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diff --git a/DOCS/formats.html b/DOCS/formats.html index 8ac90adb72..c45368928a 100644 --- a/DOCS/formats.html +++ b/DOCS/formats.html @@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ and <A HREF="encoding.html">MEncoder</A> can create these files.</P> MPEG1 video, and MP2 (MPEG-1 layer 2) or rarely MP1 audio.</LI> <LI>DAT: This is the very same format as MPG with a different extension. It is used on <B>Video CD</B>s. Due to the way VCDs are created and Linux is designed, -the DAT files cannot be played nor copied from VCDs as regular files. You have +DAT files cannot be played nor copied from VCDs as regular files. You have to use the <CODE>-vcd</CODE> option to play the Video CD.</LI> <LI>VOB: This is the MPEG file format on <B>DVD</B>s. It is the same as MPG, plus the capability to contain subtitles or non-MPEG (AC3) audio. It contains encoded MPEG2 @@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ video and usually AC3 audio, but DTS, MP2 and uncompressed LPCM are allowed, too </UL> <P>Series of frames form independent groups in MPEG files. This means that you -can cut/join an MPEG file with standard file tools (like dd, cut), and it -remains completely functional.</P> +can cut/join an MPEG file with standard file tools (like <CODE>dd</CODE>, +<CODE>cut</CODE>), and it remains completely functional.</P> <P>One important feature of MPGs is that they have a field to describe the aspect ratio of the video stream within. For example SVCDs have @@ -63,22 +63,22 @@ rescaled during encoding or played with the <CODE>-aspect</CODE> option.</P> <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.2>2.1.1.2. AVI files</A></B></P> -<P>Designed by Micro$oft, <B>AVI (Audio Video Interleaved)</B> is a +<P>Designed by Microsoft, <B>AVI (Audio Video Interleaved)</B> is a widespread multipurpose format currently used mostly for DivX and DivX4 video. It has many known drawbacks and shortcomings (for example in streaming). -It supports one video stream and 0 to 99 audio streams and can be as big as -2GB. There exists an extension allowing bigger files called <B>OpenDMS</B>. -M$ currently strongly discourages its use and encourages ASF/WMV. Not that +It supports one video stream and 0 to 99 audio streams. File size is limited to +2GB, but there exists an extension allowing bigger files called <B>OpenDMS</B>. +Microsoft currently strongly discourages its use and encourages ASF/WMV. Not that anybody cares.<BR> <P>There is a hack that allows AVI files to contain an Ogg Vorbis audio stream, but makes them incompatible with standard AVI. <B>MPlayer</B> supports playing these files. Seeking is also implemented but severely hampered by badly encoded files with confusing headers. Unfortunately the - only encoder currently capable of creating these files, nandub, has this + only encoder currently capable of creating these files, NanDub, has this problem.</P> -<P><B>NOTE:</B> DV cameras create raw DV streams that DV grabbing utilities +<P><B>Note:</B> DV cameras create raw DV streams that DV grabbing utilities convert to two different types of AVI files. The AVI will then contain either separate audio and video streams that <B>MPlayer</B> can play or the raw DV stream for which support is under development.</P> @@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ stream for which support is under development.</P> <UL> <LI><B>bps-based</B>: It is based on the bitrate/samplerate of the video/audio stream. This method is used by most players, including <A HREF="http://avifile.sourceforge.net">avifile</A> - and windows media player. - Files with broken headers, and files created with VBR audio but not + and Windows Media Player. + Files with broken headers, and files created with VBR audio but not with a VBR-compliant encoder will result in A/V desync with this method (mostly at seeking).</LI> <LI><B>interleaving-based</B>: It does not use the bitrate value of the header, instead @@ -111,16 +111,16 @@ stream for which support is under development.</P> <P>Any audio and video codec is allowed, but note that VBR audio is not well supported by most players. The file format makes it possible to use VBR audio, but most players expect CBR audio, thus they fail with VBR. VBR is -uncommon and Microsoft's AVI specs only describe CBR audio. I also noticed that -most AVI encoders/multiplexers create bad files when using VBR audio. There are only -two exceptions (known to me): NaNDub and <A HREF="encoding.html">MEncoder</A>.</P> +uncommon and the Microsoft AVI specs only describe CBR audio. Most AVI +encoders/multiplexers create bad files when using VBR audio. There are only +two known exceptions: NanDub and <A HREF="encoding.html">MEncoder</A>.