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Supported Formats
Convert between all major file formats with high quality
Common Formats
MPEG-4 Part 14 - the most universal video format worldwide supporting H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and various audio codecs. Perfect balance of quality, compression, and compatibility. Plays on virtually every device (phones, tablets, computers, TVs, game consoles). Standard for YouTube, streaming services, and video sharing. Supports chapters, subtitles, and multiple audio tracks. Industry standard since 2001. Perfect for any video distribution scenario.
Audio Video Interleave - legacy Windows multimedia container format from 1992. Flexible container supporting virtually any codec. Larger file sizes than modern formats. Universal compatibility with Windows software and older devices. Simple structure making it easy to edit. Common in video editing and legacy content. Being replaced by MP4 and MKV but still widely supported. Perfect for maximum compatibility with older Windows systems and software.
Matroska - flexible open-source container supporting unlimited video/audio tracks, subtitles, chapters, and metadata. Can contain any codec (H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1). Perfect for high-quality video archival with multiple audio languages and subtitle tracks. Popular for HD/4K movies and Blu-ray rips. Supports advanced features like ordered chapters and menu systems. Excellent for complex multi-track videos. Standard format for high-quality video collections.
QuickTime Movie - Apple's multimedia container format with excellent quality and editing capabilities. Native format for macOS and iOS devices. Supports various codecs including ProRes for professional video. High-quality preservation suitable for editing. Larger file sizes than compressed formats. Perfect for video production on Mac, professional editing, and scenarios requiring maximum quality. Standard format for Final Cut Pro and professional Mac workflows.
Windows Media Video - Microsoft's video codec and container format optimized for Windows Media Player. Good compression with acceptable quality. Native Windows support and streaming capabilities. Various versions (WMV7, WMV8, WMV9/VC-1). Used for Windows-based streaming and video distribution. Being superseded by MP4 and other formats. Perfect for legacy Windows systems and corporate environments using Windows Media infrastructure. Still encountered in Windows-centric content.
Flash Video - legacy format for Adobe Flash Player used extensively for web video (2000s). Enabled YouTube's early growth and online video streaming. Now obsolete due to Flash discontinuation (2020). Small file sizes with acceptable quality for the era. No longer recommended for new projects. Convert to MP4 or WebM for modern compatibility. Historical format important for archival but not for new content.
Web Formats
WebM - open-source video format developed by Google specifically for HTML5 web video. Uses VP8/VP9/AV1 video codecs with Vorbis/Opus audio. Royalty-free with no licensing costs. Optimized for streaming with efficient compression. Native support in all modern browsers. Smaller file sizes than H.264 at similar quality. Perfect for web videos, HTML5 players, and open-source projects. Becoming standard for web-native video content.
Ogg Video - open-source video format from Xiph.Org Foundation using Theora video codec and Vorbis/Opus audio. Free from patents and licensing fees. Used in open-source projects and HTML5 video. Comparable quality to early H.264 but superseded by VP9 and AV1. Declining usage in favor of WebM. Perfect for open-source applications requiring free codecs. Convert to WebM or MP4 for better compatibility and quality. Historical importance in open video standards.
MPEG-4 Video - Apple's variant of MP4 for iTunes and iOS with optional DRM protection. Nearly identical to MP4 but may contain FairPlay DRM. Used for iTunes Store purchases and Apple TV content. Supports H.264/H.265 video and AAC audio. Includes chapter markers and metadata. Convert to MP4 for broader compatibility (if DRM-free). Perfect for iTunes library and Apple ecosystem. Essentially MP4 with Apple-specific features.
Professional Formats
MPEG - legacy video format using MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 compression. Standard for Video CDs and DVDs. Good quality with moderate compression. Universal compatibility with older devices. Larger files than modern formats. Perfect for DVD compatibility and legacy systems. Being replaced by MP4. Convert to MP4 for better compression and compatibility.
MPEG Video - generic MPEG format (MPEG-1/2/4) used for various video applications. Container for MPEG video standards. Common in broadcasting and DVD authoring. Various quality levels depending on MPEG version. Perfect for broadcast and professional video. Modern equivalent is MP4. Convert to MP4 for contemporary use.
Video Object - DVD video container format containing MPEG-2 video and AC-3/PCM audio. Part of DVD-Video specification. Encrypted with CSS on commercial DVDs. Includes subtitles, menu data, and multiple audio tracks. Large file sizes with maximum quality for DVD. Perfect for DVD authoring and DVD backup. Convert to MP4 or MKV for smaller file sizes and broader playback compatibility.
