6 replies to this topic

[vijay.gupta]

Hi All, I just have a very small query. Please let me know the format in which the audio files are present on any Audio CD? Also please let me know the format in which video files are present on any CD and on any DVD?

Edited by vijay.gupta, 05 June 2010 - 07:39 AM.

[8210GUY]

Hi, this is not quite as straight forward a question as you may think, audio Cd's are .wav files, but there are occasions where they may be .mp3 or some other format, but generally speaking for a CD to play on ordinary CD players then .wav is the format for this. Video files are more complex, well in a way, more than I can technically explain, but the standard for DVDs are .vob files, BUT (and this is where it gets deeper), video files can be burnt in a few formats, such as .avi and .mpeg to mention a couple, but what is true of burning either audio or video, is the hardware you intend to use it on will dictate the format you need to use, it's just some formats are more universal than others, and can play on more hardware devices than other formats, sorry it's not a clear cut answer as such, but hopefully it will tell you what you need to know here.

[vijay.gupta]

Sorry if I am getting repetitive but I just want to know the uncompressed format for audio files? I heard and then read on howstuff works that mp3 format is a compressed format used to share audio files on internet. So, I just want to know if there is any uncompressed file format also? And what do we have on audio cds that we get from market - is the music on it is in compressed format or uncompressed format? Also, which specific format it is?

[8210GUY]

You are not being repetitive, but as I explained above it isn't as straight forward an answer as you may of hoped, well depending on you're goal, as I said above .wav is the format used for Cd's generally speaking, this is the format used on audio Cd's you buy from shops etc, there may be exceptions, but generally speaking this is what they use, and it is an uncompressed format, as too .mp3 being used for sharing on the net, this is not directly true, .mp3 is used purely because it's probably the most universal format, and what most devices (not CD players) use, as well as being a smaller file size.

Too help you understand about the various formats (better than I could manage, clearly anyway), have a read of the following link, it breaks down each format and explains them a bit, hopefully between that and this it will help answer your question.
Audio file format

[vijay.gupta]

Thanks 8210 Guy, Can you please give similar explanation for video files? Also please let me know the format in which video files are present on any CD? I know that for video DVD, it is .vob but don't know any for video CD? Do audio DVDs also have files in .mp3 format just like audio files? I just want to know if there is any uncompressed file format for video files also just like .wav in case of audio files? And what do we have on video cds that we get from market - is the video on it is in compressed format or uncompressed format?

[8210GUY]

My knowledge on video formats is less than that of my audio knowledge, not that it was much in the first place lol, but my limited understanding is .vob is the usual format on DVDs you buy, generally speaking anyway, but there are a vast number of video formats, possibly more than audio as best I can see, so rather than me blunder along and risk adding to any confusion, here are a couple of links that list numerous formats with a brief explanation of them, hopefully these can tell you more than I could manage clearly.
http://www.fileinfo....filetypes/video (great list with a good break down, but don't get bogged down understanding the lesser known formats, they tell you the most common ones)
http://en.wikipedia....ormat_(digital)

DVD-Video is another read to aid explaining about this, and also mentions audio within this format, it would appear that what the DVD contains greatly depends on how it is made, eg if a bought DVD was capable of utilising Dolby 5.1 or similar, then the format used on that disk may differ from that used on a disk that did not have 5.1 ability, again no clear answer I'm afraid, there are just so many variables, but I hope these links help clear this up a bit for you.
This Link may help you gain a much deeper understanding on how big a field this is, hence not being able to have conclusive answers, and it gives a reasonable breakdown on each format, and touches on compression when relevant, so it may help you more.

As too audio DVDs, these are most likely to be in .mp3 format, simply because any device that can play audio DVDs are most likely to be using this format, the average CD player wont be able to handle an audio DVD AFAIK, but there may be exceptions, but this is the most common format used here.

You can create VCD's (Video Cd's), most common use of these is converting a home shot video of say a birthday or the like, and burning it too disk for other family members to be able to enjoy it as well, ideal for shorter video's rather than a full DVD, hopefully This will explain a bit more for you here.
Video compression will tell you more than I am able too here, it's a very complex area depending on what you want to do with such info.

I'm sorry I don't know enough to explain clearer than I have, but hopefully between this and putting all the links together between them you should hopefully get at least some of the answers you need\want.

[Doug]

This recent PCWorld Magazine Article on Video Format and contained Codecs may add (or muddy) the understanding of this Topic.
Here's a link if you would like to read Lincoln Specter's comments.

http://www.pcworld.c...tex_h_cbstories