</P> <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.3>2.1.1.3. ASF/WMV files</A></B></P> <P>ASF (active streaming format) comes from Microsoft. They developed two -variants of ASF, v1.0 and v2.0. v1.0 is used by their media tools (windows -media player and windows media encoder) and is very secret. v2.0 is published +variants of ASF, v1.0 and v2.0. v1.0 is used by their media tools (Windows +Media Player and Windows Media Encoder) and is very secret. v2.0 is published and patented :). Of course they differ, there is no compatibility at all (it is just another legal game). <B>MPlayer</B> supports only v1.0, as nobody has ever seen v2.0 files :). Note that ASF files nowadays come with the extension .WMA or @@ -129,16 +129,16 @@ v2.0 files :). Note that ASF files nowadays come with the extension .WMA or <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.4>2.1.1.4. QuickTime/MOV files</A></B></P> -<P>These formats were designed by Apple. They usually have a .QT or .MOV extension. Note -that since the MPEG4 group chose QuickTime as the recommended file format -for MPEG4, their MOV files come with a .MPG or .MP4 extension (Interestingly -the video and audio streams in these files are real MPG and AAC files. With the -<CODE>-dumpvideo</CODE> and <CODE>-dumpaudio</CODE> options you can even extract them!).</P> +<P>These formats were designed by Apple and can contain any codec, CBR or VBR. +They usually have a .QT or .MOV extension. Ever since the MPEG4 group chose +QuickTime as the recommended file format for MPEG4, their MOV files come with a +.MPG or .MP4 extension (Interestingly the video and audio streams in these +files are real MPG and AAC files. You can even extract them with the +<CODE>-dumpvideo</CODE> and <CODE>-dumpaudio</CODE> options.).</P> -<P><B>Codecs</B>: Any codec is allowed, both CBR and VBR. Note: most new QuickTime files use -<B>Sorenson</B> video and QDesign Music audio. See our -<A HREF="codecs.html#2.2.1.10">Sorenson</A> codec section. QDesign Music -audio currently can't be played.</P> +<P><B>Note:</B> Most new QuickTime files use <B>Sorenson</B> video and QDesign + Music audio. See our <A HREF="codecs.html#2.2.1.10">Sorenson</A> codec + section. QDesign Music audio currently cannot be played.</P> <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.5>2.1.1.5. VIVO files</A></B></P> @@ -173,21 +173,6 @@ will be messy for a short time after seeking.</P> <A HREF="codecs.html#2.2.1.8">RealVideo</A> and <A HREF="codecs.html#2.2.2.5">RealAudio</A> codecs.</P> -<P>It's recommended to download and install RealPlayer8 or RealONE, because - <B>MPlayer</B> can use their libraries to decode files with RealVideo 2.0 or - RealVideo 3.0 video!</P> - -<P>The <B>MPlayer</B> configure script should detect the RealPlayer libraries - in all standard locations. If it does not, tell configure where to look with - the <CODE>--with-reallibdir</CODE> switch.</P> - -<P>It is also possible to just take the RealPlayer libraries from somewhere and - put them in a suitable directory like <CODE>/usr/lib/real</CODE> or - <CODE>$LIBDIR/real</CODE>.</P> - -<P>NOTE: RealPlayer libraries currently <B>only work with Linux, FreeBSD, - NetBSD and Cygwin on the x86 platform</B>!</P> - <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.8>2.1.1.8. NuppelVideo files</A></B></P> @@ -195,15 +180,15 @@ will be messy for a short time after seeking.</P> is a TV grabber tool (AFAIK:). <B>MPlayer</B> can read its .NUV files (only NuppelVideo 5.0). Those files can contain uncompressed YV12, YV12+RTJpeg compressed, YV12 RTJpeg+lzo compressed, and YV12+lzo compressed -frames. <B>MPlayer</B> decodes (and also <B>encodes</B> them with MEncoder to -DivX/etc!) them all. Seeking works.</P> +frames. <B>MPlayer</B> decodes them all (and also <B>encodes</B> them with +<B>MEncoder</B> to DivX/etc!). Seeking works.</P> <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.9>2.1.1.9. yuv4mpeg files</A></B></P> <P><A HREF="http://mjpeg.sourceforge.net">yuv4mpeg / yuv4mpeg2</A> is a file format used by the <A HREF="http://mjpeg.sf.net">mjpegtools programs</A>. -You can grab, produce, filter or encode video in this format using these. +You can grab, produce, filter or encode video in this format using these tools. The file format is really a sequence of uncompressed YUV 4:2:0 images. </P> @@ -221,8 +206,9 @@ The file format is really a sequence of uncompressed YUV 4:2:0 images. <P><B><A NAME=2.1.1.12>2.1.1.12. OGG files</A></B></P> -<P>This is a new fileformat from Xiphophorus, developed to contain Vorbis - audio. You'll need <CODE>libogg</CODE> and <CODE>libvorbis</CODE> installed +<P>This is a new file format from <A HREF="http://www.xiph.org">Xiphophorus</A>. + It can contain any video or audio codec, CBR or VBR. You will need to + have <CODE>libogg</CODE> and <CODE>libvorbis</CODE> installed before compiling <B>MPlayer</B> to be able to play it.</P> |