Convert FLV to H264
About FLV
FLV (Flash Video) is a container format that was used to deliver video over the Internet using the Adobe Flash Player. For many years, it was the de facto standard for web video, used by sites like YouTube and Hulu. However, with the decline of Flash due to security issues and the rise of HTML5 video, FLV is now a deprecated and obsolete format.
About H264
This is not a playable video file, but a raw video stream encoded with the H.264 (also known as AVC) codec. H.264 is the most widely used video codec on the planet, found in everything from Blu-ray discs to web streaming. A raw .h264 file is the pure video data without any audio or container information. It must be 'muxed' into a container like MP4 to be widely playable.
FLV vs H264
| Feature | FLV | H264 |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Support | true | false |
| Subtitle Support | false | false |
| DRM Support | true | false |
| Quality Rating | 2 | 5 |
| Patent Status | proprietary | patented |
| Year Introduced | 2003 | 2003 |
| Developed By | Adobe | ITU-T/ISO/IEC |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Flash completely dead?
Yes, Adobe officially ended support for Flash Player at the end of 2020, and all major browsers have removed it. While FLV files can still be played in some media players like VLC, the technology is considered obsolete and should not be used for new content.
Why was Flash replaced by HTML5?
Flash was replaced because it was a proprietary plugin that suffered from poor performance, security vulnerabilities, and a lack of support on mobile devices. HTML5 video is a web standard that is built directly into browsers, making it more secure, efficient, and universally compatible.
What is the difference between H.264 and MP4?
H.264 is the codec—the algorithm that compresses the video. MP4 is the container—the 'box' that holds the H.264 compressed video, an audio track, and subtitles. Think of H.264 as the book's content and MP4 as the book's cover and binding.
How do I play a .h264 file?
Most standard media players cannot play raw .h264 streams. You would typically need a specialized player like VLC or use a tool like FFmpeg to combine it with an audio stream into a standard MP4 or MKV container file.
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