AVCHD Video - high-definition video format from Sony/Panasonic HD camcorders. Uses MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression with .mts extension. Part of AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition) standard. Full HD 1080p/1080i recording. Perfect for camcorder footage preservation. Convert to MP4 for easier editing and sharing. Standard format from Sony, Panasonic, and Canon HD camcorders.
Blu-ray MPEG-2 Transport Stream - Blu-ray disc video format containing H.264, MPEG-2, or VC-1 video. High-quality HD/4K video with up to 40Mbps bitrate. Used on Blu-ray discs and AVCHD camcorders. Supports multiple audio tracks and subtitles. Perfect for Blu-ray backup and high-quality archival. Convert to MP4 or MKV for smaller file sizes. Premium quality format for HD/4K content.
Mobile Formats
3rd Generation Partnership Project - mobile video format designed for 3G phones with small file sizes and low bitrates. Optimized for limited mobile bandwidth and processing power. Supports H.263, MPEG-4, and H.264 video. Very small file sizes (10-100KB per minute). Legacy format from early smartphone era. Being replaced by MP4 for mobile video. Still useful for extremely low-bandwidth scenarios. Convert to MP4 for modern devices.
3GPP2 - mobile video format for CDMA2000 3G phones. Similar to 3GP but for CDMA networks (Verizon, Sprint). Very small file sizes optimized for mobile networks. Supports H.263, MPEG-4, and H.264 video. Legacy mobile format. Convert to MP4 for modern devices. Superseded by standard MP4.
Legacy Formats
RealMedia - proprietary streaming format from RealNetworks (1990s-2000s). Optimized for low-bandwidth streaming. Poor quality by modern standards. Obsolete format with limited player support. Convert to MP4 for modern playback. Historical importance in early internet video streaming.
RealMedia Variable Bitrate - improved RealMedia format with variable bitrate encoding. Better quality than RM at similar file sizes. Popular in Asia for video distribution. Obsolete format requiring RealPlayer. Convert to MP4 or MKV for modern compatibility. Legacy format from RealNetworks.
Advanced Systems Format - Microsoft's streaming media container for Windows Media. Used for WMV and WMA streaming. Supports live streaming and DRM protection. Common in Windows Media Services. Being replaced by modern streaming technologies. Convert to MP4 for universal compatibility. Microsoft legacy streaming format.
Shockwave Flash - Adobe Flash animation and video format. Interactive multimedia content with vector graphics and scripting. Obsolete since Flash end-of-life (December 2020). Security risks from Flash Player. Convert videos to MP4, animations to HTML5/SVG. Historical format from web animation era.
How to Convert Files
Upload your files, select output format, and download converted files instantly. Our converter supports batch conversion and maintains high quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an M2V file and why does it contain only video?
An M2V file is a raw MPEG-2 video elementary stream. It contains video data only—no audio, no subtitles, no metadata, no container structure. M2V is essentially the pure video track extracted from DVDs, MPEG-2 broadcasts, VOB files, or MPEG program streams. Because it’s an elementary stream, it cannot store audio or additional tracks; those must be kept in separate files.
M2V exists primarily for production, authoring, and archival workflows. DVD authoring tools expect the video track in .m2v format and audio in AC-3 or PCM separately. This separation helps build DVD menus, chapters, and multi-language tracks without mixing streams prematurely.
What codecs or data are actually inside an M2V file?
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Why do M2V files look huge compared to MP4 or MKV?
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Why does M2V have no audio? Can I add audio to it?
M2V is an elementary stream format, meaning it was designed to contain only one type of media (video). Audio is stored separately by design, usually as AC-3 or MP2 files. The two are then combined during authoring into a DVD structure or MPEG program stream.
You cannot embed audio directly into an M2V file. Instead, you ‘mux’ the video with audio into a container such as MPG, VOB, MKV, or MP4. This process pairs your M2V video with the audio track and produces a standard playable file.
If you want a normal playable file, M2V should always be converted to a container format with audio included.
Can I convert M2V to MP4 or MKV without losing quality?
Yes—if you simply remux the stream into a compatible container. However, MP4 does not reliably support MPEG-2 video, so the best option is MKV. MKV accepts MPEG-2 video and allows you to add audio tracks without re-encoding.
If your goal is compression or modern device compatibility, re-encoding is necessary. Converting M2V to H.264 or HEVC will significantly reduce file size while maintaining equivalent perceived quality.
For archival quality, remux to MKV. For distribution and playback, convert to MP4 or MKV with H.264.
