Convert WMV to OGV
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 OGV
OGV is a free, open-source video container format developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation. It is the video--toting sibling of the OGG audio format. OGV files most commonly use the Theora video codec and the Vorbis audio codec, both of which are open and patent-free. It was an early contender for the HTML5 video standard.
WMV vs OGV
| Feature | WMV | OGV |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Support | true | true |
| Subtitle Support | false | true |
| DRM Support | true | false |
| Quality Rating | 3 | 3 |
| Patent Status | proprietary | patent-free |
| Year Introduced | 1999 | 2003 |
| Developed By | Microsoft | Xiph.Org Foundation |
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.
Why isn't OGV more popular?
While OGV is a capable, open-source format, the Theora video codec it uses is less efficient than modern codecs like H.264 or VP9. Google's push for WebM (which uses the more efficient VP8/VP9 codecs) as the open standard for web video largely relegated OGV to a niche role.
Is OGV the same as OGG?
Ogg is the container format. An .ogg file usually contains only audio (typically Vorbis). An .ogv file contains both video (typically Theora) and audio. Sometimes, video files are also given the .ogg extension, which can cause confusion.
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