Offer MP4 Format at ScanCafe
Digitization converts VHS videos into formats including MP4, MOV, and AVI. At ScanCafe, we convert videos into MP4 files because this is the best format for video resolution and storage size, and offers the unsurpassed capability to relive favorite movie memories on virtually any device or software. You can select from a USB drive or DVD when you send us videos to digitize, and if you plan on doing any editing, we suggest selecting the Uncompressed H.264/MPEG-4 Files option.