Is M2V still used today or is it obsolete?
M2V is mostly obsolete for consumer use but still appears in certain niche workflows like DVD authoring, legacy broadcast automation, film restoration, or archival systems that rely on MPEG-2. Modern formats like MP4, MKV, and MOV have replaced M2V for nearly all normal usage.
Editing software and media servers rarely accept M2V directly. Most require conversion into MP4, MOV, or MKV before playback or editing.
Unless you are intentionally working with MPEG-2 in a professional context, converting M2V is recommended.
Why don’t most media players open M2V files correctly?
Because M2V is not a real container. Many players expect a container structure (MP4, MKV, AVI) to know how to index the video, seek positions, handle timestamps, and synchronize audio. M2V lacks timestamps entirely—it contains video frames only.
Some players like VLC can display M2V streams, but seeking, playback smoothness, and frame-accuracy may be unpredictable.
For proper playback, M2V must be muxed or converted into a standard container.
Why do some M2V files look blocky or blurry?
M2V uses MPEG-2, which has several limitations:
Weak compression
MPEG-2 uses limited prediction; scenes with motion produce block artifacts or mosquito noise.
Interlaced footage
Most M2V files are 480i, 576i, or 1080i. Interlacing creates visible combing artifacts on modern screens.
Broadcast noise
M2V taken from antenna broadcasts may include signal noise that MPEG-2 struggles to encode cleanly.
DVD bitrate limits
DVDs cap MPEG-2 bitrate around 9.8 Mbps, which is often too low for complex scenes.
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Converting to H.264 with filtering or deinterlacing can significantly improve visual clarity.
Can M2V store HD or 4K video?
Yes, MPEG-2 supports resolutions up to 1080p and beyond. Broadcast standards like ATSC and DVB used MPEG-2 for HD channels for years. However, MPEG-2 is extremely inefficient for resolutions above 1080p.
M2V files containing HD MPEG-2 require very high bitrates to maintain quality, which makes file sizes enormous.
Modern HD workflows use H.264, HEVC, or AV1—not M2V.
What’s the best way to convert M2V for viewing or sharing?
Conversion depends on your goal:
For universal playback
Convert to MP4 with H.264 (works on phones, TVs, browsers, consoles).
For editing
Convert to ProRes or DNxHR MOV for smooth timeline performance.
For compression
Encode to HEVC or AV1 to reduce file size dramatically.
For archival preservation
Remux to MKV without re-encoding to preserve original quality.
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Why does M2V come from VOB or MPG files?
Because DVDs and MPEG program streams store multiplexed audio, video, and subtitles. M2V is the extracted elementary video stream from those multiplexed files. Demuxing separates the components for editing or authoring.
This separation is useful for DVD creation: you choose the video (.m2v) and audio (.ac3) tracks independently before building menus and chapters.
Demuxing to M2V ensures the video is untouched and remains exactly as stored on the DVD or broadcast.
Should I keep M2V files or convert them?
Keep M2V files only if you are working on DVD authoring, archival restoration, or legacy broadcast systems. In such workflows, preserving the original MPEG-2 stream is valuable.
For general use—watching, editing, or sharing—convert the M2V immediately. It is outdated, inefficient, and poorly supported.
Most users benefit from converting to MP4 or MKV, especially since file sizes shrink drastically.
Can M2V be remuxed without re-encoding?
Yes. M2V can be placed into MKV or MPG containers without re-encoding. This preserves 100% of the original video quality.
However, MP4 does not officially support MPEG-2 video, so remuxing into MP4 is not recommended.
MKV is the safest and most compatible container for remuxing M2V streams.
Why do editing programs sometimes reject M2V files?
Many editors require a container (MP4, MOV, MKV) that includes timestamps, indexing, and audio synchronization data. M2V lacks all of these, making it difficult for software to manage accurately.
Interlaced M2V files also create difficulties in editing programs, requiring manual deinterlacing or filters.
Converting M2V to MOV or MP4 resolves these issues and provides a standard file structure.
Why did M2V survive so long despite newer formats?
Because M2V was integral to the DVD authoring workflow for decades. DVDs dominated home video from the late 90s to mid-2010s, and M2V was the primary format for MPEG-2 video within that ecosystem.
Broadcast standards like ATSC and DVB also relied on MPEG-2 video for many years. This created massive compatibility across hardware, authoring tools, and automation systems.
Even though newer formats are superior, the enormous amount of existing MPEG-2 content keeps M2V relevant for archival, restoration, and legacy workflows.