Convert WMV to MOV
About WMV
WMV (Windows Media Video) is a video compression format developed by Microsoft. It was designed for streaming purposes and was a key part of the Windows Media framework. While it offers good compression and was popular in the early days of internet video, its proprietary nature has led to it being largely replaced by more universally supported formats like MP4.
About MOV
MOV is a high-quality multimedia container format developed by Apple for its QuickTime framework. It's a standard in the professional video editing world, especially on macOS. MOV files can contain multiple tracks of video, audio, effects, and text, and they are known for preserving high quality, often using codecs like Apple's own ProRes. This quality comes at the cost of very large file sizes.
WMV vs MOV
| Feature | WMV | MOV |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Support | true | false |
| Subtitle Support | false | true |
| DRM Support | true | false |
| Quality Rating | 3 | 5 |
| Patent Status | proprietary | proprietary |
| Year Introduced | 1999 | 1991 |
| Developed By | Microsoft | Apple |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play WMV files on a Mac?
Playing WMV files on macOS is not natively supported. You will need to download a third-party media player like VLC, or install a component like Flip4Mac (though this is also becoming legacy) to enable playback in QuickTime.
Is WMV still used today?
WMV is largely considered a legacy format. Its use is now mostly confined to older Windows-based systems or specific enterprise environments that have not updated their infrastructure. It is not recommended for creating new video content.
Can I play MOV files on Windows?
Yes, you can play MOV files on Windows, but you may need to install a compatible media player like VLC or QuickTime for Windows. Native support in Windows Media Player can be limited depending on the specific codecs used inside the MOV file.
Why are MOV files so large?
MOV files are often large because they are typically used in professional workflows with high-bitrate or minimally compressed video codecs (like Apple ProRes) to maintain the highest possible quality for editing. For distribution, these MOV files are usually compressed into a more efficient format like MP4.
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